By default Thunderbird opens just like you closed it. So if it was set to Personal book when you closed it then it should open that way. Do you have a file cleaner like CCleaner? This type of software think they know what is best for you and have a habit of changing default operation.

Nope, no such software! After many years, TB started doing this all on its own.

Note the following reply fromsfhowes:

Before All Address Books was introduced in TB 38, it was possible to retain the book in the sidebar between restarts. I don't know where the setting is stored; perhaps in config. editor, session.json or localstore.rdf. Probably a bug, an inexcusable one, likely due to developers overlooking the sidebar because the address autocomplete method is "better" (not). I have submitted Bug 1152912: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1152912

I pointed out that (contrary to the aforementioned bug description), my Personal book was retained between composition windows -- but that the sidebar reverted to "All Address Books" on relaunching TB.

To that, sfhowes replied:

I actually tried it on TB 39, since I don't have 38b installed (I think it happened also in Earlybird 38), and here the selection is not maintained between composition sessions, but nonetheless the setting is not retained between TB restarts, so we shall see if this 'feature' receives any attention before the release of 38 next month.

Open TB, bring up a new "write", choose "view" at top, check "sidebar", choose "preferred address book", send yourself and email, close program and re-open and see if by "default" those settings remained the same, they should. As a last resort you could always re-install the program, as I don't think there is a "bug" in the current one.

The current release, 31.6, does retain the sidebar setting between restarts; the new behavior is only in TB 38 and above.

I am using version 31.6 and it works (for me) as it should, retaining these settings, during and after restart.

When opening the "Address Book" it also does not retain which address book was selected and always reverts back to "All Address Books" on launch.

Would be great to have an option to select which Address Book is default.

I just started having this problem too--using TB 38.0.1.

When I open TB, and go to write an email, the "all addresses" populates the contacts side panel and I change it to the 'personal address book"

When I send, and then close 'write', and then open write again, the personal address book is there in the Contacts panel.

But, if I completely Close TB, and the open TB, and click write--"all addresses" is there again.

That's the problem -- and, as noted, it applies to TB 38. So far, it hasn't been addressed as a bug. maillis said

I just started having this problem too--using TB 38.0.1. When I open TB, and go to write an email, the "all addresses" populates the contacts side panel and I change it to the 'personal address book" When I send, and then close 'write', and then open write again, the personal address book is there in the Contacts panel. But, if I completely Close TB, and the open TB, and click write--"all addresses" is there again.

Mitchell--Oakland said

That's the problem -- and, as noted, it applies to TB 38. So far, it hasn't been addressed as a bug. maillis said

I just started having this problem too--using TB 38.0.1. When I open TB, and go to write an email, the "all addresses" populates the contacts side panel and I change it to the 'personal address book" When I send, and then close 'write', and then open write again, the personal address book is there in the Contacts panel. But, if I completely Close TB, and the open TB, and click write--"all addresses" is there again.

You are the one that posted this link https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1152912 So the issue has been filed as a bug. I am not quite sure what you expect from your comment "not yet addressed" but regardless. I have just now closed bug 1152912 as a duplicate of bug 1142705 which has a proposed patch. For those interested, the bug creating the all address books is here bug 170270 and the discussion surrounding it is in some ways illuminating.

that those were in an address book, separate from my personal addresses, that lists incoming addresses I've granted permission to load "remote content."

As the use of an address book as a white list for remote content was replaced in Version 31. Perhaps it is time to delete those old addresses and move onto the new platform. With no dodgy addresses that should never have been in an address book anyway the issue of which address book is displayed becomes much less relevant.

What I see in my address book is I have a lot of duplication, of my own making. Not good. I would not have been aware of this if I did not have an all address book view.

The problem is that the address list (in both the sidebar and address book window itself) defaults to "all addresses" each time TB is launched (or is quit and relaunched). Yes, once the choice is made in a given session, it sticks for the remainder of that session (i.e., while TB is running), but that's not a solution to the annoying default to "all addresses" in each new session (i.e., each time TB is launched). It doesn't appear that the proposed patch in bug 1142705 addresses that specific issue.

I was aware that sfhowes had filed a bug report on the specific problem I'd identified (and, indeed, I was quoting him when I mentioned the link to that bug report [1152912]). That's the problem I was hoping to see addressed -- and that's what I meant by my "not yet addressed" comment. By closing the issue, Matt, you now appear to have ended any possibility of that hope being fulfilled at all.

