Adding custom Unified folders
I would like to add a custom top-level folder to my folder pane, containing messages from other folder(s). It seems unified folders, which do such a thing, are not (at least not in UI), configurable. Upon inspecting the relevant files in profile, it seems unified folders are kind of based on saved search folders (except, you can not place anything as a sub-folder inside saved search folder). Using a saved searched that could be placed in the root of the document hub would be enough, but unified folders approach (displaying the source folders as sub-folders) would be even better.
I found https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/manually-sort-folders/ but it does not allow me to move folders "out of accounts" to the root of folder pane. https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-us/thunderbird/addon/flat-folder-tree-updated/ looks like it would help me to achieve what I want with saved search, but does not support latest Thunderbird.
If the described feature is not supported, where could I request it? If such a feature could be added with an addon, could you direct mo to relevant APIs documentation or other resources? Thanks!
All Replies (5)
Have you used the 'Saved Search' option ? https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-saved-searches
Menu app icon > New > 'Saved Search' Give 'Saved Search' a name Select where to put it - create as a sub folder of: eg: select an account name or a folder or use 'Local Folders'. Click on 'Choose' to select which folders to search Create the parameters of the search click on 'create' button
You can modify the range once created by right click on the saved search folder in Folder Pane and select 'Properties' You can add additional mail accounts and folders or remove them or change parameters.
Hi, thanks for the effort, but ... if you read my post again, I state in the first! sentence > add a custom top-level folder to my folder pane and I also mention Saved search later!
So no, Saved Search "as-is" is not an option, because it can not be a top-level item in the folder pane.
If you use 'View' > 'Folders' > 'All' Only a mail account name folder can be a true top level Folder
Therefore, it is generally considered the top level is the first level within the account itself as the account name folder does not contain any emails.
Any folder has to be created within an account even if it is 'Local Folders'. You cannot create a folder that is external to any account.
If you use 'View' > 'Folders' > 'Unified' All default server folders will be listed first as Unified eg: Inbox, Sent, etc starting with 'Inbox'. Followed by each account which would contain all manually created folders as per account. In these instances, the 'Unified Inbox' will be a type of search folder which only contains all emails from all Inboxes from all accounts. So a 'saved search' folder would be located within the relevant account name folder.
However, a created search folder can be set up as a 'Favourite' folder.
Right click on saved search folder and select 'Favourite Folder'
Then you can choose to only display those folders selected as a 'Favourite'
'View' > 'Folders' > 'Favourite'
Yes you would still see the account name, but the whole view is decluttered and only selected 'Favourite' folders are displayed within the account.
Sorry, it does not look like you can achieve what you are looking for.
Well, as I said, unified folders themselves seem to be an "add-on" or a "hack" based on saved searches (originally calle smart mailboxes). So I am looking for a way to replicate that/modify unified folders and create another category except the existing like Inbox, Sent, etc. I have tried doing it by modifying .msf files in the profile folder, but without success. I am looking for a developer resource/documentation that would set me on the right track.
-- I tried the favorites approach, but it does not work with unified folders - they get ignored in the favorites view. I would have to recreate all unified-folders functionality as saved-searches (together with my custom searches) and place them under Local folders. However, I am not sure about sorting of those... anyway, it would be suboptimal solution and I am hoping for 100% functionality trough customization.
There is not option for a non "Account" item to be added to a top level folder. Saved searches are actually a part of the account they are shown in.
If you look at the file structure of the profile folder, you will find "smart Folders" which is the top level for unified folder to be added to the folder pane.
It is my understanding that is is technically possible for an addon to add new items outside of the recognized account (that is how unified folders started out, as the smart folders addon.) But that is the only way to my knowledge.