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After update to Thunderbird version 128: Quick filter freezes the GUI while doing the filtering

  • 13 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • Last reply by YeOldNerd

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Dear community, I have recently updated my Thinkpad from kubuntu 22.04 to 24.04, which included an update of thunderbird to version 128.1.0esr (and a switch to a snap package).

However, when I type into the quick filter bar, (i) the whole thunderbird GUI freezes until the filter was applied to my several thousand emails, (ii) which also seems to take much longer than before. Before the update, the filter took maybe ~0.5 seconds or less, it now takes ~4 seconds. A lot for just a few thousand emails. Btw, the same happens if I empty the quick filter field. Just that it seems to take now even longer until it shows all of my emails.

I don't know if anyone can help. I feel more this could be something for a bug report?

Thanks a lot in advance, Matthias

Dear community, I have recently updated my Thinkpad from kubuntu 22.04 to 24.04, which included an update of thunderbird to version 128.1.0esr (and a switch to a snap package). However, when I type into the quick filter bar, (i) the whole thunderbird GUI freezes until the filter was applied to my several thousand emails, (ii) which also seems to take much longer than before. Before the update, the filter took maybe ~0.5 seconds or less, it now takes ~4 seconds. A lot for just a few thousand emails. Btw, the same happens if I empty the quick filter field. Just that it seems to take now even longer until it shows all of my emails. I don't know if anyone can help. I feel more this could be something for a bug report? Thanks a lot in advance, Matthias

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Also please post your results after using version 128.2.0 which will be available in a few days.

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128.2.0esr here and it might have improved a bit, but it is still bad. In my biggest Inbox (11.267 messages) I can type 3-4 characters in the 'Filter messages' box, then TB completely freezes for around 15 seconds. Even my mouse pointer is gone. After that it takes another 30-40 seconds before the message list is reduced to those containing the keyword. Windows 11 on a i5-8500T 6-core with 16 GB and SSD.

I hate this Googleish fashion of starting a search while I'm still typing. Just wait till I hit return.

Since about half a year (115?) there is a second search option Ctrl + K that works a lot faster and doesn't freeze TB. But that one:

  1. Is very misplaced in the title bar, making it harder to grab the title bar and position TB on my screen
  2. It searches all folders of all my 8 accounts and presents them in such a baroque way that I get lost.

Modified by YeOldNerd

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Quick filter still freezes with 128.2.0. Please stop issuing releases with such obvious bugs.

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Bugzilla link goes to unrelated issue

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Hmm. I hit CTRL-Shift-K and it seems to work now. The CTRL Shift K icons that look like buttons in the middle of the filter box are confusing. People who use keyboard shortcuts can find the keyboard shortcut link under help. The box should be a place to put your filter and nothing else. Also, you have a Quick Filter toggle button in the top right. How much prompting do we need? I find the Quick filter far more useful than the Search (which I almost never use).

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Matthias, have you had better results with 128.2.0 that the others? If not, what is the precise method you are using to empty the quick filter field?

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YeOldNerd said

In my biggest Inbox (11.267 messages) I can type 3-4 characters in the 'Filter messages' box, then TB completely freezes for around 15 seconds. Even my mouse pointer is gone. After that it takes another 30-40 seconds before the message list is reduced to those containing the keyword. Windows 11 on a i5-8500T 6-core with 16 GB and SSD.

Thank you for posting your difficulty. Typing should not immediately start a search, a is a keypress delay should be in effect.

Some questions...

1. Is quick filter performance worse than version 115? 2. Does https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1908761#c5 help improve the performance? 3. If it doesn't help, what are your column sorts in the message list?

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Wayne Mery said

1. Is quick filter performance worse than version 115? 2. Does https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1908761#c5 help improve the performance? 3. If it doesn't help, what are your column sorts in the message list?

1. Yes, in 128 it is much worse. Getting results also took quite some time with 115 with 'Body' enabled, but it didn't freeze while typing in the filter box and backspace worked without extreme delay. My desktop is dual boot Windows 11 / Linux Mint 21.3 (Ubuntu 22.04 based) and there TB is still 115.12.0. The Mint software updater isn't offering 128.x. Almost instant results in Quick filter! Also searching past events in Calendar works fine there. Unfortunately I still need a Windows-only application most of the day. 2. No, adding "Order received" sorting on that and subsequently Date makes no notable difference. 3. I sort on 'Date' descending and I don't use threading. I have the following columns enabled: Attachment status, Read status; Spam status, Subject, Correspondents, Date, Star, 'Select columns to display'. The latter cannot be disabled unfortunately. It's only wasting precious horizontal space since R-click on any of the other column headers offers the same options.

Again: the 'Ctrl+K' search works much better and faster, but it should IMHO:

  • only search the current folder by default. I have 8 accounts related to very different organizations/activities.
  • be located above the message list instead of the title bar. Don't imitate Microsoft's weird choices.
  • present results as message list.

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> 128 it is much worse. Getting results also took quite some time with 115 with 'Body' enabled, but it didn't freeze while typing in the filter box and backspace worked without extreme delay.

Thanks for the additional data.

Please if you can, obtain a https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiling-thunderbird-performance and post the URL here, or private message me with the URL.


> the 'Ctrl+K' search works much better ...

ctrl+K is completely different implementation and unrelated. Please don't mix issues in the same topic - it makes more reading for everyone and distracts from the primary issue.

> My desktop is dual boot Windows 11 / Linux Mint 21.3 (Ubuntu 22.04 based) and there TB is still 115.12.0.

I hope you are not using 115.12.0 and the 128 install on the same data profile.

That said, if 128 has it's own profile https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data, would you be willing to try the current beta to see if the problem is gone there?

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Wayne Mery said

Please if you can, obtain a https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiling-thunderbird-performance and post the URL here, or private message me with the URL.

I tried to follow those instructions, but it doesn't work. After I click 'Start recording', no 'Stop recording' button appears. Only 'Cancel recording' and 'Capture recording'. The latter results in a pop-up window "Firefox Profiler - Couldn’t retrieve the profile from ⁨Firefox⁩. - Error: /from-browser only works in Firefox browsers. Maybe I'm following the wrong instructions. Under 'Customize this article' Version 115 is newest available and Windows 11 is no option (it defaults to Windows 8!)

ctrl+K is completely different implementation and unrelated. Please don't mix issues in the same topic - it makes more reading for everyone and distracts from the primary issue.

I'm just an end-user. I have no idea about search implementations.

I hope you are not using 115.12.0 and the 128 install on the same data profile.

No, my Windows 11 and Linux Mint are on different partitions with their own data. They sync via the IMAP and CALDAV/CARDDAV servers.

(...) would you be willing to try the current beta to see if the problem is gone there?

I would if I could roll back easy. But I have seen warnings on this forum that you cannot roll back Thunderbird. This my primary tool, I need it al day getting lots of important email.

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Another update came in today, 128.3.0esr (64-bit). And it did not fix this :(

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128.3.1 did not fix this and also the calendar search is still broken. I'll give it another week or two, but than we'll have too look for alternatives. These bugs are wasting our precious time.

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