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Thunderbird creates error in email message when backing-up

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Hikermann
Hikermann
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Windows 10

TBird 102.2.1 - just updated . . . and discovered that doing so caused several folder modifications I had just completed in the previous version disappeared. Really, really helpful . . . not.

Was in the midst of copying email files/messages to an external drive; 3/4 of the way through, in checking the "finished product" over there on the external, I discovered that -- regardless of what date the email had originally, TBird was changing all of the message dates to today's! That's really, really useful . . . I guess . . . in someone else's reality. My reality is that when I'm backing up email messages I have a reasonable expectation that they will each accurately reflect everything associated with the original(s).

So: How does one tell TBird to leave the original date(s) alone and copy the message(s) intact?

Guess it's now looking as if I will have to start this process all over -- and attempt to not seriously begrudge a program that makes such an unwarranted and unexpected change . . .

Thanks for any helpful information; appreciated.

Windows 10 TBird 102.2.1 - just updated . . . and discovered that doing so caused several folder modifications I had just completed in the previous version disappeared. Really, really helpful . . . not. Was in the midst of copying email files/messages to an external drive; 3/4 of the way through, in checking the "finished product" over there on the external, I discovered that -- regardless of what date the email had originally, TBird was changing all of the message dates to today's! That's really, really useful . . . I guess . . . in someone else's reality. My reality is that when I'm backing up email messages I have a reasonable expectation that they will each accurately reflect everything associated with the original(s). So: How does one tell TBird to leave the original date(s) alone and copy the message(s) intact? Guess it's now looking as if I will have to start this process all over -- and attempt to not seriously begrudge a program that makes such an unwarranted and unexpected change . . . Thanks for any helpful information; appreciated.

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Matt
Matt
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I have been seeing folk that think the date on the file has something to do with the file contents for probably 20 years. Be assured that the file is the creation date and the accessed date of the file. Not the contents. In this case an email which contains a whole host of dates in it's header that are totally unrelated to the file it is stored in.

As far the a default installation of Thunderbird is concerned all the messages in a folder exist in a single MBOX file. If you are backing them up out of that storage file then the file comes into existence at the time you export the message. However Thunderbird has no regard at all for the content when asking the operating system to create a file to hold data.

Some bug reports to fill you in on the background, rather than repeat what has already been said there. This first one has a link to Microsoft discussing why modified dates change on mouse over. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=852624

This 10 year old bug appears to be about exactly what you are talking about. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=939519 You might note it has had no real attention in the last eight years.

So I guess there is nothing to be done in support as it is an open bug / Request for enhancement.

If you want to offer the team feedback or ideas for enhancing Thunderbird the feedback link is https://connect.mozilla.org/