Where is my "Temporary Directory"?

User Help for Mozilla Thunderbird
bxcfilm
Posts: 35
Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Where is my "Temporary Directory"?

Post by bxcfilm »

I use Windows XP, and FF and TB - everything fully updated.

Suddenly I can't send emails with an attachment. After searching other messages, I deleted all the temp files I could find, but it still won't work.

What more can I do? Where is my Temporary Directory setting?

Incidentally, I also get the same error message if I try to save a draft copy of the message.
old SKopischke
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Post by old SKopischke »

Do you regularly compact your folders? It is strongly recommended. Check this page for information on compacting folders.
bxcfilm
Posts: 35
Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

Yes, I have compacted the folders, and it makes no difference. The error message actually says that TB can't open the file which has to be sent. I tried copying it to another folder and sending from there, but it made no difference.
old SKopischke
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Post by old SKopischke »

Do you keep a large number of messages in either your Inbox or Sent folder?
bxcfilm
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Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

I do. But I have now deleted >1,000 messages in various folders and compacted the folders again. No difference.
old SKopischke
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Post by old SKopischke »

How many messages do you have in your Inbox folder? Your Sent folder?
bxcfilm
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Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

Inbox has 4639, and Sent has 811.
old SKopischke
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Post by old SKopischke »

You should not keep that many messages in your Inbox. Given the amount of activity in that folder, it is dangerous to use it as a storage folder. Your sent folder may also be a little full.

To try and get rid of the current problem, move all the messages in the Inbox to another folder - it can be a temporary home. Then compact the Inbox. Do the same for the Sent folder. Close Thunderbird and reopen it. Let us know if the problem continues.
bxcfilm
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Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

It did all that, and the problem is still there.
old SKopischke
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Post by old SKopischke »

What is the exact error message you receive?
bxcfilm
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Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

Sending of message failed.
Unable to open the temporary file C:\Documents and Settings\ .......\Desktop\[filename]. Check your "Temporary Directory" setting.


I find that strange, because that's my desktop, it's not a temporary file.

It's nearly midnight - back tomorrow. Many thanks for your help.
old SKopischke
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Post by old SKopischke »

The file is temporary, even if the folder is not.

Try the following from Windows: Start | Run | %TEMP% and then press [Enter]. Where are you taken?
bxcfilm
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Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

c:\documents and settings\[my name]\Local settings\Temp

I already cleared out those files yesterday, and there's now next to nothing there.
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tanstaafl
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Post by tanstaafl »

You can set the environmental variables tmp and temp to point to whatever location you want to use for temporary files. With XP, you can set that using the environmental variables button in the advanced tab in the system control panel. I set it to c:\temp so that I can easily browse it when needed.

Out of curiosity, is tools -> options-> attachments configured to save attachments to the desktop? It shouldn't have any effect when sending but thats the only Thunderbird setting I can think of that frequently defaults to the desktop.
bxcfilm
Posts: 35
Joined: June 6th, 2005, 12:16 pm
Location: UK

Post by bxcfilm »

I set the environment variables to C:\temp (and also re-booted, just in case), and it made no difference.

TB saves incoming attachments to the Desktop (after asking me), and it's always been set that way.
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