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how to set Thunderbird as default for Send To: Mail Recipient?

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thisisallen
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how to set Thunderbird as default for Send To: Mail Recipient?

When I highlight a photo in my laptop and right click on it then in the context menu that pops up I would like to choose Send To and then Mail Recipient and have a new message open in Thunderbird with the photo as an attachment. The reason for this is that in the process in can choose to have the photo resized for email. It worked like this nicely for Outlook when I had it installed.

But now (using Thunderbird Portable only) when I try this nothing happens. I tried to reset Thunderbird as the default email client but that did not help. If I click on a mailto link in portable FF then it opens a new msg in Thunderbird as I would have hoped/expected.

How can I set this up for the Windows context menu for Send To: Mail Recipient?

arizona480
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What Operating System?

I know checking the default mail client box in TB works in XP for that purpose, but not Vista. Also, do you just use one or two computers or move it around a lot?

thisisallen
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Right now I am using XP SP3

Right now I am using XP SP3 and only one one laptop. According to the documentation that comes with the portable version of Thunderbird, making Thunderbird the default email client gets disabled when you close the program. I assume you could manually set it each time, and I tried that, but as I said, nothing happens when I chose Send To Mail Recipient in the Windows context menu. But if you say it works I will try it again.
It does work (a new Thunderbird msg does open) when I click on a mailto link in portable Firefox.

arizona480
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I think I had issues with the later versions of XP as well...

What I did is I installed the standard (the one you actually install) version of Thunderbird that matched my portable version number, then I used the profile manager in the installed TB to point the data files that it will use to my Portable Thunderbird, that way, the registry is happy (which means everything will work), but you still have your data and mail files being used and updated in the one portable TB folder that you can still put anywhere you want on the computer so it is ready to go when you copy it and take it on the go or if you just need a backup. It's worked for me since Vista does not agree well with TB Portable as far as sending files from windows explorer or opening the "mailto:" links.

thisisallen
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Googled around and found an

Googled around and found an alternative method, at least for photos. It is called Shrink Pic and it can be used as a portable app. It transparently checks for photos being sent in browsers and email programs and resizes the photos according to your preset preferences.
I will also try your method since it will work for documents, etc. as well as photos. Thanks.

consul
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tbird had to be open ...

when I do it. As long as Thunderbird Portable is open, any time I right click on anything, it allows me to "Send to - Mail Recipient" which then opens the right email client.

Don't be an uberPr∅. They are stinky.

thisisallen
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you're lucky. Doesn't work

you're lucky. Smile Doesn't work for me, even if the Thunderbird program is open.

mgagnonlv
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Trick to get Thunderbird Portable as default e-mail application

Actually, it is slightly more complex than that.

You need first to install Thunderbird (non-portable) on your computer and define it as the default e-mail application.

Then, when you right-click on something that calls for mail, whether it is "send-to", "compress and e-mail" or la link in a web page, your computer will try to open Thunderbird to send it.

However, if you have already opened Thunderbird Portable before you activate such a link or function, it will use Thunderbird Portable rather than the non-portable version to do what you ask.

Michel Gagnon
Montréal (Québec, Canada)

dayvsea
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Default

Seems like a hundred years, and still no definitive answer for this most basic of Email needs..Perhaps a prog(portable of course), that you can point to the .exe location of your client for default.. Any coders out there?

Ken Herbert
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Try this.I wrote it as a

Try this.

I wrote it as a solution for a different problem, but did not hear back as to whether it worked or not for Thunderbird Portable.

Note that it isn't a portable solution, it is PC specific, but it may do exactly what you are looking for.

Just remember to point it to ThunderbirdPortable.exe, not Thunderbird.exe like I wrote in my steps (the steps were based off a local install).

J Neutron
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Have you tried this?

It has only been three years (not a hundred) since I wrote this, but you should try this solution:

https://portableapps.com/node/17483

neutron1132 (at) usa (dot) com

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