How do I set Unicode as default for viewing incoming messages (vs. Western) ?
I get messages on a regular basis (notably through gmail or other Google mail interfaces) that have the following declarations: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I can only see the message properly if I manually set View > Text Encoding to Unicode. It defaults to Western.
Is there some way to get t-Bird to assume Unicode as the default for these slightly ambiguous declarations? I've set Tools> Options> Formatting> Advanced> Text Encoding > Incoming to Unicode UTF-8. That doesn't help, it's still always on Western. Is there something I can change in the config file?
Thanks,
All Replies (13)
re :Tools> Options> Formatting> Advanced> Text Encoding
I've got Text Encoding set as western (ISO-8859-1)for incoming and outgoing. See image below showing my settings and all options/checkboxes selected and not selected.
I get emails from gmail and just like you it says charset="UTF-8". If I check via View > Text Encoding It has auto detected as 'Unicode'.
Please check the following in about:config
Tools > Options > Advanced > General tab Click on 'Config Editor'
In top search type: force_charset mailnews.force_charset_override; Value = 'false'
What do you have as the Value..true or false? If Value = 'True', double click on line to toggle to 'false'
close window - top right X click on OK to save changes to Options. Close and reopen Thunderbird.
Toad:
The setting was already on false. Just for kicks, I set it to true, restarted (no change in display) and changed it back to false. No improvement. I also set my Text Encoding to western (ISO-8859-1) as you have, restarted, no joy.
Manually changing View > Text Encoding to Unicode worked, per usual, but had to be manually selected.
Any other ideas?
Tools> Options> Formatting> Advanced Is the 'Fonts for' field set as 'Latin' ? I'm assuming it is Latin.
- Click on the 'Fonts for' drop down and select 'Other Writing Systems'
- select: 'Allow messages to use other fonts'
- Select 'Use fixed width font for plain text messages'
- Set Text encoding incoming and outgoing to Western (ISO-8859-1)
- uncheck : 'When possible use the default text encoding in replies'
- click on OK
- click on OK
Thanks, but still no change.
Same problem here! Can't find a way to set default to UTF-8 or disable "Western".
I send a lot of plaintext email to various math discussion groups that don't like html, inserting unicode symbols as needed. All of that quit working a couple of months ago, can't even send • and — and smart quotes “ ” anymore without them coming back as question marks. I tried many permutations of the suggestions made above without any success.
Jon Awbrey said
I send a lot of plaintext email to various math discussion groups that don't like html, inserting unicode symbols as needed. All of that quit working a couple of months ago, can't even send • and — and smart quotes “ ” anymore without them coming back as question marks. I tried many permutations of the suggestions made above without any success.
Are you sending through a Yahoo-type (AOL, AT&T, Rogers etc.) account? Double-click mail.strictly_mime to true in Config. editor to eliminate ??.
OP here: Still no joy on the original problem.
How would I get "setting the read encoding default persistently" added to a feature request list (or a bug list, it that's what it is).
Jon Awbrey You are posting comments in a question that relates to incoming messages. Are your settings apparently stuck on 'Western' for viewing incoming messages which can only be changed manually to UTF-8 per message ?
If the answer is no, then it would be more helpful to you if you start a new question for your particular issue.
Right click on Inbox and select 'Properties' What is selected for 'Fallback Text encoding' ? It is probably Western(ISO-8859-1)
Uncheck 'Apply encoding to all messages in the folder......etc' click on OK
OK, this last suggestion worked for me (nothing else did) BUT bottom box was unchecked I had to check the box, see screenshot:
Toad-Hall said
Right click on Inbox and select 'Properties' What is selected for 'Fallback Text encoding' ? It is probably Western(ISO-8859-1) Uncheck 'Apply encoding to all messages in the folder......etc' click on OK
Modified by Belinda
Belinda Thanks for the feedback. In your case the Fall back text encoding was 'Unicode (UTF-8)' not 'Western(ISO-8859-1)'.
Did you have 'Unicode (UTF-8)' or 'Western(ISO-8859-1)' set as the 'Text Encoding' option in the following location and using all other settings as advised below? Basically what have you got in this setting - post image? Menu icon > Options> Formatting> Advanced 'Fonts for' field set as 'Latin' and then also check 'Other Writing Systems' select: 'Allow messages to use other fonts' Select 'Use fixed width font for plain text messages' Set Text encoding incoming and outgoing to Western (ISO-8859-1) or was it Unicode (UTF-8)'? uncheck : 'When possible use the default text encoding in replies' click on OK click on OK
Toad: The "Fallback Text encoding" worked for me. I didn't find that the other setting under Tools had any effect at all, although maybe they do with the new setting in place.