[Feature request] Move emails on arrival in other folders (TB bug 294632).

[03302024]

On GitHub, there is this add-on Awesome Auto Archive that used to work up to Thunderbird 63.0. It could automatically do Archive/Copy/Delete/Move actions based on user defined rules.

The closest thing I could find in Bugzilla is this: Message Filters action to archive email

Since the bug report is from 14 years ago, there is no hope it would be resolved any time soon. So, our only chance is you nice people, kindly resurrect the add-on or resolve the bug report.

The issue that this would resolve for me is this: The IMAP email server, which is out of my hands, erroneously puts good emails in the Bulk folder. In Thunderbird, I need to manually copy all new emails from IMAP Bulk folder to Local Inbox folder. It would be nice if this action could be done automatically, on email arrival.

[Betterbird]

This is confusing. In the first two paragraphs, you talk about functionality to archive mail via filters.

In the last paragraph, you talk about moving mail from an IMAP folder to another folder, which can already be done with a filter, maybe after setting pref mail.server.default.check_all_folders_for_new, or mail.server.NN.check_all_folders_for_new. We'd have to test that.

[03302024]

Thank you for your reply. I just looked at the Filter Rules again:

Option "Periodically, every 10 minutes" helps a lot, although I wish I could change the time. However, there is no way to select a folder (e.g. IMAP Bulk) to apply the filter to. I looked at the "Customize..." option, but I am not sure how/if I could use that.

Can you please add such a filter option to Betterbird?

[Betterbird]

You can set the time: Pref mail.server.default.periodicFilterRateMinutes and mail.server.serverNN.periodicFilterRateMinutes.

Have you tried setting mail.server.default.check_all_folders_for_new or mail.server.serverNN.check_all_folders_for_new. I believe that will then also check the SPAM/Bulk folder and apply filters. Somehow I remember there was another pref to apply filters to those folders, but I can't find it now.

[03302024]

You can set the time: Pref mail.server.default.periodicFilterRateMinutes and mail.server.serverNN.periodicFilterRateMinutes.

Thanks for the info.

Have you tried setting mail.server.default.check_all_folders_for_new

No, but I have set the following in the Bulk folder Properties. This settings downloads the emails for me.

and apply filters.

What should I put as the filter rule, so that the rule will be applied to emails in a specific (e.g. the Bulk) folder? I have specified the following filter rule to test:

[Betterbird]

So does the rule run on the folder? You will have the problem that the rule will run on all folders of the account, including the inbox. That is, if it runs on the SPAM folder at all. We haven't had time to test this. In general, it would be best to filter on the "SPAM header" added by the SPAM processing of the mail server. Something like:

X-Spam-Score: 9.6 (+++++++++)
X-Spam-Flag: YES
X-Spam-Report: Action: add header

Besides, usually you can adjust the score so that you get less false positives. I've also provided false positives to my mail provider for them to train the SPAM filter.

[03302024]

Thank you for your thoughts.

So does the rule run on the folder?

Does not seem to work.

it would be best to filter on the "SPAM header"

So, using "Customize..." option, I specified the following rule. It works if I run it manually on the Bulk folder, but does not seem to work automatically, i.e. run "Periodically, every minute".

I wish we could specify a filter rule like this mockup:

[Betterbird]

We'll look into it when the other "Monday fires" have subsided. Besides, you're using TB, so why would we be motivated to help you?

[03302024]

We'll look into it when the other "Monday fires" have subsided.

Thank you. It was just a coincident that I started this thread on a Monday.

Besides, you're using TB, so why would we be motivated to help you?

Because if this feature is added to Betterbird, I will have a strong reason to migrate from TB.

[Betterbird]

Surprise, surprise, another almost 20 y/o problem has been presented to BB:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=294632
While reading through it, we came across https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=257415, and indeed some code was added, that allowed add-ons, likely FilterQuilla, to set a folder property, that when set will run filters on non-Inbox folders:
https://hg.mozilla.org/comm-central/rev/921049691081#l1.33
This code is still present to the very day:
https://searchfox.org/comm-central/rev/2c01101db96f03208663f2a56357a26ff0ab1285/mailnews/imap/src/nsImapMailFolder.cpp#609
The author of the code was the author FilterQuilla, so let's as the current maintainer what they know about the issue:
https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-GB/thunderbird/addon/filtaquilla

Axel @RealRaven2000 can you still use FilterQuilla to run filters on non-Inbox folders?

[03302024]

I added FiltaQuilla extension and set it up as the following and it not work:

[Betterbird]

That would be a case for it's current maintainer, @RealRaven2000.

[03302024]

Thank you for your reply. I created this bug report to see how it goes.
Running filter "Folder Name contains Bulk" on email arrival and/or periodically #318

[03302024]

Well, it is a week that I have opened the above mentioned bug report with no reply. I am assuming FiltaQuilla cannot do it, as I have already tested it.

So, is there any chance that you nice people kindly resolve this issue in Betterbird?

[Betterbird]

I wouldn't hold my breath, it's been 20 years in the making waiting.

UPDATE: Have you seen https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1934200? There someone claims that it worked at some stage. BTW, I've seen 03302024 in other forums, where was it? Bugzilla, Reddit?

[03302024]

I wouldn't hold my breath, it's been 20 years in the making waiting.

I mean resolving it in Betterbird, not TB. Please?

There someone claims that it worked at some stage

On GitHub, there is this add-on Awesome Auto Archive that used to work up to Thunderbird 63.0.

I've seen 03302024 in other forums

Once I reported an issue with FFmpeg here: jp2 support . Do you happen to have any suggestion for that issue?

[Betterbird]

Here: protz/Manually-Sort-Folders#199 (comment). That add-on isn't needed in BB.

[03302024]

It is good that "Manually Sort Folders" isn't needed in BB.

Now, how about incorporating this add-on Awesome Auto Archive in BB?

[Betterbird]

We're generally not incorporating any add-ons just because someone abandoned them. Running rules on other folders is a request worth considering. I wish the FiltaQuilla folks would also chime in.

[CherryDT]

I'm in the same situation, I'd need filters to run automatically on subfolders (which have been configured to auto-check for messages). Right now the filter works but only when I manually run it on the folder.

You added a label "Funding needed" - how much would be needed here?

[Betterbird]

We don't discuss funding publicly. In general, anything related to filters is a mine field.