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Thunderbird message searching bug / Betterbird succeeds

  • Subject: Thunderbird message searching bug / Betterbird succeeds
  • From: Nash JC - NCF <nashjc [ at ] ncf [ dot ] ca>
  • Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2026 15:04:43 -0400
In case anyone else gets bitten by this one.

I don't know if non-Linux versions of Thunderbird also suffer from this bug --
in searching for it I was unable to find anything I thought relevant.

Issue:
   1) Each month create a SAVEYYMM and SENTYYMM subfolder of YYYYEM in local storage via
      Thunderbird     e.g., YYYYEM is 2026em and has subfolders save2601, sent2601, etc.
   2) Move wanted files from incoming and outgoing to relevant subfolders
   3) Later want to search all of year for emails to and from e.g., myfriend [ at ] gmail [ dot ] com
      Right-click on 2026em and selecting "Search messages" gives a search screen that
      grinds forever. Have to manually cancel. Searching in lowest level subfolder seems
      to work, but for a full year, I've at least 24 subfolders.

As indicated, I couldn't find mention of where this bug arises. There were suggestions to try checking
access permissions (done!), renaming the global index file (tried, no joy) and compacting
folders (done. No joy.) What was mentioned was BetterBird, though more as a "we're better"
hype of that project. betterbird.eu is website. Since it had a PPA (the Flatpak
wouldn't install on my Linux Mint), I installed it. It opens using the .thunderbird/(profile)
automatically, and even gets all my extensions like Remove Duplicates. However, early days,
so if you try it, do so with caution. In any event, it did the search fine. Truthfully, I
have to look carefully to recognize I'm not in TBird.

Will see how it goes.

John Nash




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