Thunderbird

USING MOZILLA THUNDERBIRD

 

 

Mozilla Thunderbird is the mail client that Library & Information Services recommends for use at Kenyon. Below are instructions for its commonly-used features. Check the Mozilla Thunderbird Help files or the Mozilla Support web pages at: http://www.mozilla.org/support/ for additional assistance.

Setting Up Thunderbird


Checking Email

  • Read messages
    • Double-click the Mozilla icon on the Desktop to open Mozilla.
    • A list of messages currently in your Inbox will be displayed in the right pane of the screen.
    • To read any of these messages, double-click on the subject and the message will appear in a separate window.
  • Navigate between messages
    • Simply close the message you're reading and double-click the message you want to open in the Inbox list.
    • You can also navigate between messages by clicking on Go in the Menu Bar of the message window. A list of options will appear that will allow you to navigate to the Next or Previous message in your Inbox.
  • Go back to the Inbox
    • To go back to the Inbox after reading a message, close or minimize the message window. You should see the Inbox onscreen again.
    • If you've been working within another folder, you will have to click the Inbox folder listed near the top of the left pane of the screen, and the Inbox contents will reappear in the right-hand portion.
  • Check for new messages
    • Return to the window displaying your Inbox. In the left corner click the Get New Mail button. This will retrieve any new messages you may have received and place them in the Inbox list.

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Printing Messages

  • Once you have opened a message, you can print it by clicking the Print icon in the menu bar at the top of the message window. Note: Make sure you are looking at the buttons in the message window, not your Inbox window. If you are getting a printout of your Inbox contents rather than your message, you're printing from the wrong window.
  • Once you click the Print button, you'll see the standard Print screen that displays in any other program when printing.
  • Adjust the settings and change the printer if necessary. Click OK to print the message.

Writing and Sending Email

  • Write a new email message
    • Open any mail folder (such as your Inbox) and click the Write button in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • A Compose window will appear. Type your message in this window and when finished, click the Send button in the menu bar at top left of screen to send the message.
  • Save a draft of a message in progress
    • In the Compose window where you are writing your message, click on the Save button in the menu bar at the top of the screen. You will see three options. Select Draft to save this message as a draft.
  • Access a saved draft
    • All drafts are stored in the Drafts folder of your account.
    • To access any saved draft, return to the Inbox window and click the Drafts folder in the left pane of the window. The Drafts folder will then display in the right-hand portion of the window.
    • To access your draft message, double-click on it in the Drafts folder. It will appear in a "Compose" window to continue editing it. When finished, click the Send button at top of window to send it from the Drafts folder.
  • Reply to a message
    • If it is not already open, find the message in the Inbox window and double-click on it.
    • Click the Reply button in the menu bar at the top of Inbox. This will open a Compose window with the recipient's email address and Subject line already filled in. Compose your reply in this window and click the Send button at the top of the window when finished.
  • Forward a message
    • If it is not already open, find the message in the Inbox window and double-click on it.
    • Click the Forward button on the menu bar at top of window. This will open a Compose window containing the message you would like to forward, with the Subject line already filled in.
    • Messages with attachments will forward the attachments automatically; you will not need to reattach the file when you forward the message.
    • Fill in the recipient's email address in the To: field, add any comments you would like to make, and click Send button at the top of the window when finished.

Messages with Attached Files

  • View and save an attached file
    • If you receive a message containing an attached file, the attachment will be listed in a bar at the very bottom of your message window. After opening the message, you will be able to view or save the attachment.
    • Double-click on the name of the attached file.
    • You will see a prompt asking you whether you would like to Save or Open the attachment. In some cases, you may not be permitted to view the message unless you first save it, but in general it is possible to do so.
    • Select the option you prefer and click "OK".
  • Attach a file to an outgoing message
    • Open a Compose window and click the Attach button at the top of window.
    • An "explorer" window will pop up onscreen. Use this window to navigate to the file you would like to attach.
    • Once you have found the file, select it in this window and click Open. The file should then be attached to your message.
    • You can confirm this by checking the list of attachments for your message in the top right of the Compose window.

Organizing Your Email

  • Create a folder
    • In the Inbox window, right-click the name of your email account at the top of the left pane of the window.
    • Click New Folder... on the menu that comes up.
    • Type in a name for the folder.
    • If you want the folder to be a sub-folder, select a parent folder from the drop-down menu under Create as a subfolder of:
    • The new folder will appear in the left pane under your account name.
  • View the contents of a folder
    • Find the folder in the folder list in the left pane of the screen. Click on the folder and the list of messages in that folder will display in the right portion of the screen.
  • Move a message to a folder
    • In the folder list in left pane of screen, click on the folder where the message resides. Find the message in the message list in the right pane of screen. Click & drag the message in the message list to the desired folder in the left pane.

