1322068 - “IMAP server directory:” should default to [Gmail] for IMAP Gmail accounts. Do not show [Gmail] folders in Thunderbird folder pane, so that it looks more like web version of gmail.

Status: REOPENED

(Thunderbird :: Account Manager, enhancement)

Description

[Óvári]

Attachment: IMAP server directory default value for IMAP Gmail accounts.png

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:50.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/50.0
Build ID: 20161201160049

Steps to reproduce:

“IMAP server directory:” default value    [Gmail]    for IMAP Gmail accounts

Thunderbird 51.0b1 (64-bit)

Account Settings → Server Settings → Advanced… →
For IMAP Gmail accounts, in the field “IMAP server directory:” please add by default:
    [Gmail]

Thank you

Comment 1

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

(In reply to ovari123 from comment #0)
> ...
> Account Settings → Server Settings → Advanced… →
> For IMAP Gmail accounts, in the field “IMAP server directory:” please add by
> default:
>     [Gmail]

Why do we need your suggestion?

Comment 2

[Óvári]

Attachment: Folder Pane Thunderbird Without [Gmail].png

Default Thunderbird layout

Comment 3

[Óvári]

Attachment: Folder Pane Gmail.png

Default Gmail web layout

Comment 4

[Óvári]

Attachment: Folder Pane Thunderbird With [Gmail].png

Suggested default Thunderbird layout

Comment 5

[Óvári]

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk, NI for questions) from comment #1)
> Why do we need your suggestion?

To make Thunderbird’s Folder Pane be consistent with other desktop and web email clients.

See attachments:
1. Folder Pane Thunderbird Without [Gmail].png
   Default Thunderbird layout

2. Folder Pane Gmail.png
   Default Gmail web layout

3. Folder Pane Thunderbird With [Gmail].png
   Suggested default Thunderbird layout

Comment 6

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

FWIW one of the early patches in this area is bug 400931

Comment 7

[Óvári]

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk, NI for questions) from comment #6)
> FWIW one of the early patches in this area is bug 400931

Thank you Wayne.

Are you able to change the status from UNCONFIRMED to NEW?

Any idea when this will be implemented?

Thank you once again.

Comment 8

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

Without a strong interest from the broader user community, and I can't say I have seen that, I doubt this would be implemented. So to answer your question...

> Are you able to change the status from UNCONFIRMED to NEW?
I would not change this unless a developer says we would take a patch

> Any idea when this will be implemented?
Totally unknown, even if someone says we would take a patch.

Comment 9

[Matt]

I will lend my voice to this bug.  Support issues around gmail are complicated by the existence of the gmail folder and sub folders as many users just do not see them as anything but the same folder repeated.  In some cases this is true.

Comment 10

[Óvári]

(In reply to Matt from comment #9)
Are you able to change the status of this bug from UNCONFIRMED to NEW? Thank you

Comment 11

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

I'm not sure,  there must be some reason gmail sets the [Gmail] server dir. 
And if I change the server dir to be [Gmail], what happens to the folders (tags) that are not currently under [Gmail]? Wouldn't those disappear?

Comment 12

[Óvári]

Attachment: [Gmail].png

(In reply to Magnus Melin from comment #11)
> I'm not sure,  there must be some reason gmail sets the [Gmail] server dir. 
> And if I change the server dir to be [Gmail], what happens to the folders
> (tags) that are not currently under [Gmail]? Wouldn't those disappear?

1. Yes, tags that are not under [Gmail] do not show (disappear) in Thunderbird when IMAP server directory is set to [Gmail].

2. However, if the tag (say Test) is renamed to:
[Gmail]/Test
it shows in Thunderbird with the [Gmail] IMAPP server directory setting.

3. In the Gmail webmail, there are categories/tags called:
[Gmail]/All Mail
[Gmail]/Archives
[Gmail]/Templates
Interestingly, only Archives and Templates are showing in Thunderbird. The *All Mail* folder is missing in Thunderbird. Please see attachment.

4. Also the Archives and Templates folders under [Gmail] in Thunderbird only have generic folder icons. When [Gmail] is set, the Archives and Templates folders have unique folder icons. Please see attachment which shows [Gmail] and no [Gmail] setting in Thunderbird.