Evidently, this has something to do with the past use of an address book as a whitelist for remote content having noe been "replaced." Unfortunately, this was done without warning (nor do I understand the rationale for doing so), and no instructions have been provided for recognizing or bridging the discontinuity that this has created.

I've been using TB for somewhere around 10 years (actually going back to Netscape Mail), and an address book I'd created long ago (titled "remote permissions") has been accumulating such whitelist entries over all those years. Yes, it appears that many of the duplicate and unwanted listings in "All Addresses" have their origin on that list.

The entries on that "remote permissions" list aren't merely duplicates of those on my personal list; in fact, I created that "address book" largely to deal with remote graphics on incoming newsletters, etc., whose addresses I don't need or want on my personal "rolodex" (though I now notice that there are plenty of duplicates as well).

If I can make "personal addresses" my default listing when I launch TB, that will solve this problem.

If, instead, I need to take other steps to make the transition to the so-called "new platform" (whose operation I don't understand and which was never explained), please point me to a clear explanation of how to do so (and while we're at it, where the new whitelist is stored, and what's the purpose of this "new platform"), so that my former functionality is fully restored, and so I'm able to understand how to utilize any new functionality in the future.

Then I'll be able to thank you. At this point, you appear merely to have kicked this issue under the bus. Evidently, I'm not alone in having been confronted by this problem, so if you solve it (rather than dismiss it) others will (or should) thank you, too.

Mitchell--Oakland said

Then I'll be able to thank you. At this point, you appear merely to have kicked this issue under the bus. Evidently, I'm not alone in having been confronted by this problem, so if you solve it (rather than dismiss it) others will (or should) thank you, too.

Please read this comment https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1142705#c17 then tell me how it varies from what you want? I see it as exactly what your asking for and a clear summary of that bug.

As for the whitelisting change. This is the support document for it https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/remote-content-in-messages

Answers my question as to why it's happening.

My question to Mozilla is "IF IT WORKS WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE IT ALONE?"

Also when you right click a message, esp to delete spam without opening the msg, they added items and now I have to search to find DELETE instead of it being at the bottom of the list.

My question to Mozilla is "IF IT WORKS WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE IT ALONE?"

Because someone asked to be able to search and view all their address books as a single list. If you wanted change and the answer was it works so we are not touching it you would not consider that reasonable either I bet.

Also when you right click a message, esp to delete spam without opening the msg, they added items and now I have to search to find DELETE instead of it being at the bottom of the list.

What is wrong with the delete key on your keyboard? I have a delete on my context menu if your not happy with it's order, get used to it. Using your criteria "it works" so we will have to leave it alone. Or does that only apply to things you don't personally want?

For years, I see people posting about deleting mail without opening. What is the big thing about not opening I have no idea! Other that a lot of misinformation release by Microsoft about 10 years ago to cover their collective A## when it turned out their mail clients had no security at all. Now it falls into the category of urban myth as Microsoft have mended their ways considerably

Such blindingly wrong statements as "So the spammer does not know it is an active address", just make me laugh. The server accepted the mail so obviously it is an active address. and "So the sender does not know I opened the mail" with remote images blocked as Thunderbird does the only one your fooling is yourself.

Mitchell--Oakland said

Running TB 38.0 on an iMac, OS 10.6.8. This seems to be new problem as of the past day or two. I noticed all sorts of extraneous contacts listed in the sidebar, and realized that those were in an address book, separate from my personal addresses, that lists incoming addresses I've granted permission to load "remote content." Eventually, I realized that this was because the pop-up at the top of the contacts sidebar was set to display "all address books" rather than my "personal address book." If I reset the pop-up to "personal address book," it displays the correct list, and will default to the "personal address book" in subsequent composition windows that I open during the same session. However, if I quit TB, when I relaunch TB the sidebar reverts to "All Address Books" by default. How can I get it to retain "personal address book" by default, even if this is the first message I'm composing after launching TB? It did so in the past!

Mitchell--Oakland said

Running TB 38.0 on an iMac, OS 10.6.8. This seems to be new problem as of the past day or two. I noticed all sorts of extraneous contacts listed in the sidebar, and realized that those were in an address book, separate from my personal addresses, that lists incoming addresses I've granted permission to load "remote content." Eventually, I realized that this was because the pop-up at the top of the contacts sidebar was set to display "all address books" rather than my "personal address book." If I reset the pop-up to "personal address book," it displays the correct list, and will default to the "personal address book" in subsequent composition windows that I open during the same session. However, if I quit TB, when I relaunch TB the sidebar reverts to "All Address Books" by default. How can I get it to retain "personal address book" by default, even if this is the first message I'm composing after launching TB? It did so in the past!

