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stop e-mail search from starting automatically with each character of a search word I type in

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  • Eyano yasuka ya jalp5dai1

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I'm a longtime user of Thunderbird (and Firefox) -- but I'm having trouble searching my e-mails . . . because the search function jumps in and starts searching with the first character I type in for my search term. And then re-starts with the next character -- and so on. How can I get it to wait until I've finished a word before it starts looking, please?

I'm a longtime user of Thunderbird (and Firefox) -- but I'm having trouble searching my e-mails . . . because the search function jumps in and starts searching with the first character I type in for my search term. And then re-starts with the next character -- and so on. How can I get it to wait until I've finished a word before it starts looking, please?

All Replies (8)

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Is that with the Quick Filter Bar? If you use Classic Search, Ctrl+Shift+F, search begins only after a button is clicked.

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First, thank you very much for replying so quickly.

I expect you're correct in identifying the two search functions using the official terms. I think of Ctrl-Shift-F as Advanced Search because it offers search on multiple criteria (and opens up in its own window), and Ctrl-Shift-K as regular, everyday Search because it's much simpler in both ways.

It is the Ctrl-Shift-K search that is failing to wait for me to tell it I've finished typing in a search term before it starts searching. I'd really like to undo that "automatic start to searching" function, and so be able to use the Ctrl-Shift-K search the way I have for years. Is there a way to do that?

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If the QFB buttons are all deselected, entering text in the search doesn't start the search until one or more of the buttons are selected.

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Thanks again -- but the search is jumping ahead even though I haven't selected any buttons. (In fact, I notice now that I don't see the buttons I'm used to having . . . the ones which would let me choose to search within/among senders, receivers, subjects, and/or bodies of messages. Which buttons are you referring to?)

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Type something in the QFB and then the filter buttons appear. In the attached picture, none of the buttons are selected, so the search hasn't begun.

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So they do. Thank you for that much. I was hesitant to try because of the automatic jump-start I've run up against.

But I'm still left with that original request. Isn't there a way to force the quick filter to not be quite so quick -- to wait to run until I finish my desired search term? Until I hit Return, or perhaps the space bar, at least?

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I don't think we can, or want to, make the Quick Filter Bar less quick. It shouldn't be a problem if you have even a modest piece of hardware, unless your folders have tens of thousands of messages. Enter your search query in another document then copy it into the bar.

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Some of my folders do indeed have tens of thousands of messages -- but that's never caused this problem until now. (Dunno if it's a Version 78 thing, but it sounds possible offhand to this very amateur user. I haven't been considered a techie since the mid 1980s when I was the only person in our office who wanted to use a PC we got in a grant.)

I don't want to force anyone else to slow up quick search if what's there now works for them. I do want the option to be able to keep quick search from jumping ahead of my typing fingers, or from forcing me to type even individual-word search terms on Notepad etc. and then cut and paste them to the quick-search bar. If anyone knows of a setting that can accomplish this, please let me know. If not, then I guess I'll have to suffer -- or maybe try reverting to Version 68 to see if that helps -- and be a little less happy with Thunderbird.