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changing imap server and disapearing search folders...?

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  • 0 have this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by Morgan

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Hi Folks,

I had a fairly sophisticated set of Search Folders set up on custom tags - I guess, long story short, there were a lot, they were complicated to set up, and now they're gone.

I changed IMAP server on the account and on restarting T'bird as requested - they'd gone.

I went for a backup to investigate what had changed - and, discovered all the Search Folders saved as: `[profile] > Mail > smart mailboxes > tags.sbd > [search folder name].msf` Also, there are corresponding directories under `tags.sbd`.

So, my question, why aren't they working and what do I need to do to make them work again? I did a comparison between backup version from before the IMAP server change and there does appear to be some minor changes to the contents of the `[Search Folder name].msf` files.

Also, why does the directory containing my mail messages: `[profile] > ImapMail > mail.gandi.net-maildir` Retain the name of the previous IMAP server and not the new one - and, I guess it's more aesthetic than anything, but perhaps it's connected to the disappearing Search Folders. Anyway, can the directory name be changed?

Thanks

Hi Folks, I had a fairly sophisticated set of Search Folders set up on custom tags - I guess, long story short, there were a lot, they were complicated to set up, and now they're gone. I changed IMAP server on the account and on restarting T'bird as requested - they'd gone. I went for a backup to investigate what had changed - and, discovered all the Search Folders saved as: `[profile] > Mail > smart mailboxes > tags.sbd > [search folder name].msf` Also, there are corresponding directories under `tags.sbd`. So, my question, why aren't they working and what do I need to do to make them work again? I did a comparison between backup version from before the IMAP server change and there does appear to be some minor changes to the contents of the `[Search Folder name].msf` files. Also, why does the directory containing my mail messages: `[profile] > ImapMail > mail.gandi.net-maildir` Retain the name of the previous IMAP server and not the new one - and, I guess it's more aesthetic than anything, but perhaps it's connected to the disappearing Search Folders. Anyway, can the directory name be changed? Thanks

All Replies (2)

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The tags are set on server, so changing servers likely is the reason you don't see the tags. Yes, the folder name can be changed. In doing so, TB creates a new folder with same contents, and you may find that the unified tool bar needs to be reset to include the folders.

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david said

The tags are set on server, so changing servers likely is the reason you don't see the tags.

Thanks @david, although tags are set by the server, once set by the server, they're on the email. This issue is not with tag setting, or even the tags at all - the issue is with Search Folders.

Search Folders seem to exist as files, like so: `[profile] > Mail > smart mailboxes > tags.sbd > [search folder name].msf` TB interprets those files in the UI as Search Folders which contain emails according to search criteria. That search criteria can include searches on tags - my Search Folders search criteria make extensive use of tags.

I changed servers, the emails on the old Gandi server were moved to the new MXroute server, including the tags in the emails. So, same emails on old Gandi server, same emails on new MXroute server; same tags on old Gandi server, same tags on new MXroute server.

Following the change of IMAP server in the email account - and the subsequent TB restart - the Search Folders that used to exist, no longer exist in the UI - however, the system files that TB interprets to create the Search Folders continue to exist here: `[profile] > Mail > smart mailboxes > tags.sbd > [search folder name].msf``[profile] > Mail > smart mailboxes > tags.sbd > [search folder name].msf`

The file contents before and after the move are the same (thanks Meld). Here's the contents for the file `bugs.msf` (for the UI Search Folder 'bugs'): ``` // < <(a=c)> // (f=iso-8859-1)

 (B8=viewType)(B9=MRUTime)(BA=sortColumns)(BB=customSortCol)
 (BC=folderName)(80=ns:msg:db:row:scope:msgs:all)(81=subject)(82=sender)
 (83=message-id)(84=references)(85=recipients)(86=date)(87=size)
 (88=flags)(89=priority)(8A=label)(8B=numLines)(8C=ccList)(8D=bccList)
 (8E=msgThreadId)(8F=threadId)(90=threadFlags)(91=threadNewestMsgDate)
 (92=children)(93=unreadChildren)(94=threadSubject)(95=msgCharSet)
 (96=ns:msg:db:table:kind:msgs)(97=ns:msg:db:table:kind:thread)
 (98=ns:msg:db:table:kind:allthreads)
 (99=ns:msg:db:row:scope:threads:all)(9A=threadParent)(9B=threadRoot)
 (9C=msgOffset)(9D=offlineMsgSize)
 (9E=ns:msg:db:row:scope:dbfolderinfo:all)
 (9F=ns:msg:db:table:kind:dbfolderinfo)(A0=numMsgs)(A1=numNewMsgs)
 (A2=folderSize)(A3=expungedBytes)(A4=folderDate)(A5=highWaterKey)
 (A6=mailboxName)(A7=UIDValidity)(A8=totPendingMsgs)
 (A9=unreadPendingMsgs)(AA=expiredMark)(AB=version)(AC=forceReparse)
 (AD=fixedBadRefThreading)(AE=maildirValid)(AF=indexingPriority)
 (B0=searchStr)(B1=searchFolderUri)(B2=searchFolderFlag)
 (B3=searchOnline)(B4=columnStates)(B5=sortType)(B6=sortOrder)
 (B7=viewFlags)>

<(80=1)(81=0)(82=bugs)(84=24)(85=AND (tag,contains,bugs\))(86=*)(87=1000)

 (88=1697309981)(89=20)(8A=221)>

{1:^9E {(k^9F:c)(s=9u)}

 [1(^AB=1)(^AC=0)(^AD=1)(^A6^82)(^AE=1)(^88=24)(^B0^85)(^B1=*)(^B2^87)
   (^B3=0)(^B9^88)(^A1=20)(^A0^8A)]}

@$${6{@ @$$}6}@

@$${8{@ {-1:^80 {(k^96:c)(s=9)} } {-FFFFFFFD:^99 {(k^98:c)(s=9)} } @$$}8}@ ``` So, the question is - why have the Search Folders disappeared from the UI post server move?

I do wonder whether this question might be better as a bug report - but, there such a wealth of places to post a question about TB (and FF for that matter) these days one doesn't really know which way to turn...

david said

Yes, the folder name can be changed. In doing so...

How does one do so? From within TB; if so where? Or, in the file system - presumably with TB not running?

Thanks

Modified by Morgan