Huh? "mdybluz," what was that?

This does raise an interesting question, though. Is there a way to migrate the old "remote permissions" list, as a batch, to the new interface, so that (instead of being maintained as an address book) it's combined with the list that appears in the privacy preferences panel?

Why should I have to open some email I don't want just to delete it? Software is supposed to make life simpler for the user not harder, it seems to me that every time there is an "upgrade" it means more keystrokes for the user. IF IT WORKS LEAVE IT ALONE<

jondough said

Why should I have to open some email I don't want just to delete it? Software is supposed to make life simpler for the user not harder, it seems to me that every time there is an "upgrade" it means more keystrokes for the user. IF IT WORKS LEAVE IT ALONE<

You don't have to open the mail, just select it in the list. and delete it. I really have no idea what your carrying on about. I see no extra keystrokes at all. Right click delete has worked for years and years and still works. So stop the petulant repetition of "if it works leave it alone" because it will never happen. Anyone who wants to use software that does not change needs to go find some abandonware product like Eudora and use that. If a product is maintained it will be changing, new feature to satisfy used demand.

I don't necessarily like all the changes that occur in all the software I use, but change is a fact of life.

Mitchell--Oakland said

Huh? "mdybluz," what was that? This does raise an interesting question, though. Is there a way to migrate the old "remote permissions" list, as a batch, to the new interface, so that (instead of being maintained as an address book) it's combined with the list that appears in the privacy preferences panel?

The new system focuses on the source of the image ebay.com or whatever. The old focused solely on the sender. A really poor decision as it is the image that is in question. Not the senders address. Say you do not allow paypal to display remote images on your Thunderbird. Your mom is whitelisted in your address book and forwards a paypal message you forwarded to her. Suddenly your displaying paypal images, including the tacking images because the "allow" was given to a sender not a source.

So there is no clear path for migration. Sure you can still allow an address, but it is hoped people will be more discerning in their decisions when there is an option of the message source.

Thanks; that makes sense! Nonetheless, it's unclear whether the old list is still functioning as originally intended. I suspect it is, but am far from sure. The check box for "display remote images" now (understandably) appears to be absent when I display an entry in the address book (or is the code just hidden?). The "whiteboard" function seems to persist -- though I haven't been watching closely enough to count. I'm content with that whitelist functioning by address (if it does, as a ten-year-plus legacy, but if it's truly dead, I'd be inclined to delete it and then deal with the annoyance of relisting the individual sources in the new interface as they come up.

Speaking of legacy items, I have a long-standing problem with the full number of un-dowloaded messages (not just newly-arrived ones) adding to the count icon in my dock. As noted in bug 518828, I've set my "config" preferences to < mail.biff.use_new_count_in_mac_dock - "true" >

One possible reason for this problem is that, as another person's noted, "It only seems to happen if Thunderbird is left alone and you don't select the particular account in the list." I've been using TB for over a decade, and my current configuration remains as it was when migrated from Netscape Mail! My mail downloads (and deletes) from the POP server directly into the "Local Mail" global inbox. "Local Mail" is designated as a "special account not associated with any identities," and (in addition to that global inbox) that account also includes an array of folders into which I move and manually archive incoming mail as I read it.

This problem is merely a minor annoyance; the dock number resets to zero when I download my mail (as the messages are deleted from the POP server), but the number can easily compound to over 1,000 if I leave my computer overnight. It would be nice to have an actual count. It appears another bug was to be filed for some aspect of this otherwise-solved problem, but evidently this never happened. Any ideas for a fix?

Finally, it should be obvious that I'm still quite happy with TB after all these years, and I'm impressed with the level of support in what's basically a volunteer program. (If I had more programming skills, I'd gladly offer my own help.)

"jondough" should spend his effort complaining to Google Maps, whose functionality has truly been degraded in order to wrest control from users, making it easier to steer them to ads. Sometimes change isn't entirely for the better, but no one can accuse Mozilla of trying to monetize every pixel.

In fact, unlike Google, there are even real people willing to answer questions and consider suggestions! You guys deserve some appreciation (and probably a cut of Google's working capital). Good work!