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"Empty Junk" + "Compact" ???

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Mike
Mike
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9/29/23, 2:21 AM

Mike said 

   Ah - I see !!!

   Why is this ONLY true for the "Junk" folder ?!?!

   What I do is right click "Empty Junk" & "Empty Trash", then left click "File" (at the top) and "Compact Folders".

Toad-Hall

It's exactly the same for all folders as I stated in the compacting explanation of how mbox files work and how they need periodic cleanup. But it's particulary noticeable in Junk because there is the option to Empty the Junk. However, if you have an imap mail account, then the 'Inbox' may already be set up to compact aka expunge. That would be located in 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' under 'Message Storage'.

The 'File' > 'Compact folders' should be compacting all the folders.

Modified September 29, 2023 at 2:24:11 AM PDT by Toad-Hall

==============================================================

10/10/2023

Toad-Hall,

Like I said, I am an IT Professional.

This make no sense at all to me. Why should the "Junk" folder be any different than other folders ?!?!

I usually "Empty Junk" (DOES NOT clear "Size") & "Empty Trash" then "File", "Compact Folders".

NOW - An extra step is required to "Compact" the "Junk" folder (that clears "Size") !!! I would not know "Compact" the "Junk" folder was necessary if I did not select "Size" to be displayed (Nor do any of your other users !!!). If "Size" is NOT selected, users have no idea that the "Junk" folder continues to GROW !!!

9/29/23, 2:21 AM Mike said Ah - I see !!! Why is this ONLY true for the "Junk" folder ?!?! What I do is right click "Empty Junk" & "Empty Trash", then left click "File" (at the top) and "Compact Folders". Toad-Hall It's exactly the same for all folders as I stated in the compacting explanation of how mbox files work and how they need periodic cleanup. But it's particulary noticeable in Junk because there is the option to Empty the Junk. However, if you have an imap mail account, then the 'Inbox' may already be set up to compact aka expunge. That would be located in 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' under 'Message Storage'. The 'File' > 'Compact folders' should be compacting all the folders. Modified September 29, 2023 at 2:24:11 AM PDT by Toad-Hall ========================================================================== 10/10/2023 Toad-Hall, Like I said, I am an IT Professional. This make no sense at all to me. Why should the "Junk" folder be any different than other folders ?!?! I usually "Empty Junk" (DOES NOT clear "Size") & "Empty Trash" then "File", "Compact Folders". NOW - An extra step is required to "Compact" the "Junk" folder (that clears "Size") !!! I would not know "Compact" the "Junk" folder was necessary if I did not select "Size" to be displayed (Nor do any of your other users !!!). If "Size" is NOT selected, users have no idea that the "Junk" folder continues to GROW !!!

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Matt
Matt
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Without context that is meaningless. Is there a more complete conversation you are extracting this from?

Why yes there is. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1424033

I suggest you look at. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/compacting-folders

But be aware that when I wrote that 10 years ago it referred primarily to POP accounts. The way IMAP works, expunge kicks in for many folders server side, but compact will still be required to clear out the local MBOX store.

When you empty a pop account trash folder using the menu entry, Thunderbird just deleted the relevant mbox file. so compact is not needed. If you select and press delete on all the mail in the trash folder, you still need to compact. Confusing hey.

You may also find that expunge is not working for either the junk or the trash folders because they are not included in the fetch when getting mail. The fetch only occurs when the folder is selected by default. I find that rather silly, but it is a default from 25 years ago when bandwidth was particularly precious. it is also relatively easy to change by going to the folder properties.

Fundamentally the whole mbox process is old, creaking and over due for replacement. I have no idea when the development team will bite the bullet and move to the maildir like storage that has been in Thunderbird and preferenced off pending some bug fixes for more than a decade. It is in the feedback forum as an Idea. The initial code was written by Mozilla Messaging before Mozilla closed them down in 2011 (I think that was when) But I can assure you, unless it leads to data loss for the user, no one will be putting much effort into mbox. It's days are numbered, except perhaps as an archive format in the same sort of way as Googles takeout uses it.