[solved]Can thunderbird display emails online?

[anirrr]

Thunderbird.
If I make an email account setup, thunderbird downloads the emails onto the computer.
Can I set thunderbird, that it only displays the emails in the inbox and the content of the emails without downloading them onto the computer?
If that is impossible, can you set thunderbird to show emails in inbox without downloading the emails and emails that you read, are downloaded but deleted on the computer after reading?
Thanks.

[makaiguy]

ANY time you are reading something on your screen, it is present in your computer -- if the info comes from somewhere online, that means it has already been downloaded from the remote location into your computer. When you're "reading from the server", it just means that the downloaded information has only been placed in your operating memory but not written to your local storage media (hard disk, etc.).

If your account is set up in TBird to use the IMAP protocol, you are already pretty much doing what you want. The only thing that is downloaded is the info from the message headers shown in the message list (Sender, Recipient, Subject, etc.) -- the body of the message is left on the server and only downloaded (into memory) and shown to you when you attempt to read it. As long as you do NOT choose "Keep messages for this account on this computer" under "Synchronization & Storage". the message body will not be written to your local storage -- but then you won't be able to access messages when you are not online, either.

If you are set up instead to use the POP3 protocol there are some things you can do to alter the behavior, although it means there are a few more hoops you must jump through on a regular basis. If you're using POP3 (and don't want to switch to go to IMAP) let us know and we can explore things further.

[Bitbeisser]

Thunderbird.

Yup.

If I make an email account setup, thunderbird downloads the emails onto the computer.

Well, that's the purpose of an email client/program....

Can I set thunderbird, that it only displays the emails in the inbox and the content of the emails without downloading them onto the computer?
If that is impossible, can you set thunderbird to show emails in inbox without downloading the emails and emails that you read, are downloaded but deleted on the computer after reading?

It rather seems that what you are looking for is just using email in a web browser. But that might depend on what kind of email account you have, with something like Gmail or (the gods forbid!) Yahoo, this is their preferred method (as this way they can display more advertising)...

Ralf

[tanstaafl]

If you use a IMAP account and disable "keep messages for this account on the computer" in synchronization & storage AND disable global search in tools -> options -> advanced -> general -> global search/indexing it will only download headers to the hard disk, for the *.msf file (a cache of the folder listing). Whenever you open a message in a remote folder it will fetch the contents into memory. It will not store it on the hard disk. There is a built-in cache for just the current message, in memory. See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Minimize_the_ ... _a_profile

That is my normal configuration. I do not view that as equivalent to webmail in a browser since "offline folders" are not used as a cache, the Thunderbird user interface has many more features, and it lets you use native widgets. i.e. I can drag and drop messages, folders and attachments.

[Bitbeisser]

That is my normal configuration. I do not view that as equivalent to webmail in a browser since "offline folders" are not used as a cache, the Thunderbird user interface has many more features, and it lets you use native widgets. i.e. I can drag and drop messages, folders and attachments.

But what is the point of dragging and dropping anything when he is determined not to leave anything on the computer?

Ralf

[tanstaafl]

Its a easy way to move stuff between folders. I have a folder hierarchy that frequently goes 3 or 4 layers deep, something that would be awkward to use if I was using webmail. .

[Bitbeisser]

Its a easy way to move stuff between folders. I have a folder hierarchy that frequently goes 3 or 4 layers deep, something that would be awkward to use if I was using webmail. .

Well, as I mentioned, the OP doesn't want to download anything, that kind of excludes the use of folders, doesn't it?

Ralf

[tanstaafl]

No. IMAP accounts can use all of the webmail folders, and create new remote folders. IMAP accounts are very different from POP accounts. I suggest you read http://kb.mozillazine.org/IMAP

[anirrr]

Thank you makaiguy and tanstaffl. I have made the settings. Can I somehow verify, that the settings stops thunderbird from downloading the emails onto the computer?

[tanstaafl]

Sure. Look in the accounts "local directory" (specified at bottom of the accounts server settings) to verify that there are no mbox files (files named after the folder, with no file extension, that contain a copy of the message). An example of a mbox file would be "inbox." for the inbox folder. You should still see "inbox.msf" and "inbox.sbd".

If it already existed (because it was created before you disabled offline folders), its time/date stamp shouldn't get updated.

Its not as easy to verify the indexing for global search is disabled since the SQL database has a minimum size. But its easy to verify that global search is disabled (its search filed in top right corner of main window goes way), which should be sufficient.

[LIMPET235]

Hi,
Just wondering here, if Mailwasher, either the free version or the Pro would suit?
MW free > http://www.mailwasher.net/
MWP > http://www.firetrust.com/

(Note: I have no affiliation to either MWP, MW free or Firetrust. I just use the Pro v.)

[anirrr]

Thank you.