1955875 - "This is a draft message" in all my Inbox messages after using Options > Send a Copy To > Inbox and saving as Draft

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Thunderbird :: Message Compose Window, defect, P2)

Description

[GodzFire]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/134.0.0.0 Safari/537.36

Steps to reproduce:

This bug has been around for over 3 years and really needs to get fixed. I first reported it here on MozillaZine on March 2022 (https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=3088896). A bug report on here was apparently opened up later that year (https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1749538).

Ironically enough, it was closed saying it was resolved by saying an addon fixes it. This was not actually the case, as it would come back. That addon doesn't even work anymore with the new version of Thunderbird, so there is no way fix this now.

See: https://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=14991626#p14991626 . A senior member of MozillaZine Morat confirmed they are able to reproduce the bug themselves. This was their writeup.

Steps to reproduce:

• Main window > Menu Bar > File > New > Message
• Compose window > To: alpha <[e-mail]>
• Compose window > Subject: bug test
• Compose window > Body: bug test
• Compose window > Menu Bar > Options > Send a Copy To > (account in "From:" header) > Inbox
• Compose window > Menu Bar > File > Save As > Draft
• Compose window > Menu Bar > File > Close

Actual results:

All messages have the "This is a drafts message." infobar in the Inbox folder.

Expected results:

Double clicking any message in the Inbox folder opens the message in a new tab in the main window.

The FolderFlags addon doesn't fix the bug. It's a workaround to clear the Inbox folder's Drafts flag.

Comment 1

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Thanks for reporting! I can reproduce that. What a weird bug!

Comment 2

[Anje]

That addon doesn't even work anymore with the new version of Thunderbird, so there is no way fix this now.

The folderFlags addon works if using the current ESR version of Thunderbird, so if people are now using the new type of 'Release' version 136* then it may not work.
The issue of people discovering received emails in Inbox looking like a draft has been reported in Support Forum on many occasions.
No one knew why the Inbox would suddenly appear to have both Drafts and Inbox flags set.
folderFlags addon has been the advised method to get a fix, but it does not fix whatever is causing the issue in the first place.
The addon currently does not work if using the current recommended 'release' 136*, but does work if using the current 'Thunderbird Extended Support Release' version 128*.

The only other alternative to fix means editing the 'folderCache.json' file. So, it's wise to create a backup copy first.
My findings for correct flag settings in the folderCache.json file.
Pop:

• "flags" : 28, seems to be applied to an actual mail account name folder
• "flags" : 16388, has folder name 'Archives'
• "flags" : 1028, has folder name 'Drafts'
• "flags" : 4100, has folder name 'Inbox'
• "flags" : 1073741828, has folder name 'Junk'
• "flags" : 516, has folder name 'Sent'
• "flags" : 4194308, has folder name 'Templates'
• "flags" : 260, has folder name 'Deleted' (usually seen as 'Trash' in Folder Pane)
• "flags" : 4, - seems to be applied for a folder I created - so ordinary folder.

Imap:

• "flags" : 0, for imap mail account folder name
• "flags" : 671621396, set for a default gmail bin/trash folder
• "flags" : 134751252, set for default gmail folder name 'Drafts'
• "flags" : 134754324, set for default gmail folder name 'Inbox'
• "flags" : 134750228, set for a subfolder of Inbox which I created.
• "flags" : 134750212, set for a subfolder of Inbox which I created.
• "flags" : 134750228, set for a folder I created
• "flags" : 134766612, set for a folder I created
• "flags" : 671621140, set for a folder I created
• "flags" : 671621652, set for default gmail folder name 'Sent Mail'
• "flags" : 1745362948, set for default gmail folder name 'Spam'
• "flags" : 4194308, set for default gmail folder name 'Templates'
• "flags" : 151527444, seems to be set for a 'noSelect' folder I created

smart mailboxes: (Unified Folders)

• "flags" : 28, has folderName : "Unified Folders",
• "flags" : 16420, has folderName : "Archives",
• "flags" : 1060, has folderName : "Drafts",
• "flags" : 4132, has folderName : "Inbox",
• "flags" : 1073741860, has folderName : "Junk",
• "flags" : 548, has folderName : "Sent",
• "flags" : 4194340, has folderName : "Templates",
• "flags" : 292, folderName : "Deleted", (usually seen as 'Trash' in Folder Pane)
• "flags" : 4, - seems to be applied for a folder I created - so ordinary folder.

TEST:
Set the pop Inbox to have both Inbox and Drafts flag
Check what flag had been set for Inbox.msf in folderCache.json
Previous correct setting:
"flags" : 4100, has folder name 'Inbox'

After setting additional 'Drafts flag on 'Inbox'
"flags" : 5124, has folderName : "Inbox",

The Inbox fix was to edit the 'folderCache.json' file
for folderName = Inbox edit "flags" : 5124 so it says: "flags" : 4100
then save the 'folderCache.json' file

Did the same for imap account to see what flags number is now applied.
Previous correct setting:
"flags" : 134754324, set for default gmail folder name 'Inbox'

After setting additional 'Drafts flag on 'Inbox'
"flags" : 134755348 for default Inbox

Performed same TEST as stated by Reporter
Confirm I can reproduce.
Checked 'folderCache.json' and sure enough I found this for the 'Inbox.msf'
"flags" : 5124,
"folderName" : "Inbox",

Use the workaround fix:

• Exit Thunderbird
• Access 'folderCache.json' - open using Notepad
• Edit the "flags" : 5124, to say "flags" : 4100,
• Save file
• Start Thunderbird

All fixed.
Using this workaround is not exactly an advised method that people should be using.

Comment 3

[Hartmut Welpmann [:welpy-cw]]

See bug 279366 for a potential solution.

To manually fix a falsely flagged folder, see also bug 1909104 comment 3.

Comment 4

[GodzFire]

Anje is correct from https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1909104#c3 from his comment 8 months ago there's a lot of instances of this.

A stopgap of adding the folderflags in the GUI like the addon used to do could help, but ideally if the bug is permanently fixed that's even better.

Comment 5

[Hartmut Welpmann [:welpy-cw]]

While we are working on a fix for this in bug 279366, here's an easy way to reset the drafts flag of a folder:

1. Open "Copies and Folders" in account settings.
2. Select the affected folder under "Keep draft messages in:" "Other:".
3. Re-select the original drafts folder.

This should do the trick (tested in Daily). The correct folder icon will be restored after a restart of the app.

Comment 6

[Corey Bryant]

The work-around in comment 5 didn't work for me. In my case, my Inbox is affected, and I'm on 141.0b4.

Comment 7

[Hartmut Welpmann [:welpy-cw]]

(In reply to Corey Bryant from comment #6)

The work-around in comment 5 didn't work for me. In my case, my Inbox is affected, and I'm on 141.0b4.

Turns out this is a recent regression, I filed bug 1979410.