I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

User Help for Mozilla Thunderbird
Dirki
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Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

I want to use a user defined sound (at the bottom) for incoming e-mails here:
Image

But I cannot change / add anything / delete in that field. When I click "Durchsuchen" (open / search file) nothing happens.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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tanstaafl
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by tanstaafl »

Mine is set to file:///D:/Downloads/pbchain.wav

Where I have D: for the drive letter you have JI: . That is invalid. You also have several embedded spaces that remapped to %20 - they're probably not a problem. I suspect the Browse button doesn't work because it tries to open the window at a invalid location.

I suggest you either edit the location to File:///I:/ and then navigate to the desired location, or try emptying the location field before pressing the Browse button.

If it won't let you change anything in the field then I suggest you use the config editor at tools -> options -> advanced to edit mail.biff.play_sound.url . That is where the location is stored. You could either enter the desired location at the value or right click on the setting and choose reset, which will restore it to the default value.
Dirki
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Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

If it won't let you change anything in the field then I suggest you use the config editor at tools -> options -> advanced to edit mail.biff.play_sound.url . That is where the location is stored. You could either enter the desired location at the value or right click on the setting and choose reset, which will restore it to the default value.
Great, that worked quite easily.

Thank you very much!
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
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LIMPET235
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by LIMPET235 »

Oh....& Dirki,
Not to put too much into this, but your image is just a tad too large & distorts the forum.
It measures out at > "1,142px × 477px"
Try to keep them around 800 x 600 or so.

Thank you.
[Ancient Amateur Astronomer.]
Win-10-H/64 bit/500G SSD/16 Gig Ram/450Watt PSU/350WattUPS/Firefox-115.0.2/T-bird-115.3.2./SnagIt-v10.0.1/MWP-7.12.125.

(Always choose the "Custom" Install.)
Dirki
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Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

Very sorry!

The screenshot program uploads, resizeses the images automatically. So I will have to do it manually and have to remember it to do it. And this is the only forum I have to think about / remember to reduce the size, so it is hard to keep this in mind. But of course I will try to.

Sorry again.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
Schizophriend
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Joined: January 11th, 2020, 3:49 am

Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Schizophriend »

Hello,

After a resent update of the program on my Windows 7 laptop I also experience the same problem. Neither the small mp3 file I've been using as a notification for decades nor a longer mp3 are not played back as a test in the Options or when a real message arrives.
As per above, I am unable to browse to a notification sound file of choice via Options>General. Moving the notification files to C:\ (i.e., boot drive root directory) and setting the path via advanced configuration does not solve the problem for me.

I thought the change of the traditional green notification icon to the bleak one is regrettable enough; however, inability to use the sound of choice after this update seems more annoying.
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tanstaafl
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by tanstaafl »

What version of Thunderbird does help -> troubleshooting information say you are using?

Did you try resetting (right click on the setting and choose reset, which will restore it to the default value.) mail.biff.play_sound.url in the config editor?
Dirki
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Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

The e-mail notification sound is played only one or a few times after starting Thunderbird, then it just stopps. After restarting the same again. How could one correct that?
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
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tanstaafl
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by tanstaafl »

Try a larger file. I use the pinky and the brain you've got chain mail .wav file at https://www.thesoundarchive.com/play-wa ... bchain.wav and have never had this problem, even with nightly builds. If that workarounds around it then you just need to choose a larger sound file. The sound archive has lots of them.
Dirki
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

Thank you very much for the file, the pinky and the brain you've got chain mail .wav file is this one - pbchain.wav - I guess. I will just try it.

Actually I rather would use a short notifcation, 1 sec. or so. When one receives many e-mails the long notifications might bother a little bit. But it is a nice file anyway.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
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tanstaafl
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by tanstaafl »

I only get one audio notification regardless of how many new messages there are.
Dirki
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

Per bunch / download of e-mails? Yes, the same here.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
- newest stable portable Thunderbird (not beta)
Schizophriend
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Schizophriend »

tanstaafl wrote:What version of Thunderbird does help -> troubleshooting information say you are using?

Did you try resetting (right click on the setting and choose reset, which will restore it to the default value.) mail.biff.play_sound.url in the config editor?
Version: 68.4.1 Build ID: 20200108224327
Thank you, the proposed solution has worked! Now I can browse to the file of choice and it is used as a notification sound.

Apropos the following discussion, my mp3 file is just 21kb small and works just fine.
Dirki
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Joined: February 27th, 2009, 7:12 am

Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by Dirki »

Apropos the following discussion, my mp3 file is just 21kb small and works just fine.
May be it will happen sometime or it never happens with mp3 files, I use wavs up to now.
- Windows 11 Home, 22H2, 64bit
- newest stable portable Firefox (not beta)
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LIMPET235
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Re: I want to use a user defined sound for incoming e-mails

Post by LIMPET235 »

Hi Dirki,
This site has a great selection of .wav files as well.
I use Meg Ryan's..."Three little words....You've got mail" in my Thunderbird & Mail Washer Pro.
> http://www.wavsource.com/movies/youve_got_mail.htm

Go crazy.
:)
[Ancient Amateur Astronomer.]
Win-10-H/64 bit/500G SSD/16 Gig Ram/450Watt PSU/350WattUPS/Firefox-115.0.2/T-bird-115.3.2./SnagIt-v10.0.1/MWP-7.12.125.

(Always choose the "Custom" Install.)
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