I've found a bug, what do I do with it?
I am using Kubuntu 13.10 64 bit OS and Thunderbird Ver 24.4.0.
I transferred my old profile in to the new system and eventually found where it goes but as advised previously I went to "Help | Trouble Shooting" and clicked on the "Open Directory" button alongside "Profile Directory" tag... the button does nothing. That's the bug, "the button does nothing"
Modified by Digitaus
All Replies (12)
Before we label it a bug, it's necessary to test whether the problem lies with your profile folder. First, select Help/Restart with Add-ons disabled and see if you can reproduce the problem.
OK, I've re-booted both the computer and Thunderbird several times, as you suggested I restarted TB without add-ons, (add-ons disabled) each time I have opened trouble-shooting and tried the button with no result. I have no themes installed. I first noticed the quirk as a new, standard installation with no accounts as I was looking for the folder to place my profile. I then ran program updates, re-booted and re-started still with no joy. I recreated one of my accounts thinking TB may need some data to work with, no joy. I then got on to this site and found a record of where it should be and swapped out the folders, this did not work as it did with Ubuntu 12.04, I then swapped the contents of the folder (left the original folder) and all accounts are working fine and correct. The "open directory" button in trouble shooting however still does not work. Digitaus
I wonder if the button is inoperative in Linux if the viewing of hidden files and folders is not enabled:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Linux_and_Unix
Do you see any message in the Error Console?
- Open the Error Console from the Tools menu (or Ctrl+Shift+J)
- click the "Clear" button to remove all existing prior messages
- open the Troubleshooting Information window/tab
- click on Show Folder
If any message shows up at either step, please copy-paste it here (right-click into the entry and select "Copy" from the menu).
@ rsx11m , There are no error msg through the Error Console... clean as a whistle, tried it several times with add-ons enabled and disabled, no open folder to view.
Digitaus.
My best guess is that the button assumes a certain desktop environment and file manager being installed. E.g. Gnome with Nautilus as file manager. Not sure what the KDE file manager is called these days. There may even be something like a default file manager, but I'm not using KDE, so I'm not sure. Are you running some sort of obscure file manager? I don't think this is a Thunderbird problem.
The default file manager is "Dolpfin", It takes (and will take) a little time to get used to the Linux way of files...
Thunderbird "should" be ready for any distribution it is able to be loaded onto... I only say this because TB is the only non default program that I loaded.Having 6 mail accounts and having used it for years I didn't want to change to an (to me) unknown program...
DigitausStarting with step 2 in the article, there are instructions how to set the default file manager.
http://www.muktware.com/2011/06/use-nautilus-in-kubuntu-instead-of-dolphin/1224
Check your settings, and adjust them accordingly, dependent on what you use.
It did work, however that, to me brings us back to whether this is a "bug" in Thunderbird or a fault in the programming of TB.
As I see it, restricting or regulating the functionality of TB depending on which file manager a user prefers to use goes against the ethos of "free software".If that is the case, I might as well use Microsoft Windows and it's one choice of Windows Explorer.
I don't think it would be that hard to implement a change into the TB programming and check for the "brand" of file manager in use and work with it instead of not working at all.
Digitaus.I have had similar issues, generally , in Linux. It's very easy to accidentally set or disable the default application, and quite fiddly to re-set it. If Thunderbird asks for the default file manager, and for whatever reason one isn't defined, (or whatever is defined doesn't behave rationally) then nothing happens. That's not Thunderbird's fault.
I've had VLC (a media player) become the default handler for all files. This affects how you open attachments too.
On my system, when all is well, it uses Caja, which is the LMDE/Mate flavour of Nautilus.
Modified by Zenos
To say that a button in TB that does nothing is the fault of Linux is pointing a finger in the wrong direction...
If TB cannot find a compatible file manager or as you say, none has been set as default or VLC has been chosen instead by the operator or system then at the very least it should throw up a message saying,"WTF guys, I can't work with this and this is what you need to do so that I can do my job..."
It's called error handling and it's there so that good programs and good programmers continue to look good.A button that does nothing, (even a simple button working behind the scenes) is a pointer that something has been missed. If by chance this button was in another, obscure part of the program, it may never be seen or picked up but it is in Help | Troubleshooting... If a user is in difficulty, a troubleshooting section in help that looks buggy will create more than a little doubt in the sustainability of the program overall.
Digitaus.To answer your original question, you can file a bug: