377324 - Install does NOT allow for retrying import; UNinstall does not delete mailboxes

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 63389

(Thunderbird :: Migration, defect)

Description

[Hugh Hoskins]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070309 Firefox/2.0.0.3
Build Identifier: version 1.5.0.10 (20070221)

During INstall, there is an opportunity to import mailboxes and parms from NetScape/7.x, but if anything goes wrong in that process, then there is NO opportunity to attempt the import again.

In order to get another opportunity to import the mailboxes and parms from NetScape/7.x, I decided to UN-install and RE-install.
HOWEVER: During UN-install, the process does NOT delete the mailboxes.
THEREFORE: RE-install finds the mailboxes and parms from NetScape/7.x and does NOT take the opportunity to RE-import them.

In order to recover, had to UN-install and then locate and delete the files with the mailboxes and parms from NetScape/7.x.
________________

SUGGESTION(S)
1.- there should be a way to RE-import mailboxes.
2.- UNinstall should delete the mailboxes (maybe ask permission)
3.- the mailboxes and parms should NOT the in "Documents and Settings" and in several places there; rather they should be stored wherever the user wants them to be. This would allow for backing-up Thunderbird from a single and convenient location.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.
2.
3.
Actual Results:  
Finally got the installation for which I had been struggling.
If I had not been able to locate the mailboxes, then I'd still be stuck and UNable to start over.

Comment 1

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+2]]

(In reply to comment #0)
> During INstall, there is an opportunity to import mailboxes and parms from
> NetScape/7.x, but if anything goes wrong in that process, then there is NO
> opportunity to attempt the import again.

You can do it again. Have a look inside the tools menu. There is an menu entry calles 'Import' which imports addresses, mails and settings.

> HOWEVER: During UN-install, the process does NOT delete the mailboxes.
> THEREFORE: RE-install finds the mailboxes and parms from NetScape/7.x and does
> NOT take the opportunity to RE-import them.

That's currently by design.

> 2.- UNinstall should delete the mailboxes (maybe ask permission)

Robert, do we have plans for the installer to give the user the opportunity to also delete the profile(s) when removing the application? Is there an already existing bug?

> 3.- the mailboxes and parms should NOT the in "Documents and Settings" and in
> several places there; rather they should be stored wherever the user wants
> them to be. This would allow for backing-up Thunderbird from a single and
> convenient location.

This is still implemented. Start Thunderbird with the command line option "-p" to create a new profile on another location.

Comment 2

[Henrik Skupin [:whimboo][⌚️UTC+2]]

(In reply to comment #1)
> > 2.- UNinstall should delete the mailboxes (maybe ask permission)
> 
> Robert, do we have plans for the installer to give the user the opportunity to
> also delete the profile(s) when removing the application? Is there an already
> existing bug?

Ok, found the answer in bug 234680 comment 28. This is WONTFIXED - Which doesn't mean that I'm happy with that decission.

Hugh, please don't file different issues inside one bug report. Due to the reason that importing data is still possible also after running the installer, I mark this bug as WFM.

Comment 3

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

Also, the installer has nothing to do with the importing of the data... it is each individual app that is responsible for that.

Comment 4

[Hugh Hoskins]

Regarding COMMENT#1 where it says ...
"You can do it again. Have a look inside the tools menu. There is an menu entry
calles 'Import' which imports addresses, mails and settings."

This appears superficially be true, but in actuality this may work for  importations for the four(4) listed sources, but does NOT work for importing from NetScape 7.x .. 

Q. Is there some other means for getting mail imported from a just-abandoned NetScape/7.x?

Regarding where it was said that ,,,
"This is still implemented. Start Thunderbird with the command line option "-p" 

Q. Now that I've learned about the -p option, is there any means by which I can get all of the Thunderbird files from Documents and Settings moved/copied to the preferred/alternate location of my choice?

Q. When I specify an alternate location for the storage, then where is that pointer stored? Is there still something left in Documents and Settings?



Regarding COMMENT#2 where it says ... 
"Hugh, please don't file different issues inside one bug report."
I'm sorry, but to me this was all ONE bug inasmuch as I could NOT get the product either fully INstalled or fully UNinstalled without finding the files in Documents and Settings and deleting them.

As for the WFM WorksForMe marking, I pity the poor guy who stumbles into this same situation and does not know where to find the files in Documents and Settings and delete them.

Regarding COMMENT#3 where it says ... 
"Also, the installer has nothing to do with the importing of the data."
Again, I'm sorry, but to me the whole process from installation to satisfactory operation of the product is a single process which in my case (1)failed the first time, (2)was NOT able to be COMPLETELY UNinstalled to the point where all of the elements of RE-install would be activated again. 

My expectation was that I should be able to get the product installed correctly without having to find where the files were in Documents and Settings and delete them.

Thank You...

Comment 5

[Robert Strong (they/them - no direct email)]

COMMENT#3 is just stating a technical fact - especially on windows - and is not a judgment as to whether this bug should or should not be fixed.

Comment 6

[ovidiu]

does bug 335135 cover the same issue described here as "fail while import " ?

Comment 7

[Joshua Cranmer [:jcranmer]]

(In reply to comment #0)
> SUGGESTION(S)
> 1.- there should be a way to RE-import mailboxes.

Bug 63389.

> 2.- UNinstall should delete the mailboxes (maybe ask permission)

bug 346341

> 3.- the mailboxes and parms should NOT the in "Documents and Settings" and in
> several places there; rather they should be stored wherever the user wants them
> to be. This would allow for backing-up Thunderbird from a single and convenient
> location.

This is configurable via the profile manager already. Locations of certain files can also be changed.

(In reply to comment #4)
> Q. Now that I've learned about the -p option, is there any means by which I can
> get all of the Thunderbird files from Documents and Settings moved/copied to
> the preferred/alternate location of my choice?

Move directories with the file manager of your choice.

> Q. When I specify an alternate location for the storage, then where is that
> pointer stored? Is there still something left in Documents and Settings?

Only profile.ini has to be kept there.

> Regarding COMMENT#2 where it says ... 
> "Hugh, please don't file different issues inside one bug report."
> I'm sorry, but to me this was all ONE bug inasmuch as I could NOT get the
> product either fully INstalled or fully UNinstalled without finding the files
> in Documents and Settings and deleting them.

It's two issues that have to be dealt with separately in separate places. Install != uninstall, and the codepaths for some of these areas are wildly different.

> My expectation was that I should be able to get the product installed correctly
> without having to find where the files were in Documents and Settings and
> delete them.

Technically speaking, you should be referring to Application Data or Local Settings (AppData for Vista), since stuff like your Desktop, etc., are also stored in Documents and Settings (at least by default).

In any case, it is considered bad practice to not put per-user application settings in the Application Data folder. Mozilla products at least make it relatively easy to change where some key files are stored.

Technically, this is a duplicate of two aforementioned bugs, but I'll dupe to the first issue, since I can't dupe to two bugs at once.