Disable "Empty Trash" / Undelete after Empty Trash

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andrewstr
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Joined: August 9th, 2004, 3:51 pm

Disable "Empty Trash" / Undelete after Empty Trash

Post by andrewstr »

I use Thunderbird for all my email accounts including work. I keep all my emails and never Empty the Trash (at least not on purpose). Last night, I right-clicked my Trash folder and intended to select Search but instead selected Empty Trash. I noticed that the undo option was NOT available. Without compacting the folder, I found my mail account's folder in "Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\". I found the Trash file but discovered it was 0 kb and contained no data. All my emails in the Trash file appeared to be gone. I experimented by Emptying the Trash on a non-critical account and confirmed that as before the Trash file was instantly wiped clean. So my questions are:

1.) Is there any way to prevent the Trash file from being cleaned out until AFTER it is compacted?

2.) Is there a way to disable or remove the "Empty Trash" option from the right-click menu so this doesn't happen again? Maybe a confirmation box would help here too.

Fortunately, I did have a backup of my mail folder from a week ago so I only lost 1 weeks worth of messages.

Thanks,

Andy
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Wouldn't it just be more sensible to store those messages in a different folder? Trash is not intended for storage in any program or Operating System.
andrewstr
Posts: 6
Joined: August 9th, 2004, 3:51 pm

Post by andrewstr »

Perhaps, but Thunderbird doesn't have an Archive button like Gmail. Since I save EVERY message, it would be a pain to manually move each email to a separate folder without a hotkey. Tapping "Delete" is so quick. Do you have a suggestion on how to accomplish this?

Still, though, Thunderbird should have a mechanism to either prompt on an empty trash command and/or provide a mechanism for an Undo.

Thanks,

Andy
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

The developers assume that the trash is going to be use for trash, not storage.

The Buttons! extension provides numerous buttons that you can add to your Thunderbird toolbar, including an "Archive!" button. Once you've configured the extension, just select one or more messages in the message-list pane and then click the Archive! button. Those messages will be filed in the archive folder that you've specified. Users of Gmail will find this very similar to the way Gmail's archiving feature works. However, archiving with the Buttons! extension is more flexible because you can set up the extension to use any archive folder of your choice, and you can also specify more than archive folder (with one set as default).
andrewstr
Posts: 6
Joined: August 9th, 2004, 3:51 pm

Post by andrewstr »

Thanks for the tip. The Archive button works better than my old method. I also installed keyconfig so I can hit control+Del to send a message to the archive. I have one issue though--I have both work and personal accounts. Is there a way to create hotkeys so messages are Archived to one folder for work and another for personal? Alt+Del could be personal and Control+Del for work.

Also, linked to my original question...I will now be archiving all the important stuff but I still want to keep ALL emails for at least 30 days. Can Thunderbird be configured to delete messages older than 30 days ONLY from the Trash folder? I know it can be done for an entire account but I want it only for the trash.

Thanks again for your great information.

Andy
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Right click on your trash folder and look at the retention tab. You will be able to set the 30 delete there.

I'm not sure about the separate hotkeys. You could ask the extension's author. Another option would be to create a filter on that archive folder and run it once a day or whenever.
andrewstr
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Joined: August 9th, 2004, 3:51 pm

Post by andrewstr »

Cool! I didn't know retention could be set for each folder. I thought it was account wide only.

Setting a filter is probably the best way. Maybe someday the Archive feature will include filtering itself.

Thank you again for all your tips!

Andy
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Again, talk to the Buttons! extension author. He may have some on ideas on how it can be done.

You're very welcome.
andrewstr
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Joined: August 9th, 2004, 3:51 pm

Post by andrewstr »

I have already put a query on that thread.

Thanks,

Andy
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Daifne
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Post by Daifne »

Good. ;-)
You're very welcome.
Jesus saved me!
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Re: Disable "Empty Trash" / Undelete after Empty Trash

Post by Jesus saved me! »

Both the options "Empty trash" kan be permanently removed, see
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1067385&start=0

I created a file userChrome.css in <profile>\chrome with the line
#folderPaneContext-emptyTrash, #menu_emptyTrash {visibility: collapse;}
and the options were gone.
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