What compress add on?

Are you really talking about the native action of Compacting folders? If so it is not what you seem to think it is. Mostly due to a poor naming choice on Thunderbirds part.

Read about Compacting folders here. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_Tips_:_Compacting_Folders

I downloaded the Aito compress at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/auto-compress-file/ I do keep many mails for future reference and compression seemed a “good idea.”

I keep my emails in a large number of folders with few left in the In box or the Sent box.

When putting mail into a folder I saw a message which (I think) asked if I wanted to compact that folder. That seemed another “good idea” so I said yes.

In that folder I can now read texts of the latest 4 mails. After that I can see the subject, the sender and the date but the message is blank.

Can I retrieve those messages?

You need to contact the add on author for assistance with their software. Add ons are 3rd party software and are supported by their creator.

Thank you. I emailed the author of the Auto compress Add on - boltrevor@netcourrier.com. I have had no reply so far.

On the basis of my experience, my advice is not to use this Add on.

Well I'm a bit confused about what you actually expected or what you did.

That addon says very clearly that it is used in a new Write message when you want to attach an attachment - but you need the selected attachment compressed,,,zipped...because it might be too large to send with the email.

So I understand this to mean it is compressing an attached document not the email.

The other thing you mention is 'Compacting'. That is something totally different. Compacting searches the folder for 'marked as deleted' emails and removes them, thus freeing up spece, reducing file size and helping to maintain a healthy folder. Please read the info at the link supplied by Airmail.

After loading Auto compress, I was filing mails in a Thinderbird folder when I got a message that I had not seen before. As far as I recollect, it asked if I wanted to compact .....

I assumed that this was something to do with auto compress and said yes. The result is that in that folder, I can still read the latest 4 or 5 mails but all other texts have disappeared although the subject, sender and date still show. When there is an attachment that is accessible.

I hope my attachment makes it clear. There is no text showing for the highlighted mail but I can open the attachment.

Have I got my wires totally crossed? I never seen the offer to compact message before. Is that just some quirk of Thunderbird?

Compacting is a native process in Thunderbird. You can follow the link I provided in my 1st post to learn about it.

It has nothing to do with the add on you installed.

I suspect that if this is the first time you have compacted your folders, which is a maintenance routine that should be done periodically, you had some folder corruption and have lost those corrupted emails.

Take the time to read this article on maintaining your email system to help prevent this in the future. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_working_%28Thunderbird%29

FYI: you do not email anyone here. All conversations are right here in the forum.

Thanks. I will try to understand. I was incorrect to say that I had emailed you or a forum member. I had emailed the person who had produced the add-on. Apologies for the confusion. I deleted that statement but too late apparently.