5. What is the best way forward?
a) Should Thunderbird append to all category tag [Gmail]?
b) Should there be another option in Thunderbird to show [Gmail] subfolders at the same level as the Inbox folder
c) Strange that the Inbox is not under [Gmail] yet shows in Thunderbird in the same place whether or not [Gmail] is set. Can this be reproduced for the folders directly under [Gmail]?
d) Something else?

Thank you

Comment 13

[Anje]

In gmail webmail.
If you create a label that says 'Test1' and a second called '[Gmail]/Test2'.
And both are able to be seen in IMAP.

If in Thunderbird imap gmail 'Advanced Account Settings'
Imap server directory: left blank

In folder pane you will see either:
Inbox
Test1
[Gmail]
> Bin
> Sent Mail
> Test2

Or possibly this:
Inbox
[Gmail]
> Bin
> Sent Mail
> Test2
Test1


If in Thunderbird imap gmail 'Advanced Account Settings'
Imap server directory: [Gmail]

In folder pane you will see:
Inbox
Bin
Sent Mail
Test2

Test1 is not available to subscribe to see.

Even if you edit the 'Advanced Account Settings' in order to see the 'Test1', subscribe to it and restart Thunderbird.
Performing a revert to Imap server directory: [Gmail] will remove 'test1' from view.


In webmail account rename the 'Test1' folder to '[Gmail]/Test1'.

This will then allow to see 'Test1' in the 'Subscribe' list, but clicking on 'Subscribe' will not actually show in Folder Pane nor will it show in Account Settings > Synchronisation & storage' as one of the folders in 'Advanced'.

You have to alter the 'Advanced Account Settings' > uncheck 'show only subscribed folders.'
After several restarts finally the 'Test1' will show up in Folder Pane.
Then it will also appear in  Synchronisation & storage' as one of the folders in 'Advanced'.
Unfortunately, this also meant the last restart downloads the 'All Mail' and any other previously not selected nor subscribed folder as they are now auto included.

alter the 'Advanced Account Settings' > check 'show only subscribed folders.'
Synchronisation & storage'> 'Advanced' uncheck the auto selected folders you do not want
REcheck the list you want to 'subscribe' to see.
Restart Thunderbird.
Finally you now see 'Test1'
as follows:

Inbox
Bin
Sent Mail
Test1
Test2

So it can be real pain to sort out if you create a new 'label' in webmail and forget to add the [Gmail]/  to actual name.
It really requires labels that are created in the webmail account to have [Gmail]/ prior to the name you actually want in the first place.


If I already have the settings:
'Advanced Account Settings'
Imap server directory: [Gmail]

And I create a new folder in Thunderbird gmail account, subscribe. check the synchronise advanced settings.
then check the webmail account, the new folder auto has the [Gmail]/ added by default.
I also auto see the folder in Thunderbird as normalised part of list. So no problem in that part.


Whilst we are aware of this, there are plenty of people who do not and often wonder why they have some folders under [Gmail] and other under 'Inbox' which is not under [Gmail].etc  as Matt already described. Their folder heirachy often looks messy and confusing.
If this could be sorted I'm with Matt and voting for this.

Comment 14

[Joshua Nixon]

In 75.0b1, I am UNABLE to set the IMAP directory to [Gmail] to hide the folder. It immediately changes back to no IMAP directory assigned, no matter what I do.

I have had the directory set for years - most recent Thunderbird update is freezing my installation and failing to launch with current profile. Building a new profile, using the automatic settings, blocks me from changing the IMAP directory. This is pretty maddening.

Personally I don't care what the webmail folder tags look like. I don't use the web interface, it's why I have had Thunderbird installed for the last decade-plus.

Comment 15

[Matt]

(In reply to Joshua Nixon from comment #14)

In 75.0b1, I am UNABLE to set the IMAP directory to [Gmail] to hide the folder. It immediately changes back to no IMAP directory assigned, no matter what I do.

This bug is about changing the default use of the server directory. It is not about issues that may have arisen with V75 beta 1. If you wish to report the bug, please do so. But this is not the bug to report it in. This is a different topic.

Comment 16

[Matt]

Why was this bug closed? This is still an ongoing issue and I do not see any decision by the module owner not to implement.

Comment 17

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

In the mean while it's been worked around to some degree in the front-end. But probably this would be a better solution, as e.g. menus are now inconsistently showing [Gmail] while the folder pane doesn't.