When saving a message as a file, what does the "Format" menu indicate or do?
Using Thunderbird 60.4.0 under macOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra), choosing File menu > Save As > File brings up a typical macOS "save" dialog. That dialog includes a "Format:" drop-down menu, which starts with the item "All Files" selected. What is the function of this drop-down menu? Changing it's setting has no effect on anything else visible in the dialog. The default choice "All Files" makes no sense for selecting the format to save in.
Chosen solution
I think every Save As.. has to include All Files as an option to allow for saving as a file type other than the ones offered, e.g. you may want to save a file created in a text editor as a .css, .nfo or .xml file.
On W10, the file extension automatically switches when the Save as type (Format on OS X) is selected. No additional dialog is presented. Note that if you apply the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+S, a message is saved as an eml file without showing the Save As window.
Bugs should be submitted to Bugzilla. Here is a similar report (actually a Request For Enhancement).
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If you keep the default 'All Files', a message is saved as an eml file. Other choices under 'Format' (Windows: Save as type) are Mail Files (.eml), HTML Files (.htm) or Text Files (.txt). If you don't see any change in the file name when you select a format, it's probably because you have your OS set to not display file extensions for known file types.
Thanks for the clarification. I should have engaged in some testing before posting. I see now that the contents of the saved files match the type from the menu.
Based on this: 1) There should not be an "All Files" entry on this menu. It should default to "Mail File". 2) My OS is set to display file extensions, and indeed it shows the extension both in the dialog and on the saved file. The extension automatically provided is ALWAYS .eml, regardless of the Format menu selection. 3) If I select HTML or Text in the Format menu, and manually change the file extension to be proper for that type (in the save dialog), I get an annoying second dialog insisting that I should use .eml, even though Thunderbird is about to save the message in a non-eml format.
I suppose that this is not the right place to report bugs. Where should I send this information?
Chosen Solution
I think every Save As.. has to include All Files as an option to allow for saving as a file type other than the ones offered, e.g. you may want to save a file created in a text editor as a .css, .nfo or .xml file.
On W10, the file extension automatically switches when the Save as type (Format on OS X) is selected. No additional dialog is presented. Note that if you apply the keyboard shortcut, Ctrl+S, a message is saved as an eml file without showing the Save As window.
Bugs should be submitted to Bugzilla. Here is a similar report (actually a Request For Enhancement).
Good to know about the Windows behavior. Getting the Mac version to do that would be a good step.
If Ctrl+S doesn't show the Save As window, how does it decide which folder/directory to save the file in?
I think I remembered a different situation; Ctrl+S brings up the Save As window where the save folder is specified.