where does thunderbird store (file) the "local directory" path?
In which file does thunderbird store the "local directory" path? I have a client who want to change 10 email addresses on several machines.
It is most cumbersome to go one by one via account settings -> server settings ->Local Directory -> Browse.
Is there a file in Thunderbird where I can simply copy/paste the new path?
Chosen solution
I took your phrase "change 10 email addresses" literally, but it seems you didn't mean that you wnat to change any email addresses, just some account settings.
I'd ask why the user wants to change Local Directory. It's unusual to need to do this, and taking mail stores out of the profile always makes maintenance harder. As you are now finding. ;-)
But as I said, all the mail account settings can be found in prefs.js. You'll need a good search-and-replace tool and you'll be looking for entries that resemble this:
user_pref("mail.server.server5.directory", "/home/chris/.thunderbird/cjr_profile/ImapMail/imap.googlemail.com");
user_pref("mail.server.server5.directory-rel", "[ProfD]ImapMail/imap.googlemail.com");
(Ignore any apparent links there; that's this forum's software doing a simplistic identification of what could be an URL. :-( )
These are from a Linux installation, so the details of the path to your profile will be different in Windows and OSX. ".thunderbird" is Linux's implementation of the profile folder. And "server5" is specific to my installation; you'll almost certainly have a different numeric value. Your best bet is to copy an existing Local Directory entry and use it as the target for a search-and-replace on prefs.js.
I do not know the significance of [ProfD] but if you are relocating the mailstore, this may need to be updated too. But I haven't yet found where it is defined.
Please make sure Thunderbird is closed down before editing prefs.js, as it will overwrite your changes when it closes, if it is open while you edit.
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What's the connection between changing email addresses and the local directory?
Local directory is the location of the mail store for an account. I don't understand why you've singled it out in relation to changing email addresses.
All the account settings are stored in prefs.js, but be very wary if you venture into it with an editor. Thunderbird fails silently if the syntax is broken.
If you have e.g. ten accounts you need to ten times go one by one via account settings -> server settings ->Local Directory -> Browse to change the profile location (that has been moved) and restart TB.
Chosen Solution
I took your phrase "change 10 email addresses" literally, but it seems you didn't mean that you wnat to change any email addresses, just some account settings.
I'd ask why the user wants to change Local Directory. It's unusual to need to do this, and taking mail stores out of the profile always makes maintenance harder. As you are now finding. ;-)
But as I said, all the mail account settings can be found in prefs.js. You'll need a good search-and-replace tool and you'll be looking for entries that resemble this:
user_pref("mail.server.server5.directory", "/home/chris/.thunderbird/cjr_profile/ImapMail/imap.googlemail.com");
user_pref("mail.server.server5.directory-rel", "[ProfD]ImapMail/imap.googlemail.com");
(Ignore any apparent links there; that's this forum's software doing a simplistic identification of what could be an URL. :-( )
These are from a Linux installation, so the details of the path to your profile will be different in Windows and OSX. ".thunderbird" is Linux's implementation of the profile folder. And "server5" is specific to my installation; you'll almost certainly have a different numeric value. Your best bet is to copy an existing Local Directory entry and use it as the target for a search-and-replace on prefs.js.
I do not know the significance of [ProfD] but if you are relocating the mailstore, this may need to be updated too. But I haven't yet found where it is defined.
Please make sure Thunderbird is closed down before editing prefs.js, as it will overwrite your changes when it closes, if it is open while you edit.
Modified by Zenos
Zenos
Perfect! That was what I was looking for! Thank you! Your help is much appreciated! I will tackle this "re coding" prefs.js tonight. Happy New Year!
Rob
