496892 - Messages do not get deleted when folder is getting compacted (resulting in copying while attempting to move mails) - message "Unable to delete messages ..."

Status: NEW

(Thunderbird :: Folder and Message Lists, defect)

Description

[Umang]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.0.10) Gecko/2009042523 Ubuntu/8.10 (intrepid) Firefox/3.0.10
Build Identifier: 20090318

Hi!
While a folder is getting compacted, it appears no changes can be made to the folder. (This is sort of like a generalization/extension of Bug 495666, which talks only of marking/tagging)

Once I begin compacting a folder and attempt to bulk move messages or move one message, the message gets copied to the other folder, but doesn't get deleted in the current folder. I get an error (attached). The same error occurs when I attempt to delete a mail while compacting.

Also (and I guess *this* part is sort of a duplicate of 495666), it is impossible for me to mark a mail as read/unread while the folder is getting compacted. I click on the grey small dot, hoping it would become a green larger dot, but nothing happens. 

This is also true for reading the mail. When I read a mail, the mail is supposed to be marked read, it instead remains unread, while the unread tally in the sidebar (i.e "Inbox(`tally`)") reduces by one when I open an unread mail, but the mail remains unread. So the number of mails in bold (unread according to me) is not equal the number Thunderbird has in its Inbox unread tally.

Just to summarize, while compacting-
- messages cannot be deleted.
- messages cannot be tagged/marked
- if marked read, tally reduces in sidebar, but message remains unread

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Right click Inbox
2. Click Compact
3. Open any other folder and open Inbox again (as Inbox goes blank after Compact clicked)
4. Try to delete/move mails from Inbox.
Actual Results:  
Message does not get deleted, error message verifying the same appears (Alert)

Expected Results:  
Message should get deleted/marked read/moved

Found Bug on Ubuntu 8.10, using Tb version 2.0.0.21 (20090318)
Sharing the same profile with Windows, I have had similar experience while using Tb on Windows (therefore not restricting the bug to Linux)

My gut feel (I have never seen Thunderbird code, so it should not be considered) is that compacting folders should mean that user cannot change anything since the folder is being read and cannot be changed while Thunderbird is reading it. It would be confusing for Thunderbird if the folder was to change while it was compacting it.

Therefore I am doubting whether this can be fixed, and feel that users should not be able to access the folder while Thunderbird is making any changes to the folder.

Please do not consider the above opinion professional and knowledged, because it isn't!

Thanks!

(Oh, and I can't seem to attach anything to this bug ATM, but I know I can attach in a reply, so will do that immediately.)

Comment 1

[Umang]

Attachment: Screenshot of error recieved when attempting to delete.

This is what makes me believe that this bug is not fixable to a condition where everything will work completely smoothly.

Comment 2

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

Umang, thanks for quick open of separated bug.

Questions:
(Q1) When you tested and saw "blank thread pane", was thread pane displayed correctly for Inbox(compacted folder, bulk move source folder) and bulk move target folder?
(Q2) Were all mails copied to target folder of "bulk move"?
(Why I ask above questions: I experienced (a) Crash of Tb, (b) UI freeze at source(=compacted)/target folder of "bulk move" in my duplication test.)

Comment 3

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

(In reply to comment #1)
> Screenshot of error recieved when attempting to delete.

Quick summary of current status.

"Move mails" roughly consists of (phase-1) copy phase(similar to Copy to "move target folder") and (phase-2) delete phase(similar to Shift+Delete at "Move source folder".
If "Move mails" is invoked while "Compact Folder" is inprogress,
 (A) When operation is Shift+Delete(phase-2 only), the error dialog is issued,
     and "Shift+Delete" is not executed.
     "Compact folder" ends normally, and file size is reduced.
 (B) When ordinal "Move mails", and if phase-1(=copy phase) ends normally,
     the error dialog is issued, and phase-2(=delete phase) fails. (Same as A)
     Then result becomes same as "Copy mails". (This bug)
     "Compact folder" ends normally, and file size is reduced.
 (C) When "Move mails", and if error during phase-1(=copy phase) occurs,
     problem of Bug 497804 occurs.

Comment 4

[Umang]

Hi!
Sorry for the late reply, just didn't have time for the last three days.

(1) When I clicked Compact (Right click Inbox), I could only see the sidebar, the message pane and "thread pane?" were just blank. I have to open a separate folder and then go back to Inbox to see the mails.

(2) Yes, all the mails are copied properly, they are not deleted.

Hope I'm answering the questions! :)

Umang

Comment 5

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

I've opened Bug 498278 for (A) in Comment #3 (Shift+Delete case).

Comment 6

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

is summary accurate?