How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?(Linux)

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robbyx
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How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?(Linux)

Post by robbyx »

Re Ubuntu 18.04 o/s:
I have tried dragging and dropping but the folder does not move, in the folder pane.
I have tried the manual sort addon. It seems to make no difference.
Last edited by DanRaisch on August 17th, 2019, 4:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: (Linux) added to subject line.
Robin
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DanRaisch
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by DanRaisch »

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.
robbyx
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

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pop
Robin
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DanRaisch
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by DanRaisch »

With a POP type account dragging and dropping a folder should work.

Does the same thing occur if you launch the application in Mozilla Safe Mode? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode
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tanstaafl
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by tanstaafl »

Are you trying to move a folder that is specified in a accounts "copies & folders" settings?
robbyx
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by robbyx »

DanRaisch wrote:With a POP type account dragging and dropping a folder should work.

Does the same thing occur if you launch the application in Mozilla Safe Mode? http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode
yes. I think the index may need to be rebuilt. I seem to remember that a specific set of files in each folder needs to removed for them to be rebuilt. Can it be done globally? Please remind me of the ext.
Robin
robbyx
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by robbyx »

tanstaafl wrote:Are you trying to move a folder that is specified in a accounts "copies & folders" settings?
No.
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DanRaisch
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by DanRaisch »

I seem to remember that a specific set of files in each folder needs to removed for them to be rebuilt. Can it be done globally? Please remind me of the ext.
Are you referring to the .msf files?
robbyx
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by robbyx »

DanRaisch wrote:
I seem to remember that a specific set of files in each folder needs to removed for them to be rebuilt. Can it be done globally? Please remind me of the ext.
Are you referring to the .msf files?
yes. Is there a way of deleting them all in one go?
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by DanRaisch »

Just exist Thunderbird and navigate to the directory for the particular account. Then use whichever file manager you choose to select and delete all files with the .msf extension. You might have to repeat that for sub-directories unless your file manager has functionality to do a folder and all of it's children in one go.
robbyx
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?

Post by robbyx »

DanRaisch wrote:Just exist Thunderbird and navigate to the directory for the particular account. Then use whichever file manager you choose to select and delete all files with the .msf extension. You might have to repeat that for sub-directories unless your file manager has functionality to do a folder and all of it's children in one go.
There is something I am over-looking. I successfully ran the linux command:

find '/home/robins/.thunderbird/x8thazak.robin/Mail/Local Folders/Group messages.sbd' -name *.msf -type f -delete

It removed all the msf files from just the Group messages folder and its subfolders, but I still can not drag the folder up the tree. It appears to move but bounces back to the original position. Where would I look for something in the setup that is forcing alpha order in priority to a manual move of a folder with its subfolders?

I would prefer not to have to rename the Group Messages folder in the TB tree so that it comes higher up in the sort order because there are a lot of filters running in the inbox to move messages into group messages as named now.
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tanstaafl
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?(Li

Post by tanstaafl »

Based on the path you passed to the find command the group messages folder is at the top of the folder hierarchy (in the "Local Folders" special account) already. So where are you trying to move it?

"I would prefer not to have to rename the Group Messages folder in the TB tree so that it comes higher up in the sort order "

Thunderbird lets you specify the sort order of messages within a folder, but doesn't let you specify the sort order of folders within the folder pane. Are you trying to move the "Group Messages" folder above the inbox in the Local Folders account? For that you need to use an add-on such as Manually Sort Folders.

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/th ... rs/?src=ss
robbyx
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?(Li

Post by robbyx »

tanstaafl wrote:Based on the path you passed to the find command the group messages folder is at the top of the folder hierarchy (in the "Local Folders" special account) already. So where are you trying to move it?

"I would prefer not to have to rename the Group Messages folder in the TB tree so that it comes higher up in the sort order "

Thunderbird lets you specify the sort order of messages within a folder, but doesn't let you specify the sort order of folders within the folder pane. Are you trying to move the "Group Messages" folder above the inbox in the Local Folders account? For that you need to use an add-on such as Manually Sort Folders.

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/th ... rs/?src=ss
There are a lot of folders in the local folders. I am only trying to move the one called Group messages (It has many sub folders). I am trying to move it just below the inbox

I have installed manually sort folders but it is not helping as the group messages folder is not moving.
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tanstaafl
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Re: How do I successfully move a folder with sub folders?(Li

Post by tanstaafl »

My impression is that the manually sort folders add-on is not designed to move folders to a different location within a folder hierarchy, just to change the order they appear in when there are multiple folders at the same level. You appear to be trying to move a folder (plus all of its children) from being a peer of the inbox to being a child of it.

I suggest you start small by manually creating a group messages folder underneath the inbox, and drag and drop the contents of the old group messages folder to it. Then do the same type of thing for group message's child folder. If that works then try dragging and dropping the grandchild. Otherwise create the destination folder and drag and drop the appropriate messages to it. Repeat as needed for the remaining sub folders until dragging and dropping a folder works.

Do any of subfolders names include a forward slash (I'm talking about the actual folder name, not the path) or a non-ASCII character?

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/197 ... tory-names
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