Ma33 Profile

Explanation

Video and Pics

Thunderbird Profile Folder

New ini file, Absolute Paths:

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1[Profile0]
Name=default
IsRelative=0
Path=C:\Thunderbird\Profiles\n5bjgxui.default
Default=1

Old ini file, Relative paths:

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1

[Profile0]
Name=default
IsRelative=1
Path=Profiles/n5bjgxui.default
Default=1

Thunderbird Profile Folder

- Click to enlarge

What does relative mean?

Relative is related to the folder where the profile.ini.

So Profile folder is on c:

Mozilla Thunderbird Profile Directory

Find the folder in which Mozilla Thunderbird stores data—mail, filters, etc.—on your computer.

Opening Your Mozilla Thunderbird Profile’s Hood

When you launch Mozilla Thunderbird, all the messages are there, right in your mailbox.

It would be great to know, though, where on the disk they are, would it not? This would allow you to back up your mailboxes, for example, or your Mozilla Thunderbird preferences—including virtual folders.

Find Your Mozilla Thunderbird Profile Directory

To locate and open the folder where Mozilla Thunderbird keeps your profile including settings and messages:

On Windows:

1. Select Run… from the Start menu.
2. Type “%appdata%” (without the quotes).
3. Hit Return.
4. Open the Thunderbird folder.
5. Go to the Profiles folder.
6. Now open the folder of your Mozilla Thunderbird profile (probably “********.default” where the ‘*’s stand for random characters) and the folder beneath it.

Video

Keywords:

• Thunderbird Account
• Local IMAP Folder

Rating: 5 stars

1. Open Finder.
2. Press Command-Shift-G.
   1. Type “~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles/”.
      As an alternative:
   2. Open your home folder.
   3. Go to the Library folder,
   4. Open the Thunderbird folder.
   5. Now go to the Profiles folder.
3. Open your profile’s directory (probably “********.default” where the ‘*’s stand for random characters).

On Linux:

1. Go to the “.thunderbird” directory in your home “~” directory.
   • ​You can do that in your Linux distribution’s file browser, for example, or in a terminal window.
   • If you use a file browser, make sure it shows hidden files and folders.

1. Open the profile directory (probably “********.default” where the ‘*’s stand for random characters).

Now you can back up or move your Mozilla Thunderbird profile, or just archive specific folders.

Alternatives for Setting Up the Profile Folder

Alternative 1: Dropbox

Portable Install on a common Dropbox. This is like a local folder. This is how.

Advantages:

• Tags and Search Folders in Sync on the dropbox folder.
• Dropbox has a real local folder, an offline folder that is synced once the Dropbox is online.

Video: Thunderbird Dropbox Sync

Preferred:

• Start Thunderbird with -profile option

Rating: 4 stars

Keywords:

• Thunderbird Account
• Local IMAP Folder

Rating: 5 stars

Disadvantages:

With many mails, the IMAP Files get extremely big.

Synching with the cloud will slow down your work. There is no difference if the cloud is direct or synched to a local folder.

Put the IMAP Files to an SSD.

Alternative2: Remote Access

Login via remote software to a common PC that has the installation

problems:

• Only one at the time can log in.
• Somewhat slow

Alternative 3a:  Local installation, data on Cloud. 

Work on same folder, with different Thunderbird installation. They all use p-cloud folders.

problems:

• Performance issues: Loading the Imap Mail Folders needs a local profile
• PCloud has no real local files, only a cache. Hence you can store files, but you do not have offline content. This is needed for running programs.
  
• Tags may get out of sync. However, the tags are created automatically when you import message rules
• Search Folder get out of Sync

But: No need to sync search folders so often, it is a once-off setup. The mails remain in sync via IMAP. This is important.

Do not use Pcloud for Thunderbird Profile!

The video explains how to work on the profile folders. It is worth watching, even if it creates the profile folders on Pcloud.

You should not use pcloud, but use a local folder.

When you use pcoud, performance problems may occur.

Keywords:

• Thunderbird Account
• Local IMAP Folder
• Thunderbird Mail Folders
• pCloud
• GoToMyPC
• DropBox

Rating: 5 stars

Alternative 3b: Thunderbird Portable and data on cloud

How to copy Thunderbird profile to pCloud and things you should do when you copy your profile. Which folders to copy, which files you should setup, settings to change etc..

Feedback:

Thunderbird Portable does not work with message rules.

Need local installation.

This is the second part of the same video.

How to copy Thunderbird profile to pCloud and things you should do when you copy your profile. Which folders to copy, which files you should setup, settings to change etc..

Keywords:

Keywords:

• Thunderbird Account
• Local IMAP Folder
• Thunderbird Mail Folders
• pCloud
• GoToMyPC
• DropBox

Rating: 4 stars

Alternative 4: Both local for Installation and data

This is our preferred solution.

Advantages:

• No performance issues when accessing the huge IMAP Files.

Disadvantage:

• No access to mail when Thunderbird is not installed

Alternative5: Portable Thunderbird, data on local SSD.

Advantages:

• Quick performance when accessing huge IMAP files

Disadvantages:

• Data needed on local SSD (but once-off copy)

Thunderbird portable has a bug. The profile parameter does not work. However the normal version behave like portable, when the profile parameter is used.

Move to Thunderbird Portable

From Alternative 4 to Alternative5

We want to move from a local installation to a portable installation on Dropbox.

Data remains on local SSD

New installation directory

Thunderbird is creating duplicated folders again.

[WindirStat Screen]

Profile Switcher Add-on

Add-on Profile Switcher

Profile Switcher 1.7.7

Options

In the image are shown all options of add-on. Works perfectly with version 60.* of Thunderbird.

Profile Switcher Options

- Click to enlarge

• Adds in the File menu two new items to start another profile or the profile manager
• Launch another Profile –> Default (current profile) and Refresh List
• Open Profile Manager –> Normal Mode and Safe-mode
• Normal Mode –> is the default value
• Safe-mode –> current profile will be always closed

Profile Switcher

- Click to enlarge

Standard Functionality

Create new Profile

Profile Manager create profile

- Click to enlarge

Safe Mode

Safe mode automatically close the current chosen profile.

Safe Mode

- Click to enlarge