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Thunderbird occasionally attach the incorrect file if using drag and drop

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Hi there,

I was using Thunderbird 32 bit version 78.12.0. So I always receive emails from one department, then I must attach the PDF file from that email to another email for our clients. Normally I must save the attachment to my computer first, then on the email to my client I attach the file from my computer. BUT, being lazy as I am... I decide not to save the file to my computer, but instead I drag and drop the file from received email... to the new email window which I already prepared for my client.

To my suprise, between the last 3 months (and I do this daily for about 5 to 10 emails), I received total 6 respond from my various clients that I wrongfully attach the file. When I check the send folder, I found my email was attached with the correct file name. But when I open the PDF file, it contain the different file (the PDF which used to be send to another client). I checked my inbox, and found that I received the email with correct PDF name and also correct content.

6 cases from about 750 emails sound like a minority report, but this is wrong and dangerously for my business. Therefore I tried to re-produce the error, and here is my finding so far: - If those wrong email I do the drag and drop once more... the sent email will keep mistakenly attach the same file (correct name, but consistently using the wrong content). - If I create new mail, to the same destination address, with the different subject, then I do drag and drop once more, the attachment is correct. - The incorrect content were randomly picked by the Thunderbird (?), sometimes it's from the nearest attachment in the same date, or a day before... but sometime from 5 months ago. - I've not use any add on at all (never install any add-on, and I've checked the add on window is empty).

Please kindly help me about this? Thank you Stan

Hi there, I was using Thunderbird 32 bit version 78.12.0. So I always receive emails from one department, then I must attach the PDF file from that email to another email for our clients. Normally I must save the attachment to my computer first, then on the email to my client I attach the file from my computer. BUT, being lazy as I am... I decide not to save the file to my computer, but instead I drag and drop the file from received email... to the new email window which I already prepared for my client. To my suprise, between the last 3 months (and I do this daily for about 5 to 10 emails), I received total 6 respond from my various clients that I wrongfully attach the file. When I check the send folder, I found my email was attached with the correct file name. But when I open the PDF file, it contain the different file (the PDF which used to be send to another client). I checked my inbox, and found that I received the email with correct PDF name and also correct content. 6 cases from about 750 emails sound like a minority report, but this is wrong and dangerously for my business. Therefore I tried to re-produce the error, and here is my finding so far: - If those wrong email I do the drag and drop once more... the sent email will keep mistakenly attach the same file (correct name, but consistently using the wrong content). - If I create new mail, to the same destination address, with the different subject, then I do drag and drop once more, the attachment is correct. - The incorrect content were randomly picked by the Thunderbird (?), sometimes it's from the nearest attachment in the same date, or a day before... but sometime from 5 months ago. - I've not use any add on at all (never install any add-on, and I've checked the add on window is empty). Please kindly help me about this? Thank you Stan

Chosen solution

You're dragging from one email to another uses the system temp folder to create a file for the pdf. The name used will always be the same, so if your computer is slow or temp deletions are slowed by things like anti virus scanning it is conceivable that the first temp file will still be there when you drag the next so instead of getting the new file you get the last one.

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All Replies (2)

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Chosen Solution

You're dragging from one email to another uses the system temp folder to create a file for the pdf. The name used will always be the same, so if your computer is slow or temp deletions are slowed by things like anti virus scanning it is conceivable that the first temp file will still be there when you drag the next so instead of getting the new file you get the last one.

Modified by Matt

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Thank you Matt. Actually this is not solving my problems.... but instead it helps me understand that my PC is quite old (and slow), that's your explanation is possible as the main problems. Slow PC with background anti-virus and firewall may be the reason.

Well, I guess it's time to invest into new PC.