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Deleting Messages

  • Handling deleted messages (two methods)
    • Thunderbird can process deleted messages in one of two ways:
      • Method one - "Mark for deletion" (recommended): When you delete a message, there will be a red X to the left of the message. It will remain in the message list until you remove it completely by clicking File in the menu bar, then Compact Folder.
        To use the "mark for deletion" method, see the section Marking messages for deletion when using Mozilla Thunderbird: in Cleaning Out Your Inbox and Handling Deleted Messages at: https://lbis.kenyon.edu/helpline/email/cleaning
      • Method two - "move to the trash folder": When you delete a message, it disappears from the message list and a copy is placed in the Trash folder. It will remain in Trash until you remove it completely by clicking File > Empty Trash. You must remember to empty the Trash folder frequently to prevent deleted messages from accumulating there.
  • Delete a single message
    • You must be in the mail folder where the message resides.
    • If you are currently viewing the message, just click the Delete button in the message window.
    • OR: If you want to delete the message without opening it from the message list (something you may want to do with spam), click on the message's Subject line and then click the Delete button at the top of the window.
    • The deleted message will be processed according to the way you have set up Thunderbird to handle deleted messages.
  • Delete multiple messages in a mail folder
    • Open the mail folder containing the message you want to delete.
    • Click to highlight the first message to be deleted.
    • Press and hold down the Ctrl key, while continuing to select other messages to be deleted by clicking on their Subject lines.
    • Once you are finished selecting all the messages to be deleted, release the Ctrl key and click the Delete button in the menu bar at the top of the window.
    • The deleted messages will be processed according to the way you have set up Thunderbird to handle deleted messages.
  • Delete all messages in a mail folder
    • Open the mail folder containing the message you want to delete.
    • Click Edit > Select > All on the menu bar at the top of the screen. The entire list of messages becomes highlighted.
    • click the Delete button at the top of the message window.
    • The deleted messages will be processed according to the way you have set up Thunderbird to handle deleted messages.
  • Retrieve a deleted message from the Trash folder
    • If you are using the "move to the trash folder" method for deleting messages and discover that you have deleted a message unintentionally, you can easily retrieve it if you have not yet emptied the Trash.
    • In the Inbox window, click on the Trash folder listed in the left pane of screen. The deleted messages in Trash should now display in the right portion of the screen.
    • Right-click on the deleted message you want to retrieve. You should see an option to restore the message. Select this option; the message will be returned to your Inbox.
    • If you have already emptied the Trash folder or don't see the message there, it might still be recovered if it existed on Kenyon's mail server overnight. Call the HelpLine at 5700 for assistance.

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Saving Copies of Messages in Sent Folder

  • Click Tools > Account Settings in the menu bar at the top of screen.
  • Select Copies and Folders in the left pane of the screen
  • In the right pane, place a checkmark in the square checkbox next to "Place a copy in" . Your mail account name will be displayed in the field. The Sent folder is selected (by default) to hold the copies of all "sent" messages. However, you can select another folder to hold your sent messages if you wish.
  • Note: If you don't want copies of all "sent" messages automatically saved in the Sent folder, remove the checkmark from the checkbox in the instructions above.

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Using an Address Book

  • Set up an address book
    • By default, Thunderbird has two address books configured: Personal Address Book and Collected Addresses. You can also create additional address books to further organize your contacts.
    • To access the address books, click the Address Book button at the top of the Inbox window or click Tools > Address Book in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Click File > New > Address Book.
    • Enter a name for the address book when prompted.
  • Add a new card to an address book
    • Click the Address Book button at the top of the Inbox window or click Tools > Address Book in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Click the New Card button at the top left of Address Book window.
    • Select the desired address book from the Add To: drop-down menu.
    • Enter the relevant contact information and click OK. All fields are optional. Note that you can select three tabs in that window to fill in personal information about the person.
  • Save an email address from a message you have received
    • Open the message.
    • In the message header, right-click on the email address that you want to save.
    • Click Add to Address Book on the menu that comes up.
    • Select the desired address book from the Add To: drop-down menu.
    • Enter the relevant personal information and click OK. All fields are optional. Note that you can select from three tabs in that window to fill in personal information about that contact person.
  • Send an email to someone in an address book
    • Click the Address Book button at the top of the Inbox window or click Tools > Address Book in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Select the desired address book from the left column.
    • Select the desired recipient in the list on the right. Remember: multiple recipients can be selected by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking to highlight each name in the list.
    • Click the Write button at the top of the window. A new Compose window will open for writing the message.
  • Disable automatic address book entries
    • Thunderbird is set up by default so that every time you send an email message to a person who is not already in an address book, that person's email address is entered in the Collected Addresses book. You can and should disable this feature to avoid filling up your address book with unwanted addresses. To disable this feature:
    • Click Tools > Options on the menu bar at the top of screen.
    • Select Advanced from the left pane of screen.
    • If there is a [+] box next to General Settings topic in the right pane, click it to expand that tree.
    • UNcheck the box next to Automatically add outgoing e-mail addresses to my:. Click OK.
  • Backup (or export) your address books
    • Click the Address Book button at the top of the Inbox window or click Tools > Address Book in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • In the Address Book, click Tools > Export .
    • Enter a filename for the backup address book file and select a location in which to save it. (Your H: drive is a good place to save a backup copy of your address book).

