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Not portable?

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March 18, 2016 - 11:19am
#1
GoD
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Not portable?

There are a lot of references in the profile folder to the current folder.
First there is ThunderbirdPortableSettings.ini with LastProfileDirectory. This looks ok.
But there are also references in files in the profile folder like
panacea.dat
compatibility.ini
extensions.ini
prefs.js
extensions.json
search.json
When I have everything on a stick and put it into another computer, all messages get downloaded again.
When it's the same drive and path, everything is fine.

Can it be solved or do I have to use alawys the same drive and path?

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March 18, 2016 - 1:27pm
vf2nsr
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Do you have it

Set up on each account to remove the emails from host server once downloaded?

“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

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March 18, 2016 - 2:18pm
GoD
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I have all accounts setup as

I have all accounts setup as imap. So the mails get downloaded again. Strange is that they get created in the same folder like inbox then inbox-1 and inbox-2 ...
every time the path to Thunderbird changes

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March 18, 2016 - 2:32pm
(Reply to #3)
vf2nsr
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MIght want to take look

https://support.tigertech.net/imap

“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

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March 18, 2016 - 4:27pm
ottosykora
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reinstall?

>When I have everything on a stick and put it into another computer, all messages get downloaded again.<

this is definitely not correct behavior and when all is installed correctly all works normal even the drive letter did change. Note that when not only the drive letter changes, but also the rest of the path, some unpredictable things might happen, particularly some extensions might need to be reinstalled too.

Try to simply reinstall all. The problems you are mentioning mean defective data base.

Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland

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March 19, 2016 - 2:48pm
GoD
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I will try it with a new

I will try it with a new installation.
But what's the difference if only the drive letter changes or the path?

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March 21, 2016 - 9:51am
(Reply to #6)
ottosykora
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there is difference

as the installation on a usb stick is moved to other computer, only the drive letter changes. This will be caught up by the mechanism of the portable apps launcher.
If the whole path changes, this can break few things, often also some extensions will not work correctly and need to be reinstalled.

But if you install TB onto the usb stick and use it this way, it will work well. Some people try to copy the folder then to some other path, but this may or may not work in every detail, particularly with some more complex apps as this one.

Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland

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March 21, 2016 - 11:22am
GoD
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I still don't see the problem

I still don't see the problem.
When a drive letter is changed the launcher already has to fix something so why not fix the complete path?

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March 21, 2016 - 11:30am
(Reply to #8)
ottosykora
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not easy

for the replacement of the drive letter, simple expressions exist, or better say it is easier just to replace the drive letter with a kind of place holder.
If the whole path changes, this is not so simple as complete path has to be analyzed and who knows where people might put the installation. Simply not predictable and rather difficult to reconstruct.

So keep the path same and allow just for the drive letter to change and you might be fine.

Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland

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March 21, 2016 - 11:33am
(Reply to #9)
John T. Haller
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It Does

The full path to the last location of ThunderbirdPortable is replaced with the full path to the current one in prefs.js (both standard and double forward slash), extensions.ini, extensions.sqlite (via a full SQL UPDATE), and mimetypes.rdf. The parent directory of the ThunderbirdPortable path (typically your PortableApps directory containing all your app folders) is updated within mimetypes.rdf as well to handle adjustments to any manually done file associations.

No testing is done with extensions. I don't recommend using Thunderbird extensions any longer as they are almost all abandoned and unsupported.

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

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March 21, 2016 - 11:55am
(Reply to #10)
ottosykora
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extensions

well so far for me the extensions make with change of path same problems as with firefox. Some work, many not after move to new path.
Have tried number of times and it always results in many extensions not operational while still kind of present. Reinstall cures all.

Number of times when I restored profile from backup (to complete other path then it was created on) , I experienced similar problems, database of accounts going crazy, multiple mails occurring in inbox of pop account etc., number of settings needed correction.

Bute general, well without extensions, TB is really not easy to use. Many extensions to address book, encryption (gpg) or calendar functions, spellcheck etc are simply needed as without them there is no need for TB as such at all.
Clearly, many are not supported well, some only seldom. But what can we do. There is so little functionality included.

Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland

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March 21, 2016 - 11:31am
GoD
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There must be something else

There must be something else also with my current profile. I have testet it with a new profile and I cannot reproduce the problem yet.

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March 21, 2016 - 11:36am
(Reply to #12)
ottosykora
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database

there is always a chance that databases go broken. In fact all mails you ever downlaoded and even those you deleted or better 'marked as deleted' need to be in the correct order with number of parameters. If just something breaks, the whole thing is broken. This is unfortunate, but it has nothing to do with the thunderbird, any mail client can be broken like that. It is simply the way e-mail works for over 25-30 years now.

Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland

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