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Saving Outgoing Mail

  • 8 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 24 views
  • Last reply by m_cathcart

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I've come back to Thunderbird after 12-years on Outlook, and before that 7-years on Lotus Notes, 14-years on PROFS/VM. I'm liking Thunderbird a lot!

One of the things I can't work out how to do is quickly choose a folder to save sent mail in. Most of my email is around maybe 5-7 projects. For incoming mail it's simple, I can favorite the folder and just drag the email to that folder if I want to save a copy either in a favorite folder or in the IMAP mail folder list.

By default I've set Thunderbird to default to NOT save sent emails. When I do want to save an email, before pressing send I select send a copy to, navigate through the folder hierarchy and select the folder(see attached). Yes I know I could simplify this by having a flat folder hierarchy and naming folders proj/folder/folder.

Is there a way from within the reply window to shortcut or favorite sent mail folders to save the main in?

++Mark.

I've come back to Thunderbird after 12-years on Outlook, and before that 7-years on Lotus Notes, 14-years on PROFS/VM. I'm liking Thunderbird a lot! One of the things I can't work out how to do is quickly choose a folder to save sent mail in. Most of my email is around maybe 5-7 projects. For incoming mail it's simple, I can favorite the folder and just drag the email to that folder if I want to save a copy either in a favorite folder or in the IMAP mail folder list. By default I've set Thunderbird to default to NOT save sent emails. When I do want to save an email, before pressing send I select send a copy to, navigate through the folder hierarchy and select the folder(see attached). Yes I know I could simplify this by having a flat folder hierarchy and naming folders proj/folder/folder. Is there a way from within the reply window to shortcut or favorite sent mail folders to save the main in? ++Mark.
Attached screenshots

All Replies (8)

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Have you experimented with setting filters for this? That would be my first approach.

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Since all saved emails don't go to the same folder, I couldn't see a way to at least invoke a prompt using a filter.

Also, it would imply that the filter would get invoked after sending EVERY email, and being able to cancel on those I didn't want to save/file.

If nothing else it would require the "Move Message to" action to support prompt or choose which it currently doesn't. Alternatively a new action "Save Message to?" would need to be added.

There is every chance I'm missing something other than bcc: myself on emails I want to save copies of and then manually filing them from the Inbox.

Is there any kind of macro support?

++Mark.

++Mark

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Actually, if a new action were needed, on balance I'd like a toolbar alternative that would do send/save/prompt. That would at least avoid actions when a copy of the email didn't need to be saved.

++Mark.

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Also, it would be great if there was a toolbar or menu option to just save a copy to the same list of folders that file/Recent exposes.

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You could try this: In Account Settings > Copies & Folders Select 'Place a copy in' Select 'Other' and choose eg: Inbox on account name'

For 'Replies': There is an option to save sent files in the same folder as message being replied to select checkbox 'place replies in folder of message being replied to'

Note: 'Message Filters' do offer an 'After Sending' option which may help with filtering to respective folders.

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@toad-hall

for sent messages thats not a solution. It requires either all sent message to be saved or for the "After Sending" filter to be run after every message and is just a variation of saving all messages. There isn't a way to select a folder in filters you can only set a single folder.

For replies, since I typically but not exclusively reply from the Inbox, that would just put the reply in the Inbox that would need moving. I was hoping there would be an alternative to the long menu option shown in the image from the OP.

Thanks for all the replies, I guess this requires me to adapt to the software, rather than adapt the software to me.

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re : There isn't a way to select a folder in filters you can only set a single folder.

examples below: 1. If you are putting all sent emails you send to specific person: select 'Match all of the following' TO contains eg: email address of x Perform action: move message to and choose whatever folder you like.

2. If you are putting all sent emails you send to specific email addresses, but any condition could be true select 'Match any of the following' TO or Cc contains eg: email address of x TO or Cc contains eg: email address of y TO or Cc contains eg: email address of z Perform action: move message to and choose whatever folder you like.

3. If you are putting all sent emails you send with specific topic select 'Match all of the following' Subject contains eg: Meeting Perform action: move message to and choose whatever folder you like.

4. If you are putting all sent emails you send with specific topic select 'Match all of the following' Subject contains eg: Meeting Perform action: move message to and choose whatever folder you like.

5. If you are putting all sent emails you send with specific topic to specific person where two or more conditons must occur select 'Match all of the following' Subject contains eg: Meeting TO or Cc contains eg: email address of x TO or Cc contains eg: email address of y TO or Cc contains eg: email address of z Perform action: move message to and choose whatever folder you like.

Just remember that filters operate in list order, so the last example 5 may need to be above example 2 or else filter 2 will run and move those sent emails before filter 5 could run.

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Thank you. This is a great example of how to use filters and it will help for a subset of my mail.

The rest of it though isn't at all predictable. Generally, I don't save any sent email, unless I give a pseudo legal opinion or ask someone to specifically do something.

Thank. I'm glad I wasn't missing something obvious. I really like Thunderbird after a week or so using it.