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Importing Mail and Addressbooks from Other Mail Clients

  • Import mail from another mail client
    • Click Tools > Import in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Place a mark next to Mail, then press Next.
    • Place a mark next to the mail client where the messages you want to import are located (example: Outlook Express).
    • A message will appear, telling what Thunderbird has imported. Click Finish.
    • Thunderbird creates a sub-folder of this imported mail in your Local Folders so that your mail isn't mingled with your other mail. To import mail from another mail client simply repeat the procedure.
  • Import an address book from another mail client:
    • Click Tools > Import in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Place a mark next to Addressbooks, then press Next.
    • Place a mark next to the mail client where the addressbook you want to import is located (example: Outlook Express).
    • A message will appear, telling what Thunderbird has imported. Click Finish.
    • Open your address book. The imported address book has been placed in a folder in your address book.

Using Personal Distribution Lists

  • Set up a personal distribution list
    • Click the Address Book button at the top of the Inbox window or click Tools > Address Book in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Click the New List button in the top bar.
    • Select the desired address book from the Add To: drop-down menu.
    • Type in a name for your dis list in the Name field.
    • Type in the email addresses that you want in the list. Alternately, you can just hit OK at this point and drag-and-drop addresses from any of your address book(s) into the list so they don't have to be re-typed.
  • Send an email message to the distribution list
    • Click the Address Book button at the top of the Inbox window or click Tools > Address Book in the menu bar at top of screen.
    • Select the desired address book from the left column.
    • Select the list name from the left column under the address book it's in and click the Write button on the top bar. (If you do not see your mailing list, it may be hidden. Click the [+] boxes next to the names of your address books to expand the trees).

Using Filters

  • Create a filter
    • Click Tools > Message Filters.
    • Click the New button on the right side of window.
    • Enter a name for the filter after Filter Name.
  • Create the filter's conditons (how it will be used)
    • If, for example, you want the filter to be used when the Sender's address is spam@processedmeatproducts.com AND when the subject contains the phrase cheap meat, then select Match all of the following.
    • On the other hand, if you want the filter to be used when the Sender's address is spam@processedmeatproducts.com OR when the subject contains the phrase cheap meat, then select Match any of the following. Then select Subject from the left drop-down menu, select contains from the right drop-down menu, and type cheap meat in the text box.
    • Select Sender from the left drop-down menu, select is from the right drop-down menu, and type spam@processedmeatproducts.com in the text box next to is. Click the More button.
  • Create the filter's actions (when conditons are met)
    • Under Perform these actions: check the boxes next to the actions you wish to perform.
    • Select from the drop-down list the desired option for each action you want the filter to perform.

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Creating a Signature

  • Create a "signature" file
    • Open any text editing program (like Notepad) and type in the information you want to appear in your signature. Include your name and how you can be contacted. A link to your personal and/or business webpage can also be added here.
    • Save your signature file as signature.txt in a folder on your computer. Write down the location of the folder.
  • Set up Thunderbird to append signature file to all outgoing mail
    • Open Thunderbird and click Tools > Account Settings in the menu bar at the top of screen.
    • Click to highlight your email address that appears in the left pane of the window.
    • Using the Browse button to the right, locate your signature.txt file. Click Open.
    • In the right pane, check the box next to Attach this signature.
    • Check the box next to Attach my vCard to messages.
    • Click OK at bottom of screen.
    • Send a mail message to yourself to check your signature, which will be appended to each mail message that you send from now on.

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