There are several methods that use a search to locate Tags. I'm not sure which option you are using.

Using global search. Type the name of the tag in the search field select the drop down option - Messages Tagged name of tag

Alternative search: Edit > Find > Search Messages or Menu icon > Find > Search Messages

• Search for messages in: select where to search
• select: 'Search subfolders'
• select' Match all of the following'
• Tags > Contain > name of tag
• click on Search

You can use the Quick Filter Bar tag icon 'show only messages with tags on them' option to search within a folder.

You can also sort by a tag in any folder. Enable the Tag column header Click on Tag column header to sort, click again to reverse the sort

hi Toad-Hall

thanks for your response. its the second option im interested in as this allows you to save the search. This doesn't work for me. ive attached a screen shot. in this screen shot ive asked the search to find tags tagged 'ToDo' but not 'Done'. you can see from behind the search dialog there are messages tagged with 'ToDo' and not 'Done' but the search fails to find them.

the email account is a business gmail powered account, if that matters at all

I've tested my computer using same two tags and get a result. Although I must admit, that in my case, an email would not have Todo and Done, it would only have the Latter. But I set it up to match yours and got the desired result.

I do notice that in your image you have a couple of emails that say: 'Done ToDo' in green 'ToDo' in red.

So the 'Done' tag is a green colour superceding the previous colour of red when you applied that tag.

However, in the Tag column, I notice that it does not say: 'Todo Done' - this is the order I see in my test. It lists the tags in the order applied from left to right. you have 'Done ToDo' - the opposite way around.

So I'm wondering where did you create the tags?

Did you create the tags here? : Tools > Options > Display > Tags tab or Menu icon > Options > Options > Display > Tags tab

interesting.

tags were created using 'Tag>Manage Tags'.

tags seem to order themselves and i had deleted all tags except the 2 i use. they order themselves as:

1: Done 2: ToDo

and im guessing its sorting itself by Alpha.

now ive changed my search to the attached image and the search works... odd but true...

Confirm - the strange effect that the highest tag in Tag list needs to be set as the first condition. I get this as well. OK, at least there is a workaround, which is good. But this is definately a bug. thanks for helping to identify a bug. i'll post this as a bug report.

and thank you for your help Toad-Hall

Actually I've more testing as I realised I needed another tag applied to an email and all seems to be ok.

Before I post the bug can you supply some info as developers would need as much info as possible.

What OS are you using?

Please confirm: although your Tag header column says 'Done Todo' you actually applied the Tags in this order: 'ToDo' and then 'Done'. It just sorted the display that way.

Is this a gmail IMAP mail account you are using?

To rule out any side effects from addon extensions : Can you test the search in Thunderbird Safe Mode? In Thunderbird Help > Restart with Addons disabled. then apply the search using both ways:

Test 1: Tag contains TODO Tag doesn't contain Done

Test 2: Tag doesn't contain Done Tag contains TODO

Report on results when using Safe Mode.