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How do I use the "Header (RegEx)" filter condition?

Jim DeLaHunt
Jim DeLaHunt
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I want to filter messages based on a certain header. In the Message Filters dialogue, one of the match options in the leftmost column (in addition to "Subject", "To", "To or CC", etc.) is "Header (RegEx)". If I select that option, then menu in the middle column offers the options "matches" and "doesn't match", and the right column is a text box.

I understand regex's (regular expressions) very well. I lack specific documentation about how Thunderbird applies regular expressions in this case?

How does the text in the right box get used as part of a "Header (RegEx)" operation? Do I write an expression which includes the Header name or not? What variant of regular expression language does Thunderbird support?

Is there documentation for "Header (RegEx)"? If so, could you please point me to it?

Thank you, 

     —Jim DeLaHunt, Vancouver Canada
I want to filter messages based on a certain header. In the Message Filters dialogue, one of the match options in the leftmost column (in addition to "Subject", "To", "To or CC", etc.) is "Header (RegEx)". If I select that option, then menu in the middle column offers the options "matches" and "doesn't match", and the right column is a text box. I understand regex's (regular expressions) very well. I lack specific documentation about how Thunderbird applies regular expressions in this case? How does the text in the right box get used as part of a "Header (RegEx)" operation? Do I write an expression which includes the Header name or not? What variant of regular expression language does Thunderbird support? Is there documentation for "Header (RegEx)"? If so, could you please point me to it? Thank you, —Jim DeLaHunt, Vancouver Canada

All Replies (3)

Wayne Mery
Wayne Mery
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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regex isn't supported in base Thunderbird, so you must have an add-on installed.

Please post your Thunderbird version, and list of addons.

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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There is some documentation for regex here:

http://www.mesquilla.com/extensions/filtaquilla/

Note that you can add criteria beyond Subject, Date, From etc. by clicking the criteria drop-down, Customize... and Add a header such as Message-ID, Content-Type etc.

Jim DeLaHunt
Jim DeLaHunt Question owner
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Wayne Mery said

regex isn't supported in base Thunderbird, so you must have an add-on installed. Please post your Thunderbird version, and list of addons.

Excellent observation!

I am using Thunderbird 52.9.1 (64-bit) on Mac OS X "El Capitan" 10.11.6.

I have four add-ons (as reported by the add-ons manager):

  1. Expression Search / Google Mail UI 1.3, by wang opera.
  2. GlodaQuilla (Global indexing enhancements)
  3. Lightning (integrated calendaring & scheduling)
  4. Toggle Headers

Sure enough, when I disable the "Expression Search / Google Mail UI 1.3" add-on, and restart Thunderbird, the property "Header (RegEx)" disappears from the filter authoring dialogues.

So I should look to that add-on's documentation, not to Thunderbird. Their page at https://cdn.rawgit.com/wangvisual/expression-search/master/content/help.html does not specifically mention the filter property "Header (RegEx)", but it has something related.