533229 - Message filter's "Reply with Template" defaults to last saved Template despite assignment (if multiple template mails has sam Message-ID: and same Subject:, which template is used by "reply with template" is unpredictable)

Status: NEW

(MailNews Core :: Filters, defect)

Description

[Vincent]

User-Agent:       Opera/9.80 (Windows NT 5.1; U; en) Presto/2.2.15 Version/10.10
Build Identifier: version 2.0.0.23 (20090812)

I have 2 message filters, each using a different template.
Despite separately assigning each template to each filter, Thunderbird always defaults to the last saved template.

E.g. filter 1 set up as:
Matches 'To: field' = "[e-mail]"
Action 1 = Move message to "folder1"
Action 2 = Reply with Template "template1"

filter 2 set up as:
Matches 'To: field' = "[e-mail]"
Action 1 = Move message to "folder2"
Action 2 = Reply with Template "template2"

However, assuming "template2" was saved last, then every time email is sent to "[e-mail]", the auto-reply will always be using "template2".

Reproducible: Always

Comment 1

[Ludovic Hirlimann [:Usul]]

Hello vincent, I have a few questions,

Can you test that the issue is still present in TB 3.0 that got released yesterday ?

Does it happens in -safe-mode (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode) ?

Any error in Tools -> Error console ?

Comment 2

[Vincent]

Hi Ludovic,

I think I have found the reason for the 'bug'.
Apparently, if you re-use the message window for the 2nd template, TB does not distinguish the first saved template from the second.

So, to avoid this issue, simply start the second (or subsequent) template from scratch. After I did this, it all worked. The only problem now is getting the message filter reply-with-template to send MIME emails without the recipient getting the MIME warnings.

Comment 3

[Ludovic Hirlimann [:Usul]]

Is it fixed in 3.0 ?

Comment 4

[Vincent]

Not yet. But the workaround I mentioned still works.

Comment 5

[Kent James (:rkent)]

I tried this using the description in comment 0 and comment 2 (but without the move) and could not reproduce.

Comment 6

[Sherry Baker]

I think it's more complicated than the message filter just choosing the last template...

I have several templates and until my upgrade to T3 there was a message filter set up to reply with an automated message thanking the user for their email. Suddenly the message filter is sending a seemingly random choice template. It's neither the last created, nor the last sent. 

Here's what I've done so far:

I've completely deleted the message filter and the offending templates (both the one it was supposed to send and the one it sent instead)

Restarted the program.

Recreated the templates AND message filter.

This resulted in T3 choosing ANOTHER template to send instead of the one I designated in the message filter! Again, seemingly random... neither the last created, nor the last sent. Even in the middle alphabetically by subject!

I'm at a loss. The "workaround" isn't working at all for me and I really don't want to recreate 10+ templates just to get one to work. Any ideas?

Comment 7

[david]

I'm using Thunderbird 6.0.2. Encountered the same issue with templates.
Please change status . It is very "CONFIRMED".

Comment 8

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

Tony, do you see this in Seamonkey?

Comment 9

[Tony Mechelynck [:tonymec]]

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk) from comment #8)
> Tony, do you see this in Seamonkey?

Not sure. Not only I don't use this option, IIUC using it would be spamming (the way I understand "spamming", see in this case http://www.spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/329.html )

Comment 10

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

(In reply to Vincent from comment #0)
> I have 2 message filters, each using a different template.
> Despite separately assigning each template to each filter, Thunderbird
> always defaults to the last saved template.
> E.g. filter 1 set up as:
> Matches 'To: field' = "[e-mail]"
> Action 1 = Move message to "folder1"
> Action 2 = Reply with Template "template1"
> filter 2 set up as:
> Matches 'To: field' = "[e-mail]"
> Action 1 = Move message to "folder2"
> Action 2 = Reply with Template "template2"

Filter rule of "If Subject contains ttt, Reply with template named template-002(Subject:==template-002) in Templates folder under Local Folders" is saved in msgFilterRules.dat like next.
> name="reply-with-template002"
> action="Reply"
> actionValue="mailbox://nobody@Local%20Folders/Templates?messageId=[e-mail]&subject=template-002"
> condition="AND (subject,contains,ttt)"

What order in msgFilterRules.dat?
What is set for each filter rule in msgFilterRules.dat? 
Is acual Subject: and Message-Id: of template mails in the Templates folder same as one in msgFilterRules.dat?

> However, assuming "template2" was saved last, (snip)

What do you call by "saved last"?

Because order of filter rules in a message filter is not changed by edit/save of a filter rule, order of filter rules is never changed by editing of any filter rule. Order of filter rules ca be changed by Move Up/Move Down only.

Does "saved last" mean added last?
"Saved as Template last" with same Subject: at compose window?

(In reply to Vincent from comment #2)
> Apparently, if you re-use the message window for the 2nd template,

What action at where do you call by it?
When "Save As Template" is executed multiple times at one mail composition window?

> TB does not distinguish the first saved template from the second.

What phenomenon do you call by it?
When "Save As Template" is executed twice without changing Subject:, two template mails of same Subject: / same Message-Id: is created?
If so, following is observed with Tb 9.0.1. 
  Same Message-Id: is always used, even when Subject: etc. is changed.
  Message-Id: is not changed by "Edit As New" and "Save As Template".

Comment 11

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

vincent's email address fails, so no responses will be forthcoming from vincent.

Comment 12

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

(In reply to Wayne Mery (:wsmwk) from comment #11)
> vincent's email address fails, so no responses will be forthcoming from vincent.

No problem.
I'm already aware of Tb's issue of "same Message-ID: of multiple template mails". Bug 704193 has been fortunately opened for problem in "Draft Save of multiple mails composed from different template mails of same Message-ID:&Subject:". Problem of "same Message-ID: of multiple template mails" will be processed in that bug.

For phenomenon reported to this bug.
If multiple template mails has same Message-ID: and same Subject:, "which template mail is used for reply with template" is unpredictable, because of design/implementation of filter rule for "reply with template".
It may be template mail of smallest offset(local Templates) or smallest UID(IMAP Templates). It may be template of largest offset(local Templates) or largest UID(IMAP Templates). But it may be random. All is up to Tb.
"saved last" by bug opener sounds for me "template mail of largest offset or UID was used when multiple template mails of same Message-Id:&Subject: exist".

Confirming with assumption of that original report is for above problem, and setting dependency to Bug 704193.

Comment 13

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

FYI.
I've opened bug 720646 for issue of "Save As Template/Draft generates mail of same Message-ID:".