How to stop next email from opening automatically

[sgolden]

I'm using Tbird 3.1.7 with XP. When I'm viewing an open email and click to delete it, the next email in that folder automatically opens in that tab. I would like to prevent this. I tried deselecting "automatically mark as read" but that doesn't work for emails that have already been read.

It's a time-waster to have to close the email and then switch to the message list and delete it there. I came to Tbird from Eudora which didn't have this quirk.

Is there some add-on that can change the way Tbird opens messages?

Thanks for any help!

[DanRaisch]

If you open each message in a separate window, rather than in tabs, you can set Thunderbird to close the message window when a message is deleted. Find that setting under Tools->Options->Advanced->Reading & Display tab->Close message window on delete.

[sgolden]

Thank you! It's a big relief to know how to do that.

Now I have to get used to all those message windows--not quite as convenient as tabs, esp when I have a lot of docs open, but I'll work on it. And it turns out that xnote, one of my favorite addons, doesn't work quite right with message windows. Sigh.

[DanRaisch]

I actually find windows more convenient than tabs for email messages. I can compare elements of two messages much more easily, or copy parts of one message into another more easily, when two windows are side by side than when bouncing back and forth between two tabs.

[sgolden]

Ah yes, I see when several windows are open I can maximize all at same time. OK, whole new world here.