Using Domain Names as Alternate Identities
Hey guys (of all genders) :-) I really hope you can help. Emails to me are addressed mostly to a domain name, but my Thunderbird main identity is linked to a gmail account (because the domain name is portable so I can't see how I could make that my main identity). I keep a duplicate copy of emails organised in Thunderbird and prefer to reply from there from whichever email address I want. I created the other identities I wanted, and added them to Thunderbird OK.
For a while my outgoing emails were received as coming from my domain name, exactly as I wanted. But lately, they've stopped doing that and are all giving the outgoing email address as the main gmail address that Thunderbird was set up in. It doesn't matter whether I move the domain name or the gmail address to the default main identity. I admit, I was doing some tweaking to Thunderbird in the Config. Editor after watching a youtube tutorial. I might have done something I shouldn't have without realising.
So I'm curious, how do I get the domain name email address of my choice displayed on outgoing emails that are written in Thunderbird on my home laptop?
And if I can't, then I'm willing to start all over again with Thunderbird, and in fact have uninstalled it several times today. But whenever I try to start again and reinstall it later on, it comes back with all my data from the version that went wrong. So obviously I don't wnat that version imported again. I want a clean slate. Assuming there's nothing I can do to make the domain name display correctly again (I always select the outgoing email identity carefully), how do I uninstall and start again with a clean slate and none of my previous data attached?
Thank you ever so much in advance for any help you can give me. I'm at the hair tearing stage here and it's not a good look. My thanks.
All Replies (9)
Perhaps a link to the youtube video that appears to be the root of your death spiral?
Hi Matt, Well, here it is since you asked. I didn't link it before because I was assuming it was something I did in applying a theme later rather than something I've done arising out of the tutorial. But if you or anyone else can throw any light, I'm past caring that it makes me look like an idiot. Here it is!
Thanks for trying to help.
(accidental duplicate post)
Ilungisiwe ngu Pusukala
Well I think I was off chasing red herrings. So lets try some other things. So lets go back to how your accounts are configured in Thunderbird as I think that might be where to start.
Normally Thunderbird defaults to a "unified inbox" in the folder pane. First ensure view menu > folders is set to ALL Folder. That will just simplify some things.
Second please go to the Help > troubleshooting page and copy the Mail and News Accounts section to a reply on the forum (drag over the entry with your mouse, press Ctrl+C to copy it and then paste into the reply)
Hopefully I will get up to speed on your setup. Do you use any addons?
I am sorry about the red herrings! It was already set to All Folders.
Here's the blurb on Mail and News Accounts.
The second account mentioned is I think the one I created after all this started, as an attempt to start all over again. It means that I'm having to create my message filters all over again, which is quite time-consuming.
I would still be quite happy to start all over again with a clean version of Thunderbird, but as mentioned in my original post, whenever I uninstall and reinstall, even after several hours, Thunderbird gives me all my old details back again - including whatever the error is.
Mail and News Accounts ID Incoming server Outgoing servers Name Connection security Authentication method Name Connection security Authentication method Default? account1 (imap) imap.gmail.com:993 SSL/TLS OAuth2 smtp.gmail.com:465 SSL/TLS OAuth2 true smtp.gmail.com:465 SSL/TLS OAuth2 false smtp.gmail.com:465 SSL/TLS OAuth2 false smtp.gmail.com:465 SSL/TLS OAuth2 false account2 (none) Local Folders None Normal password
You asked about add-ons. I don't have any on the second account I'm currently using. On the first version where the problem arose, I had installed a theme, that I couldn't find again when I went to look for it for the second version. I haven't done anything in terms of using the calendar or tasks, although I was thinking that I'd like to do that before this issue occurred.
I can't think of anything else to tell you, but I do appreciate your considering this for me, Matt. Thank you.
To start afresh, all you need to do is clear out your profile folder while Thunderbird is NOT running.
Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information > Open Folder. This will open your current profile folder in File Explorer. Exit Tbird via File menu > Exit. This is important. Select and delete everything from the profile folder that opened, then relaunch Tbird.
A less destructive and recommended approach, would be to rename the profile folder instead of deleting it. To rename the profile folder, just move up one level, then rename the folder. This way, you can actually copy your messages filter file from the old profile so that you don't have to create your filters all over again. The same applies to your address book files. More info about profiles can be found here Profiles - Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data
Hi Stan, I did that when I created the second account, I thought. Unless the second account is something different. Actually, it might be! I did create a second profile and that's what I'm using now. But I'm having exactly the same issue with the domain name no longer showing (although any of my email addresses created out of my domain name had been functioning trouble free and showing on outgoing emails for almost a year before this happened).
That's why I thought I'd have to unintall and reinstall Thunderbird. But even with Revo Uninstaller, I couldn't seem to start again without Thunderbird giving me back all my messages and folders. That's great for someone who uninstalls accidentally, I expect, but not for someone who wants to start again.
And I don't really want to start all over again. I really want to go back to my original Profile with all the messages and message filters set up, and the attractive theme I was using - and in fact, I think that's probably what I shall do. Because the domain name issue is the same whichever profile I am using.
Thank you for helping me out on one thing, though. I wanted to go back to the other profile but hadn't realised I could simply go up a level and find the other profile there! I am certainly getting to know Thunderbird a lot better.
I do appreciate your help. I'll take a look at the link you highlighted for me, but I don't think it'll have anything useful about displaying domain names. I think I have everything correctly set up for that. But I'll go back and take yet another look at it. I don't think I'd changed a thing when I noticed the domain name wasn't being displayed...
Log in to the Gmail account that you use to authenticate with the SMTP server and confirm that your personalised domain address is added as an alias and is set as the default "send from" address. In Tbird, make sure the reply-to address is the domain address. Details of this setup are available here https://support.google.com/mail/answer/22370?hl=en
I would suggest a dedicated SMTP server for each domain, and appropriate SPF records in DNS to permit senders like "gmail" being used if that is what you are going to do.
Just because gmail will send it does not mean the recipient server will accept it or deliver it if it accepts it without correct SPF records.