Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

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beeskeptical
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Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

I find Thunderbird's message search feature to be hopelessly defective. It routinely fails to yield obviously conforming search results -- across every update I have every applied.

Does anyone know if there is a way to get proper functionality out of the search feature, or rebuild some sort of search index. Alternatively, can anyone recommend a third party app which properly indexes and searches Thunderbird email?

Thank you.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

Moving to Thunderbird Support.

Which search function are you using? That is, how are you initiating the search?
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

Hi. I get the same flawed results using both the quick filter function within an open folder or the command-K search actual search feature.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

That could be the result of out-of-synch indexes.

Close Thunderbird and navigate to the profile folder. Locate the file global-messages-db.sqlite and delete that index file. That global index file will be rebuilt when Thunderbird starts.
To rebuild the index for message files, right click on the name of the folder before the next search and select "Properties" from the context menu, then click on "Repair Folder" to trigger rebuilding of the index file. (You shouldn't have to do that before each search, just the first time you initiate a search of a particular folder to ensure that the index is in synch with the data in the associated message file.

Also, how is the account set up in Thunderbird, as POP or IMAP? Find out using menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

DanRaisch, thank you very much for these suggestions. I will try them. One question: Will repairing a folder also repair all of its sub-folders? Can I get away just with trying that on key folder/subfolder sets, rather than deleting and rebuilding the whole index?
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

Will repairing a folder also repair all of its sub-folders?
No, it will not. Thunderbird uses the term "sub-folder" but they are actually separate folders with their messages stored in separate files from the "parent."

As for the need to delete and rebuild the whole index, there is only one global index file. The .msf files (indexes of a sort) associated with the individual folders/files are not involved in the Global Search process.
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

Got it, thanks much.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

You're welcome.
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

DanRaisch,

I followed the instructions above in deleting the global-messages-db.sqlite file. On relaunching Thunderbird (and leaving it closed for a while, and just waiting for a while) it is doing nothing to rebuild the index. It as recreated this file in the profile folder, but it is not growing.

Any suggestions? Thank you.
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

Do I also need to delete global-messages-db.sqlite journal?

Help, I have no global search ability since taking this action.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

Yes, you can also delete the file global-messages-db.sqlite journal.

Make sure that the setting that enables Global Search is switched on. Menu path Thunderbird → Preferences.->Advanced->General->Advanced Configuration section.
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

Hi, I deleted file global-messages-db.sqlite journal.
I re-deleted the small file global-messages-db.sqlite

I unchecked and rechecked enable global search. (It had been checked).

I left Thunderbird closed for a while.

I left Thunderbird open for a while (without using it).

The deleted files are replaced but not growing.

The global-messages-db.sqlite file had been over 400 MB; now it is stuck at 1.2 MB.

I'm at a total loss.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

The larger size may have indicated that the file was corrupt. There's no reason to assume a smaller size is problematic.
DanRaisch wrote:Also, how is the account set up in Thunderbird, as POP or IMAP? Find out using menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
beeskeptical
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by beeskeptical »

Well, I get 0 search results now, so it seems nothing is indexed.
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DanRaisch
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Re: Thunderbird fails to produce obvious search results

Post by DanRaisch »

[
DanRaisch wrote:Also, how is the account set up in Thunderbird, as POP or IMAP? Find out using menu path Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
Locked