I see there's an issue with FFPortable and Thunderbird Portable. But I'm not using Thunderbird Portable -- I just want the mailto links in FFPortable to open a composition window in Thunderbird, which is my default email client. But I get the "Thunderbird is already running . . ." message, instead of a composition window. (And it is my default client. FF, Chrome and all my other applications are recognizing it as such.)
I found this:
"Mailto Note: Mailto links are not controlled by Firefox's mimetypes setup, so this has no effect on being able to click on an email link and launching Thunderbird. Firefox simply passes mailto links to Windows and has it open the default mail client."
https://portableapps.com/support/firefox_portable
Since it the default mail client is already open, how do I get just a composition window? Is this a Thunderbird issue?
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I have mine set up currently to GMail with no issues, although I have Thunderbird setup as my computer default. Have you tried to browse to the Thunderbird location on your computer and set the exe file as the default?
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss
I'm not quite sure what you mean. I check program defaults, and Thunderbird is set as the default email program, and works this way with all my other programs and web browsers when I send email from them? I "browse to the Thunderbird location" and right-clicked on the .exe, but I don't see an option there to make it the default program? I get the impression I'm missing something basic here, but I don't understand what your suggestion is?
Firefox tools menu if you click on the OTHER option you should be able to specify what program you want by the BROWSE button?
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” Dr. Seuss
Ah -- thank you. I've done that, but I still get the "Thunderbird is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing Thunderbird process, or restart your system."
Thunderbird *is* running -- but why is it not just opening a composition window?
If I exit Thunderbird -- and there is no Thunderbird process running under the Task Manager -- when I click on a mailto link in FFPortable, then I *do* get a composition window, and only a composition window. Once I close that composition window, thunderbird.exe is once again *not* showing as a process in the Task Manager.
I'm running Windows XP.
... like you have Firefox Portable & Thunderbird Portable on your FlashDrive, and have somehow set Firefox Portable to run Thunderbird Portable (from your FlashDrive) when you click mailto: links, but since another instance of Thunderbird (installed copy) is running Thunderbird Portable will not run (unless you tell it to allow multiple instances via a ThunderbirdPortable.ini in the same Directory as ThunderbirdPortable.exe) and thus the launcher is (naturally) complaining.
If my guess there is correct, then you can either set Thunderbird Portable to allow multiple instances to run at the same time (above mentioned .ini file) and use Thunderbird Portable, or set Firefox Portable to use the local install of Thunderbird (as VF2NSR said), and if you choose this route, make sure you are telling it to find your local install of Thunderbird (i.e. C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe)
Hope that helps.
~3D1T0R
I never even downloaded Thunderbird Portable. On the off chance that I did, and forgot, I did check. It's not there.
I've got Firefox Portable set to use the local install of Thunderbird, and I've verified that it's set to use C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe. I'm really at a loss as to where else to look.
I know this is going to turn out to be something really silly. But at this point? I'm almost wishing for that.
I assume you've already tried simply telling it to use the default mail client? (which according to the thread topic is Thunderbird)
Query: Does it work properly from internet explorer? (if it's properly set to default it should; if it doesn't, it's probably something wrong in how it's set to be default)
If it's a problem in the way it's set to default, I would try telling MS Outlook Express (assuming you're running XP [can be any mail client that can be set to be default, but most XP installs come with MSOE so that's why I mention it]) to make itself the default mail client, then tell Thunderbird to make itself default and see if that fixes it.
~3D1T0R
"Mailto" links work properly with all my other browsers (FF and Chrome -- I don't use IE), and with all my other programs -- my address book program, for instance. When I select "send email" to one of my address book people, it works fine.
Thunderbird is my default program in Windows, and in FFPortable. It's trying to restart Thunderbird, apparently, rather than just opening a composition window. It appears that it recognizes Thunderbird as the program to use -- it's just not working from there.
Edited to add: I just changed the default email program in FFPortable to several other options, including Forte Agent and OE. It works as expected. When I change it back to Thunderbird as the program to use, I get the error message I related in my previous post(s).
To me this looks like a bug in TB itself, nothing to do with any portable problems. I think you should try to report it to the mozilla forums, they might know more about it.
As you are using TB local install and in fact it is correctly called up by windows by the mailto mechanism, but it finally behaves slightly non standard particularly when already running.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
I'm starting to agree with you, especially since the other email programs are working as expected with FFPortable, so I posted an inquiry in the Thunderbird forum last night. Hopefully, someone will know what's going on.