Hello,

I am sorry to hear this new version introduced this problem.

Several other people have sent in the same support request as you, noting this happened after they upgraded to version 31.1. The other questions are being marked as duplicates.

The exact error message is: XXXX is not a valid e-mail address because it is not of the form user@host. You must correct it before sending the e-mail.

Although not ideal, someone else posted this workaround: While composing an email open the address book and select the list you are trying to send to, highlight all the names in the list and drag them to the To: box.

I hope this helps while a proper bug report (and fix) are done.

It looks like it's this bug. If you have an account on Bugzilla, it would help to vote for that issue.

It seems lists with a description that includes several words have this problem. The bug report suggests replacing the blanks " " between the words in such lists' descriptions with an underscore "_".

Well. I don't know where Fabian fits in the Mozilla scheme of things, but this response is a cop out.

Named Lists with multiple words separated by spaces worked fine until the latest version. Worked fine as in the version I previously used - 24.5.0, and upgraded from. I have read a report where the issue occurred in version 31.0.0, but cannot attest to it from personal experience. The report I made, happened to me. So now, having induced an error (poor testing? developers really did not know what they were doing? Frightening really when these days email has become not just a personal tool, BUT an ESSENTIAL one) Mozilla wants the users to waste time and effort working around a problem they caused. And no indication at all about what is or will be done to fix it.

Yes - they. As in mozilla. It has their brand name and its a flagship product. reputation is everything, and this one doesn't do it any good at all.

Davidk03

Why didn't Mozilla test TB out before the release. I wasted so much time yesterday thinking it was me. NOT!!

@David, we need to be respectful around here.

The people who answer questions here, for the most part, other users volunteering their time (like me), not Mozilla employees or Thunderbird developers. In my case I also provide commercial support, independently.

Regarding your concerns above:

• When you want to find out what a volunteer does for Mozilla, click on their name. Some like me make a special effort to provide as much information as possible. Ask questions directly, don't assume or comment without validating with them first.

• Please read the links we provide. If you read the bug report, you will see that it has been assigned. These things take time. You won't get an updated fix, not by the time it takes to try the valid workaround already provided.

• In the future don't upgrade to the very latest version of any software, specially if you depend on it on a timely manner. If you still want to do that, make a backup of your profile, test in separate environment for features critical to you, then upgrade when you're satisfied.

There was no option of upgrading or not. The software did that on its own with no intervention of a positive or negative action on my part. So, I really had no choice in the matter.

Agreed, automatic updates are the default in Windows. You can customize such behavior, however, it's under Tools > Options > Advanced > Update.

My suggestion would be to set it to Check for updates, but let me choose whether to install them.

Found it and have changed from automatic to check with me first. Thanks.

Well, maybe I have found another bug.

When I checked the about T'bird item under help, it displayed the current version, did it's net connect thing to check for any updates and suddenly it's downloading and installing the new one: 31.1.0. So I had no option there, like others.

But following this suggestion, I looked up the data. The email I got had a very truncated description, which was inaccurate; there's no edit facility under Windows. But the weblink led to an item which described the right place within T'bird, and when I checked the config, it was already set for "check for updates but let me choose whether to install them".

As to upgrading immediately, generally I don't do that. As retired IT body, my preference is to skip one or more major upgrades unless there's an explicit and compelling reason stated to do them, and wait for the 1st service or minor version of a major version release. Thus the 'let me choose' configuration, which I have had ever since I started using T'bird years ago. Did not get the choice in this case, and thus my opening remark.

Davidk03

Fabian,

This is a response to your remarks about 'respectful' above. A later post addresses the other items. So, 1. I was not aware of the 'volunteer' scenario, and if my comment offended, I apologise - to you. 2. I did read the assigned thread. It read like someone wondering around without any focus or sense of urgency to fix. Which may be normal for a coder working on some new functionality, but to restore a situation - which has worked OK for a long time and thru many versions, and which users have clearly relied on for their mails - that was caused to fail by whatever changes Mozilla made in the latest version, one would have expected some evident sense of urgency. That is, to fix in days rather than wait for the next major version release.

The continuing reports of failures would or should have induced some sense of urgency in Mozilla to get it fixed. The issue is after all, "core" to any email functions. To read that the best fix is to not use list names with spaces just seemed uncaring about the effort user make to use this product, and to be a case of "well, user, here's how you might get around this". What I said was blunt, but in the PC vernacular it was "very poor customer service by Mozilla."

If there's going to be a fix, some indication of when would assist.

There's a response to the upgrade approach you suggest in that later post along with another potential bug about upgrades.

Davidk03

@David, I understand a bit more your frustration. BTW, about the "other bug", please do write a new post if you have the time and think it's worth doing.

Re: #1, no worries, thanks for your concern.

I don't think you know that Thunderbird is no longer among core products at Mozilla, and that's been the case for 2 years.

Thunderbird is a community project now as I understand it and we can't only rely on Mozilla (although they still provide significant resources like this forum). Mozilla focus is now the web and Thunderbird is not considered part of that. Others have asked previously here if Thunderbird is dead. I think it's far from it!

Now, in a technical support context, the primary concern is not to find an ideal solution and fix the software ASAP - that requires careful planning, quality assurance, programming, releasing, etc. which you may not be able to wait for.

The primary concern is rather to get you going and working ASAP, and that means, in my experience, finding a workaround as soon as possible, and documenting as shortly, precisely and publicly as possible the issue at hand.

Fabian,

I have just sent out an email to a list I have. And I have to report that the suggested workaround (use underscores ie _ in lieu of spaces in the list name to make it effectively all one word) does NOT work - it still presents the 'not a valid email address' error message box.

The only workaround I find that does work is to block copy the individual addresses from the list and paste them into the address bars.

Wot a nightmare.

Davidk03

Update 31.1.1 has been released and the release notes link under the download button indicates that it has a bug fix for this problem.

Updated to 31.1.1 and then tested it with a short list message, list name with 3 words separated by spaces. That works.

One hopes it remains fixed thru future versions.

Davidk03 postnote I mentioned a possible issue with updates in this thread. Waited for the next release to verify what I thought had happened. Took screenshots of the config specifying ask before update. But no, when the update was identified, Tbird 31.1.0 did in fact wait for me to click on the update button before downloading and doing it.

I found that hitting "send" again, without making any changes, the email goes out without an error.

i SOLVED the problem doing this: a) renamed group names eliminating spaces: for instance Flia Toronto became Flia-Toronto b) VERY important: Updated SideBySide redistributable C+++ from 2008 to 2010 version. my OS is W7 Home Premium. i got new version from MS downloads site. now, when calling Flia- it automatically gives me the choice amongst the different groups. i verified my solution by not getting bouncing notification, and checking in Sent that all addresses are indeed incorporated into outgoing mail. HIH