Searching for e-mails in Thunderbird?

[Biff]

Is it actually possible in Thunderbird or in its files / folders (so the e-mails probably don't have an eml extension there), in which its e-mails are stored to search for e-mails by e-mail addresses, subjects, etc. or to search for content?

[horst.epp]

I have set Thunderbird to the MailDir format.
This way, all mails are stored as .eml files
which can be searched and indexed by Everything.
Also, preview is available.

[Biff]

I have set Thunderbird to the MailDir format.
This way, all mails are stored as .eml files

That would be great but I guess there are some downsides to this. So I rather better should't do it.

Also, preview is available.

Preview in Everything means there is only a part of the content of the entire file shown, isn't it? Not the entire content. For example, if there are 2000 words in a txt there might be shown only 1000.

[horst.epp]

I have set Thunderbird to the MailDir format.
This way, all mails are stored as .eml files

That would be great but I guess there are some downsides to this. So I rather better should't do it.

Also, preview is available.

Preview in Everything means there is only a part of the content of the entire file shown, isn't it? Not the entire content. For example, if there are 2000 words in a txt there might be shown only 1000.

There is no downside using the MailDir format.
It avoids having one big file with all mails inside.
Eml preview has nothing to do with previewing .txt
There is an internal Everything prewiew for .eml and also a Windows module.
I don't see such limit in previewing large mails, and I do this a lot every day.

[Biff]

There is no downside using the MailDir format.

But the Thunderbird website says otherwise.

It avoids having one big file with all mails inside.

Yes, that would be good. So if one activates that option Thunderbird does it for All e-mails (not only the ones created / received since activating)?

Eml preview has nothing to do with previewing .txt

In what way?

There is an internal Everything prewiew for .eml and also a Windows module.
I don't see such limit in previewing large mails, and I do this a lot every day.

So then why are ther txt files here of which only a part of the text is shown here? And the content of eml files is not shown at obviously.
The Windows module obviously is used for txt file (if I remember correctly).

[horst.epp]

The warnings about the MailDir format are a relict of versions many years ago.
Changing to MailDir format is only used for new created accounts, not for existing mails.
Years ago, I made a temporary account and copied the folders from the existing to the new account.

It looks like you don't have configured any Windows eml previewer.
Actual Windows version have an integrated eml preview module.
On my system the registry entry for .eml is set as follows:

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.eml]
@="ThunderbirdEML"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.eml\OpenWithProgids]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.eml\PersistentHandler]
@="{5645C8C4-E277-11CF-8FDA-00AA00A14F93}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.eml\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.eml\shellex\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{b9815375-5d7f-4ce2-9245-c9d4da436930}"

I use a tool from Microsoft to assign preview handlers to extensions.

[Biff]

It looks like you don't have configured any Windows eml previewer.

Yes, that's right. So without that Windows eml previewer Everything cannot show the preview? Or is there a setting in Everything I had to set?

Actual Windows version have an integrated eml preview module.

Many thanks for the code. That preview module has to be activated by modifying the Reg? Looked like a very strange approach from Micro. But it's also a strange company.

I use a tool from Microsoft to assign preview handlers to extensions.

OK, many thanks!