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portable thunderbird does not act as default mail client

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alex807
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portable thunderbird does not act as default mail client

I'm kinda having a problem with ptb: allthough I've set it up to act as the default mail client for the system (XP Prof), it does not act like that, i.e.: when trying to send files from desktop by rightclicking&sendto: mail recipient NOTHING happens. When trying to send from within openoffice writer, I receive an error message saying that there is no mail client defined.
What can I do?
Thanks

John T. Haller
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You can't

You CAN'T set Portable Thunderbird as your default mail client within Thunderbird. It won't work right.

You need to manually change the registry entry to point to PortableThunderbird.exe and NOT to thunderbird.exe.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

alex807
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thanks...

...a lot for the quick answer, John. By registry entry I guess you mean the entries for openoffice (btw, also portable:), right? Well, anyway, the default e-mail client thing is really just a minor nuisance, especially compared to the huge advantage portable apps offer. I just wonder why not ALL software is designed to be portable - this would stabilize the OS (I think...), make migrating from computer 2 computer a bliss and won't clutter up windows. I'll be on the watch for new portapps, thanks for your work!

justin
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open

The beauty of open source.

-Justin

leo315
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How to force PortableThunderbird to use the "protable profile"?

I just want to make PortableThunderbird (PTB) as my default mailsoftware for all 'mailto' function/calls,
like context menu, HTML mailto and other applications.

I used above mentioned entry in the Registry and create a .reg file (for easier changes and tests Smile

.reg file version1:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
@="C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\thunderbird\\thunderbird.exe"

After adding this entry to the registry and a restart, PTB is the default mailsoftware. But, it starts with a empty profile and want to config a new profile and mail account. The profile is created in
C:\Dokumente und W
Einstellungen\leo\Anwendungsdaten\Thunderbird\Profiles\

My working PTB profile is saved in C:\Portable\PortableThunderbird\profile and I want to let it there and used from there. Because for being portbale, i just have to take C:\Portable\PortableThunderbird with me Smile

When PTB itself set the mailto default in the Registry
.reg format:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command]
@="C:\\PORTABLE\\PORTAB~3\\THUNDE~1\\THUNDE~1.EXE -compose %1"

The result is the same, PTB starts with an empty profile or profile in "documents&settings" and not with the "portable profile".

Interesting is the command parameter "-compose &1". What does it mean? Are there other parameters for PTB? Where to find a documentation?

So I did search in the Registry for "Thunderbird", there quite some entries there for a portable application Smile

For example UnreadMail at login screen:
.reg format:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\UnreadMail\user@mailserver.tld]
"MessageCount"=dword:00000001
"TimeStamp"=hex:d0,2e,83,d7,4b,31,c6,01
"Application"="\"C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\thunderbird\\thunderbird.exe\" -profile \"C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\profile\" -mail"

Trying to force PTB as default mailsoftware to use the "portable profile" i tried this:
.reg file version2:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\thunderbird\\thunderbird.exe\" -profile \"C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\profile\" -mail"

The result is the same, PTB starts with an empty profile or profile in "documents&settings" and not with the "portable profile".

How to force PortableThunderbird to use the "protable profile"?

Questions:
1. Are there parameters for PTB? Where to find a documentation?
2. How to force PortableThunderbird to use the "protable profile"?

Ryan McCue
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Dont have thunderbird.exe as

Dont have thunderbird.exe as your default app use portablethunderbird.exe
Anything like -compose is passed on
----
R McCue

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

leo315
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No Difference

It makes no difference in use if there

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\PortableThunderbird.exe"

OR

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Portable\\PortableThunderbird\\thunderbird\\thunderbird.exe\"

When PTB is started before you use a mailto function it is the defaultmailer and use the existing profile.

When PTB is not started before you use a mailto function it is the defaultmailer and want to create a new profile.

John T. Haller
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Nope

If you have thunderbird.exe set and no copy of TB is running, it will use your LOCAL profile for TB. You need to set PortableThunderbird.exe in the registry if you want Portable Thunderbird to be your default mail client.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

daves
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so why isn't it working?

I've tried everything as stated above:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\mailto\shell\open\command\

change the default value to (in my case...)

C:\Program\Internet\PortableThunderbird\PortableThunderbird.exe

but it doesn't work so i also tried it with DOS filenames as such:

C:\PROGRAM\INTERNET\PORTAB~1\PORTAB~1.EXE

and it still doesn't work, instead Thunderbird.exe opens & asks me to create a new mail account. are there any spec. parameters to go with it? i've tried w/ and w/o "-compose" and "%1"

Thanks in advance

Edit: i've also disabled Thunderbird.exe to check if it's the default mail app. so i'm quite sure that PortableThunderbird.exe is the default app.

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