258570 - Add ability to export multiple messages to .eml format

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 58140

(Thunderbird :: General, enhancement)

Description

[Bram]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7) Gecko/20040803 Firefox/0.9.3
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7) Gecko/20040803 Firefox/0.9.3

When I select a single message I have the ability to export it in the eml format
by going to the File menu, selecting the "Save As" option and selecting "File".

However, when I select two or more messages, the options in the "Save As" menu
gray out and become unavailable. I'd like to be able to select them even if I
have multiple selection inside my mail folder, because I'd like to export
multiple messages at once. This feature would be very useful to me! :-)

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:

Comment 1

[Bram]

In order for the export process to be more efficient, the .eml filename should
be a counter (The Bat! uses an 8-digit format), not the subject of the message
itself, this way the messages being easier to handle.

Comment 2

[David Hollman]

Attachment: Test EML file exhibiting described behavior

Comment 3

[David Hollman]

Attachment: Screen shot of opened test EML file exhibiting described behavior

Comment 4

[David Hollman]

Oops, I uploaded these attachments to the wrong bug#! Sorry, please disregard.

Comment 5

[Bram]

Damn, you got me quite confused there for a moment... :D

Comment 6

[Doug Wright]

*** Bug 261395 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 7

[John Doffing]

  I concur, the inability to export multiple emails or even the entire mailbox
is an indication of unfinished software.  I installed Netscape 7.1 on a friends
PC because she needed the junk mail filtering and some other features.  Now
she's angry because she doesn't like the way the email client works, (I think
she's really just used to Outlook Express) and we find that the emails she would
like to save are not exportable (other than 1 at a time as .eml) to get back
into her Outlook Express.
  For now, I just asked her to go through the Netscape mail and make a note of
what she would like to save.  When she has finished that I'll just have her turn
off the check for new messages every _ and forward them all to herself.  Then
she will have to start Outlook Express to receive and sort them.
  Not to complain, but you guys really should fix this.  I cannot recommend
Netscape or Mozilla/Thunderbird at this time.
 

Comment 8

[Frank Wein [:mcsmurf]]

@John: You can manually copy the whole mailbox from your profile so.

Comment 9

[Frank Wein [:mcsmurf]]

*** Bug 308174 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 10

[John Doffing]

Yes, you can copy the entire mailbox, but Outlook Express is not able to import
it . If it were possible to export the mailbox into a generic format it would
make it much easier to import into a different email program.

Comment 12

[Alex]

Modern Outlook Express uses simple directory format and Thunderbird mailboxes can be easily exported.

Comment 13

[John Doffing]

Hi Alex,
I must be using a different version of Thunderbird than you. I cannot find an export option in any of the menus in my Thunderbird 5.0.  Also, when I check the Thunderbird Help Contents and get transferred to support.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/home a search for export mailbox or export comes up empty.
It kind of makes anyone who installs T-Bird a captive audience. It's like "Help my email messages have been kidnapped ...".

Do you know anyone who can recommend professional software that would be able to perform the export with little or no hassle?

Tada ! I haven't tried it yet, but searching with Bing I found a program called Address Magic Personal Plus at www.connectedsw.com that sounds like it should do the trick. It's on sale now for $19.98.  The web site says it will convert the email, folders, and address book. If it works it's easily worth $20 just to save time.

Comment 14

[Jim Porter (:squib)]

(In reply to John Doffing from comment #13)
> I must be using a different version of Thunderbird than you. I cannot find
> an export option in any of the menus in my Thunderbird 5.0.

File -> Save As -> File (which works for multiple messages at once, so this bug should probably be closed).

Comment 15

[Jim Porter (:squib)]

Resolving per comment 14.