Can't search messages with Copernic. Rebuild TB profile?

[Kent Slimm]

Hello again. I've been struggling to use the instructions on these wiki pages to move my message folders to a new profile. I finally figured out how to create a new profile. I then installed the ImportExportTools (IET) extension. The instructions say I should then "Select either the Local Folders directory or the POP account you want to import the folder into, in Thunderbird." But there's nothing to indicate *how* to make that selection, nor is there any obvious way to do that in the IET menu.

I thought: Maybe -- even though the instructions were silent on this point -- I should have installed the IET extension after opening TB in the new profile, so I'd automatically be importing folders into it (rather than risk duplicating folders in my existing profile). So I tried that and restarted TB. But when I opened the IET extension in the new profile, the "Import mbox file" and "Import messages" options are grayed out. In fact, the only Import option that's available here is "Import profile," which I assume I don't want.

So my first question is: How (and where) do I indicate that I want to import stuff into the new profile?
And my second question is: Must I choose "Import mbox file," as the instructions say, or can I choose "Import messages" or "Import all messages from a directory"?

Thanks!

[tanstaafl]

The add-on supports importing both .eml files and mbox files. You need to import mbox files as that is what your old profile used to store the mail in the folders.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders is still valid. I added "Tools -> ImportExportTools -> Import Messages and "Import all messages from a directory" import .eml files. Thunderbird doesn't store messages using .eml files. That is mainly used for import messages from other email clients that don't support mbox files." to the Import the folders section to try to reduce confusion..

"The instructions say I should then "Select either the Local Folders directory or the POP account you want to import the folder into, in Thunderbird." But there's nothing to indicate *how* to make that selection, nor is there any obvious way to do that in the IET menu."

Select the folder in the folder pane with the mouse. Then import the mbox file. It will create a child folder under the selected folder, and store the imported mbox files there.

[Kent Slimm]

Thanks, but I'm still unclear about how to indicate the *destination* of the folders I'm importing. I suspect that many steps in this process are so obvious to you that you've taken them for granted, but newbies like me find this confusing.

(1) Should I begin this import process by opening up TB using the new profile (that the folders are going to be moved to) or the old profile (that currently contains the folders)? As I mentioned, most of the options are grayed out in the new profile.

(2) Once I get there, I'm still unsure what to do. You say "Select the folder in the folder pane with the mouse." *What* folder in *what* folder pane? Do I get there from Tools-->ImportExportTools? If not, from where?

Thanks again for your patience.

[tanstaafl]

1. Use the new profile, because you are going to be importing. not exporting.

2. I suggest you select the inbox in Local Folders in the folder pane. That will establish it as the default folder. Then use Tools -> ImportExportTools to import the mbox files.

Your asking these questions helps me tweak the KB article

[Kent Slimm]

I'm so glad to hear that my questions, which must be frustrating for you, may end up helping others!

1. Thanks for the clear direction to do this from the new profile. That makes sense. But how do I deal with the grayed-out options (including "Import mbox files") within ImportExportTools that I keep mentioning?

2. I may be really dense here, but I don't know what you mean by "select the inbox in Local Folders in the folder pane." You mean within TB, rather than the file directory in, say, Windows Explorer, right? If so, there *is* no folder pane, and no inbox, in the brand-new profile because it's still empty. (I would upload a screenshot, but I can't see how to do that on this forum.)

[Kent Slimm]

Just wanted to bump up this message. Would be most grateful for answers to these two questions...

[tanstaafl]

1. Perhaps its greyed out because you selected a IMAP account.
2. Yes, in Thunderbird. If you add an account to the new profile before trying to import the mbox files, it should create a Local Folders pseudo account and a folder pane.

[Kent Slimm]

Thanks for your reply. With your help, I'm making progress -- slowly.
Turns out the problem with grayed-out options wasn't due to choosing IMAP but to the fact that I (deliberately) hadn't created an account (specifying an address and password) yet. You might want to amend the instructions to explain that this has to be done before importing files.

New questions:
1. I have to choose between Local Folder and Inbox as the target since the latter is listed only under the new e-mail address I created. There is no inbox *under* Local Folder, in other words. Does it matter which one I click on before importing files?
2. After I tell ImportExportTools to "import mbox files," I'm faced with a new menu of options -- and no guidance in the wiki instructions. Do I want to (a) import directly 1 or more mbox files, (b) import these files with their subdirectories, (c) select a directory where searching the mbox files to import [sic], or (d) select a directory where searching the mbox files to import (also in subdirectories)? (The syntax of the second two options is so garbled I can't make sense of them.)

[tanstaafl]

Please re-read http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders . I've updated it several times based on the problems you are having.

1. The inbox in your POP account is a legitimate target.

2. "a".