615172 - Filter cannot be saved because "some search terms are invalid in the current context."

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 551707

(MailNews Core :: Filters, defect)

Description

[jugglerthejester]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.12) Gecko/20101026 Firefox/3.6.12
Build Identifier: Thunderbird 3.1.6

Often (but not always) when I copy and paste an email address into "Filter Rules" of an existing filter, I get the following error message:

"This filter cannot be saved because some search terms are invalid in the current context."

I've found that I can delete a letter or more from the pasted email address, and then retype the letter (to fix the email address) and it often (but not always) solves the problem.  Sometimes I have to cancel and retry several times before it will accept the new email address.  Sometimes it accepts the (same email address it just previously didn't accept) without requiring me to delete and retype (which would indicate that there is nothing wrong with the email address).

Also, sometimes it will give this error when I have not added an anything to the filter rules, but look at them and then click 'OK'.  I have to hit 'Cancel' to escape.  In testing and experimenting, I could get this error after not altering anything in the filter (just opening the filter) and then hitting 'OK', I 'Cancel' to exit the 'Filter Rules', then return to the same filter and hit 'OK' and it not get the error.

Reproducible: Sometimes

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Create a new filter. (Give it no rules and target a folder.)
2. Close 'Filter Rules' by hitting 'OK'.
3. Go to a mail folder that contains a an email.
4. Click on email.
5. Right click on the 'From' address and select 'Copy Email Address'.
6. Go back to the new message filter you just previously created.
7. Check that "Checking Mail or Manually Run" is selected.
(I have not tested with other options for the drop down menu.)
8. Select "Match any of the following" from the radial menu.
(I have only tested with "Match any of the following" selected.)
9. Select "From" and leave "contains" for filter rules.
(I have only tested with "From" and "contains")
10. Paste the email address into the blank area.
11. Click 'OK'.

I'm not sure if the number of filter rules is a factor or not, but I do have a lot of filter rules in each of my filters.

I do not know if deleting filter rules and then creating new filter rules is a factor, but I did just previously delete a bunch of rules as I am in the process of re-organizing the way my emails are filtered.
Actual Results:  
I am able to reproduce this bug about 9 out of 10 times.  I am unable to determine what causes this bug to not appear for me the approximate 1 out of 10 times.

Expected Results:  
An error message with a yellow triangle and exclamation mark stating "This filter cannot be saved because some search terms are invalid in the current context." should appear.

The software should have given no error and accepted my input instead.

=-=-=-=-=
Feature Request & Recommendation:

I would like to be able to drag an email from my inbox to any other folder with-in Thunderbird and then be prompted as to whether or not emails from that sender, with that subject, or both should always be filtered into that folder.

If I say "Yes", I would like the filter to either be created with the name of the folder I just dragged the email to, or the filter with the name of the folder I just dragged the email to be amended.

Example & Reasoning:
If I get an email from my Aunt Mary (presumably for the first time), I can drag this email to the folder I have named "Family".  I am then prompted, "Would you like emails [From this Sender] [With this Subject] [Both from Sender and with Subject] to always be sent to this folder? [Yes] [No, and don't ask me later] [Ask me later]

I select: [From this Sender] & [Yes]: From now on all messages from my Aunt Mary will be sent to my "Family" folder.

I could of course always go into the message filters and edit, alter, add, or remove new rules.

Optionally the prompt could ask if one wanted the filter to be connected to the folder (and thus named after the folder, or amended to the filter named after the folder) or if I wanted the filter to be connected to the sender (and thus named after the sender's name or sender's email address if the name hasn't been provided) or if I would like to name the filter on the spot.  I think if someone wishes to go into that much detail, however, that one can go to the filters and manage them.

The idea behind this feature request is that I can drag an email to a folder and then click "Yes" and the filter will be created (or amended).  Drag & Click is easier than copying, pasting, and all the clicks involved in creating message filters.

Comment 1

[Ludovic Hirlimann [:Usul]]

Anything in Tools -> Error console when this happens ?

Comment 2

[:aceman]

Does this happen also in Thunderbird 7?
In that version I stop at step 2. because it does not allow to confirm a filter without target folder. So, giving a folder and then making all the other steps does not show the bug for me. Can you update the bug?

Comment 3

[Wayne Mery (:wsmwk)]

juggler?  the questions were for you.

seems to be gone. too bad ... this is fixed in current releases via bug 551707

(In reply to :aceman from comment #2)
> Does this happen also in Thunderbird 7?
> In that version I stop at step 2. because it does not allow to confirm a
> filter without target folder. So, giving a folder and then making all the
> other steps does not show the bug for me. Can you update the bug?