Multiple Return Receipts (3.1RC2)

[ECourts]

I'm using Thunderbird 3.1 RC2 with Win7 Ultimate/32bit, using POP3 mailboxes

Any time someone sends me a mail requesting a Return Receipt, upon reading the mail I get the warning "The sender of this message has asked to be notified when you read this message. Do you wish to notify the sender" and the options to "Ignore Request" or "Send Receipt" (as I would expect). Clicking on an option sends the receipt or ignores it accordingly and the warning goes away. HOWEVER, if I then close the message and re-open it the warning and option buttons return (and will perform their respective functions if clicked). It doesn't matter if ignore it or send the receipt - the warning always returns when the message is re-opened. It is not sender or mail account specific. When I click "Send Receipt" the receipt IS sent (as correspondents are complaining about my multiple acknowledgements!)

Any ideas why? Known bug? Incorrect option setting? This problem only seems to have appeared since upgrading (from RC1 to RC2).

Thanks for any response....

[tanstaafl]

I suggest you report it at https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/index.cgi

[Vlad Lungeanu]

I have exactly the same problem since I upgraded from TB 3.0.6 to 3.1 final, but on Linux. The only solution I found was to set the account not to ask me to send a return receipt. The problem is there even if I start TB in safe mode.
The only thing out-of-the-ordinary is that my local account is about 5 GB (Inbox 2+, Sent 2+). Is your account large too?

[ECourts]

I do use a lot of local storage. Around 80,000 emails spread over 4 accounts occupying 5.2GB in the profile directories, so that *might* be a common denominator. Despite the earlier suggestion to report it as a bug, I wanted to see if others were experiencing the problem. It's quite annoying as my correspondents are now getting multiple receipts for the same message, and I really don't want to switch off sending receipts globally.

[Vlad Lungeanu]

My thoughts exactly. I consider archiving some of the messages to see if the problem disappears. I will let you know when I manage to do so, and if it solved anything.

[Ritter]

I too can confirm this bug with TB 3.1 release version.

The bug has been introduced with version 3.1 of Thunderbird and its improved "passive dialogue" which asks to confirm or ignore a Message Disposition Notification (MDN).

I can always reproduce the bug with any e-mail friend who uses TB 3.1 via POP3 (and a Gmail account) as I do.

The new MDB procedure works fine however when I receive e-mails from non TB 3.1 users (I don't remember if they don't use TB at all or just not version 3.1) whose e-mail programs ask for MDB. Then my TB 3.1 shows the new "passive dialogue" to send or ignore a MDN, I click on the yes button for example, and when I close the e-mail and later re-open it the "passive dialogue" is gone, as you would expect.

Has anybody filed a bug so that we can provide more details to it?

[ECourts]

Good to know I am (we are) not alone - but why so few reports for which must be for many (everyone?) a problem?

I've not filed a bug yet.....

[Ritter]

Good to know I am (we are) not alone - but why so few reports for which must be for many (everyone?) a problem?

I've not filed a bug yet.....

Hi ECourts,

The standard setting for Thunderbird is not to ask for a MDN.
(Please see main menu "Extras / Options", symbol "Extended", tabulator "General", button "Always ask for a recieve receiption".)

I think the mass of TB users don't change this setting and so their TB prorgrams don't ask for a MDN when they send out e-mails.
Hence most TB 3.1 users with TB friends don't see the new MDN "passive dialoge" at all (because no MDN is being asked for).

As I said I've noticed some e-mail friends who don't use TB but whose e-mail programs asked for a MDN and it seemed to work well with my new TB 3.1

I've no idea yet what exactly is the problem, but I always can reproduce the "Multiple Return Receipts" bug with all my TB 3.0 and TB 3.1 friends on Gmail.
So it's definitely not a feature.

[ECourts]

The standard setting for Thunderbird is not to ask for a MDN.
(Please see main menu "Extras / Options", symbol "Extended", tabulator "General", button "Always ask for a recieve receiption".)

I think the mass of TB users don't change this setting and so their TB prorgrams don't ask for a MDN when they send out e-mails.

Just to clarify - my problem is with messages I receive repeatedly asking if I want to send a return receipt. I'd guess about 50% of my correspondents (most not using Thunderbird) ask for a return receipt, but I want to selectively allow them to be sent depending on my mood, the sender or the content.

[Ritter]

Just to clarify - my problem is with messages I receive repeatedly asking if I want to send a return receipt.

Yes, this ist exactly the problem we're talking about. Sorry if I wasn't precise.

And this problem is a bug in TB 3.1's new "return receipt" (MDN) asking dialogue.

The reason I talked about TB's standard setting to not ask for a "return receipt" (MDN) was simply to help understand why only a few TB users report this bug here, like you pointed out correctly.
And I guess it's because the masses of TB users use this standard TB setting and hence the masses never see any "return receipts" (MDN) dialogue with all their TB friends and so don't see the bug.

I'd guess about 50% of my correspondents (most not using Thunderbird) ask for a return receipt, but I want to selectively allow them to be sent depending on my mood, the sender or the content.

Yes, I fully understand. And it's the good thing about the new TB 3.1 "return receipt" dialogue that theoretically you can confirm or ignore the return receipt whenever you like. Unfortunately it always asks again... instead of just one time.

(Maybe most of the TB developers also never get any MDN requests.

[ECourts]

Ok - so we are violently agreeing and it really looks like a bug (and one I think it pretty serious...).

Bug report submitted

[tanstaafl]

I added a link to that bug report to http://kb.mozillazine.org/Figuring_out_ ... ur_message

[Ritter]

Thankyou ECourts for filing the bug and thankyou Tanstaafl for adding a link to it on the Mozillazine page.

Yesterday a developer added to the new bug entry this:
"RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 558543"
->
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=558543

There you can read a new entry on 12th July 2012:
"Checked into 3.1 branch and relbranch"

So it's fixed! Great.
Thank you Thunderbird developers.

P.S. Best e-mail client ever.

P.P.S. Is it possible to already use a binary version of the fixed Thunderbird? (I can't compile the sources)

[tanstaafl]

Is it possible to already use a binary version of the fixed Thunderbird? (I can't compile the sources)

You can download nightly builds from ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/t ... d/nightly/ . You'd probably want to download it from ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/t ... omm-1.9.2/

These are automated builds that are not tested. They typically fix some bugs while occasionally adding a few new ones. Using one is a calculated risk. I recommend you wait a day and then look in the daily builds thread in the Thunderbird builds forum, and see if if there are any major problems with the nightly build you're interested in.

As a aside, I've been using nightly builds fairly regularly for several years and have never lost any data though I've had some unusable builds. I suggest you backup your profile first and keep the released version of Thunderbird as a backup.

[Ritter]

Thanks Tanstaafl for the hints.

The new Thunderbird release v 3.1.1 (from yesterday?) also includes the bugfix for the "Multiple Return Recepits" bug.