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Why does thunderbird insert whitepace/tab characters after certain character combinations?

  • 6 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 8 views
  • Last reply by Zenos

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Using Thunderbird 24.4 inserts whitepace/tabs after certain and specific character combinations (r followed by an i, C followed by an o, but not c and o, and many more). Does not happen in any other applications. These spaces are inserted in new emails and when displaying recieved emails in the preview pane and in new windows (even inserted into attached text signatures). Have tried setting default display font to several different fonts and font sizes, changing mail composition preference from html to text and changing encodings in composition settings. Characters/whitepaces are sent with emails. Happens in safemode as well as normal mode.

When I changed the Preferences -> Display -> Formatting -> Advanced -> Fonts and Encodings and unchecked 'Use Fixed Width Fonts For Plain text Messages" then the messages in the preview pane and read mail message tabs display properly but am unable fix problem when creating new emails or responding to them.

This problem is 100% recreatable and happened originally on my OpenSuse laptop. I copied my .thunderbird directory over to my Ubuntu laptop and problem persists so I think it is just a profile setting somewhere that needs to be set back to default, though don't ever remember ever changing any encoding/font options until I started troubleshooting. BTW, would prefer to continue to send new messages as text.

Thank you in advanced, Chad

Attached is my Thunderbird troubleshooting information.


Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 24.4.0
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; rv:24.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/24.4.0
   Profile Directory: Open Directory
             (Local drive)
   Application Build ID: 20140318002233
   Enabled Plugins: about:plugins
   Build Configuration: about:buildconfig
   Crash Reports: about:crashes
   Memory Use: about:memory
 Mail and News Accounts
   account1:
     INCOMING: account1, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxx.net:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtpout.xxxxxx.net:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account2:
     INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext
   account3:
     INCOMING: account3, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxx.net:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtpout.xxxxxxx.net:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account4:
     INCOMING: account4, , (pop3) mail.xxxxxxxx.org:110, plain, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: mail.xxxxxxxx.org:587, plain, passwordCleartext, true
   account5:
     INCOMING: account5, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxxxx.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account6:
     INCOMING: account6, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxxxx.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true
   account7:
     INCOMING: account7, , (pop3) pop.mail.xxxxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtp.mail.xxxxxxxxxx.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account8:
     INCOMING: account8, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxxxxxx.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account9:
     INCOMING: account9, , (pop3) mail4.xxxxxx.gov:995, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxx.gov:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true
   account10:
     INCOMING: account10, , (pop3) mail.xxxxxxxx.edu:110, plain, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: mail.xxxxxxxx.org:587, plain, passwordCleartext, true
 Extensions
   EDS Contact Integration, 0.6, true, edsintegration@mozilla.com
   Enigmail, 1.6, true, {847b3a00-7ab1-11d4-8f02-006008948af5}
   Messaging Menu and Unity Launcher integration, 1.3.1, true, messagingmenu@mozilla.com
   Test Pilot for Thunderbird, 1.3.9, true, tbtestpilot@labs.mozilla.com
 Important Modified Preferences
   Name: Value
     browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false
     browser.display.use_document_fonts: 0
     extensions.lastAppVersion: 24.4.0
     font.minimum-size.x-western: 12
     font.name.sans-serif.x-western: Garamond
     font.size.variable.x-western: 12
     mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: c5f0e054-d6e7-4e64-990d-7904d0131d9
     mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1
     network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true
     places.database.lastMaintenance: 1396242260
     places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 50666
     plugin.importedState: true
     privacy.donottrackheader.enabled: true
 Graphics
     Adapter Description: Intel Open Source Technology Center -- Mesa DRI Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset x86/MMX/SSE2
     Vendor ID: Intel Open Source Technology Center
     Device ID: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset x86/MMX/SSE2
     Driver Version: 2.1 Mesa 9.2.1
     WebGL Renderer: false
     GPU Accelerated Windows: 0
     AzureCanvasBackend: cairo
     AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: none
     AzureContentBackend: none
 JavaScript
 Incremental GC: 1
 Accessibility
   Activated: 0
   Prevent Accessibility: 0
 Library Versions
     Expected minimum version
     Version in use
     NSPR
     4.10.2
     4.10.2
     NSS
     3.15.4 Basic ECC
     3.15.4 Basic ECC
     NSS Util
     3.15.4
     3.15.4
     NSS SSL
     3.15.4 Basic ECC
     3.15.4 Basic ECC
     NSS S/MIME
     3.15.4 Basic ECC
     3.15.4 Basic ECC
Using Thunderbird 24.4 inserts whitepace/tabs after certain and specific character combinations (r followed by an i, C followed by an o, but not c and o, and many more). Does not happen in any other applications. These spaces are inserted in new emails and when displaying recieved emails in the preview pane and in new windows (even inserted into attached text signatures). Have tried setting default display font to several different fonts and font sizes, changing mail composition preference from html to text and changing encodings in composition settings. Characters/whitepaces are sent with emails. Happens in safemode as well as normal mode. When I changed the Preferences -> Display -> Formatting -> Advanced -> Fonts and Encodings and unchecked 'Use Fixed Width Fonts For Plain text Messages" then the messages in the preview pane and read mail message tabs display properly but am unable fix problem when creating new emails or responding to them. This problem is 100% recreatable and happened originally on my OpenSuse laptop. I copied my .thunderbird directory over to my Ubuntu laptop and problem persists so I think it is just a profile setting somewhere that needs to be set back to default, though don't ever remember ever changing any encoding/font options until I started troubleshooting. BTW, would prefer to continue to send new messages as text. Thank you in advanced, Chad Attached is my Thunderbird troubleshooting information. ---- Application Basics Name: Thunderbird Version: 24.4.0 User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; rv:24.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/24.4.0 Profile Directory: Open Directory (Local drive) Application Build ID: 20140318002233 Enabled Plugins: about:plugins Build Configuration: about:buildconfig Crash Reports: about:crashes Memory Use: about:memory Mail and News Accounts account1: INCOMING: account1, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxx.net:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtpout.xxxxxx.net:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account2: INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext account3: INCOMING: account3, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxx.net:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtpout.xxxxxxx.net:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account4: INCOMING: account4, , (pop3) mail.xxxxxxxx.org:110, plain, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: mail.xxxxxxxx.org:587, plain, passwordCleartext, true account5: INCOMING: account5, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxxxx.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account6: INCOMING: account6, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxxxx.com:587, alwaysSTARTTLS, passwordCleartext, true account7: INCOMING: account7, , (pop3) pop.mail.xxxxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtp.mail.xxxxxxxxxx.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account8: INCOMING: account8, , (pop3) pop.xxxxxxxxxx.com:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxxxxxx.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account9: INCOMING: account9, , (pop3) mail4.xxxxxx.gov:995, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: smtp.xxxxxx.gov:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account10: INCOMING: account10, , (pop3) mail.xxxxxxxx.edu:110, plain, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: mail.xxxxxxxx.org:587, plain, passwordCleartext, true Extensions EDS Contact Integration, 0.6, true, edsintegration@mozilla.com Enigmail, 1.6, true, {847b3a00-7ab1-11d4-8f02-006008948af5} Messaging Menu and Unity Launcher integration, 1.3.1, true, messagingmenu@mozilla.com Test Pilot for Thunderbird, 1.3.9, true, tbtestpilot@labs.mozilla.com Important Modified Preferences Name: Value browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false browser.display.use_document_fonts: 0 extensions.lastAppVersion: 24.4.0 font.minimum-size.x-western: 12 font.name.sans-serif.x-western: Garamond font.size.variable.x-western: 12 mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: c5f0e054-d6e7-4e64-990d-7904d0131d9 mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1 network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1396242260 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 50666 plugin.importedState: true privacy.donottrackheader.enabled: true Graphics Adapter Description: Intel Open Source Technology Center -- Mesa DRI Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset x86/MMX/SSE2 Vendor ID: Intel Open Source Technology Center Device ID: Mesa DRI Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset x86/MMX/SSE2 Driver Version: 2.1 Mesa 9.2.1 WebGL Renderer: false GPU Accelerated Windows: 0 AzureCanvasBackend: cairo AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: none AzureContentBackend: none JavaScript Incremental GC: 1 Accessibility Activated: 0 Prevent Accessibility: 0 Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.10.2 4.10.2 NSS 3.15.4 Basic ECC 3.15.4 Basic ECC NSS Util 3.15.4 3.15.4 NSS SSL 3.15.4 Basic ECC 3.15.4 Basic ECC NSS S/MIME 3.15.4 Basic ECC 3.15.4 Basic ECC

All Replies (6)

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try it without the add-ons by restarting from the option on the help menu and see if that stops the spacing. I think it will be add-on related.

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Restarted with all addins disabled, did not fix problem.

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" Happens in safemode as well as normal mode. "

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Don't know if this makes a difference but both the OpenSuse and Ubuntu laptops are panasonic toughbooks.

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Just tried viewing page source of a web page w/ Firefox and noticed the same problem with inserted whitespaces. This seems to be a problem not just with Thunderbird but Firefox as well. Maybe some shared Mozilla component/library?

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Can't reproduce that here in windows. I will check at home on LMDE, but I think I'd have seen it if it were there.