Hiding accounts in Thunderbird

[Calle2008]

Hello

I have about 12 accounts showing up in my TB (Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
and TB 31.6.0). But several of them I only keep there as backup of older
emails of currently non-operative accounts.

I installed an extension called "Get selected mails" and that one works
fine so that TB is not trying to get the emails from those non-operative
accounts. No issue with that.

But is there an extension, or some manual way, whereby I can hide those
accounts that I do not want to see every time. But in a way that I could
get back to them if needed.

I could perhaps move them out of the profile somewhere and move them
back if needed, but I would rather do it some other way, if possible.

Thanks for good ideas.

Carl

[g]

you might be able to remove the server name in;

Account Settings > Server Name

tho you may get prompted for name when pulling emails.

better is to deactivate account with thunderbird closed. open a
file browser in detail mode and show hidden files, the open the
"Mail" directory profile directory.

there, rename the account by prepending a "." to agent name. ie;

before = emailagent.com
after = .emailagent.com

such retains account info, account directory stays where it should
be, you do not have to go thru trouble of moving a directory.

any directory name or file name that has a "." prepended is not seen
by thunderbird in the "Mail" directory or any sub-directory.

to reactivate, close thunderbird, remove the prepended "." and reopen
thunderbird.

the email agent will still be listed in prefs.js file, but will not
be serviced.

> Thanks for good ideas.

most welcome.


--

peace out.

in a world with out fences, who needs gates.

CentOS GNU/Linux 6.6

tc,hago.

g
.

[g]

*OOPS* see 'oops' below.

*OOPS*

no. my bad.

my chemo brain forgot.

"prefs.js" file _does_ need to be edited.

in "prefs.js", *both* _email_agent_ and _news_service_ accounts
are defined by a line starting with;

user_pref("mail.server.serverX.

and closed with;

);

where 'X' is a number that relates to order they were setup.

each account will have several lines describing the account.

email accounts and news services can be disabled by inserting
'comment' markers. start marker is "/*", close is "*/".

so to disable an account is done as;

<snipped>
user_pref("mail.server.server1.whiteListAbURI", <snipped> );
/*
user_pref("mail.server.server2.ageLimit", 1);
user_pref("mail.server.server2.applyToFlaggedMessages", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server2.cleanupBodies", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server2.daysToKeepBodies", 1);
user_pref("mail.server.server2.daysToKeepHdrs", 1);
<snipped>
user_pref("mail.server.server2.userName", "nonya");
user_pref("mail.server.server2.whiteListAbURI", <snipped> );
*/
user_pref("mail.server.server3.ageLimit", 30);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.applyToFlaggedMessages", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.charset", "UTF-8");
user_pref("mail.server.server3.check_new_mail", true);
<snipped>
user_pref("mail.server.server3.directory-rel",
"[ProfD]News/mozilla.support.thunderbird");
user_pref("mail.server.server3.downloadByDate", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.downloadUnreadOnly", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.hostname", "news.mozilla.org");
user_pref("mail.server.server3.keepUnreadOnly", false);
<snipped>
user_pref("mail.server.server3.useServerFilter", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.valid", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.whiteListAbURI", <snipped> );
user_pref("mail.server.server4.ageLimit", 1);
<snipped>

above will disable account #2.

other way, requires going thru setup routine again is to open
account manager. highlight account, then click on "Account Action"
at bottom of window and select "Remove Account".

to reactivate account, open account manager, click on
"Account Action" at bottom of window and select
"Add (type) Account", and supply info.

"other ways" is easy to remove an account, involved in restoring.

"editing prefs.js" is slightly involved in disabling, but it is
quick and easy to restore. no reentry of info.

if you go with editing of prefs.js and you use an editor that
respects file formatting, you will see file in various colors.

when an accounted is "commented" all lines of "comment" will
become to gray.

to re-enable an account, remove start "/*" and end "/*" marks.

as always, CYOA. [Cover Your Own Ass]

make a backup copy of "prefs.js" before each time you edit.

[Tanstaafl]

On 5/15/2015 12:08 AM, Calle2008 <cc.vo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have about 12 accounts showing up in my TB (Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
> and TB 31.6.0). But several of them I only keep there as backup of older
> emails of currently non-operative accounts.
>
> I installed an extension called "Get selected mails" and that one works
> fine so that TB is not trying to get the emails from those non-operative
> accounts. No issue with that.

Interesting Addon, thanks...

> But is there an extension, or some manual way, whereby I can hide those
> accounts that I do not want to see every time. But in a way that I could
> get back to them if needed.

Personally, I'd say don't complicate things by hacking prefs.js...

If it were me I'd just sort these accounts to the bottom of your
Accounts/Folder Pane, then just collapse them all...

But yeah, if you just don't want to see them, you can hack your way there...

[Annailis]

Don't know if it's a "good" idea but you could create a different
profile to move these presently non-operative accounts to and just have
Tbird set to open only in your present profile. You will need to know
how to use the profile manager in Tbird and perhaps the import/export
tool add-on.

Annailis

[g]

because editing prefs.js is leading to 'off topic', i am setting
"Follow-up:

On 05/15/2015 07:16 AM, Tanstaafl wrote:
> On 5/15/2015 12:08 AM, Calle2008 <cc.vo...@gmail.com> wrote:

>> I have about 12 accounts showing up in my TB (Windows 7 Ultimate 64
>> bit and TB 31.6.0). But several of them I only keep there as backup
>> of older emails of currently non-operative accounts.
>>
>> I installed an extension called "Get selected mails" and that one
>> works fine so that TB is not trying to get the emails from those
>> non-operative accounts. No issue with that.
>

> Interesting Addon, thanks...

>
>> But is there an extension, or some manual way, whereby I can hide
>> those accounts that I do not want to see every time. But in a way
>> that I could get back to them if needed.
>

> Personally, I'd say don't complicate things by hacking prefs.js...

editing prefs.js is not hacking when one has knowledge of what one
is doing.

> If it were me I'd just sort these accounts to the bottom of your
> Accounts/Folder Pane, then just collapse them all...
>
> But yeah, if you just don't want to see them, you can hack your way
> there...

/:-)
what you call "hacking", others with experiance call "editing".
:-)/

op is wanting to disable account, not remove them. i _presume_ that
some accounts may be closed. some may be inactive. either way, he
wishes to maintain the emails.

from his post, i _presume_ that he has all emails for the accounts
under the account's name.

another solutions, if op wishes to completely remove the account,
never to be used again, such can be done by 1st closing thunderbird,
then with a file browser, _move_ the account directory to a location
below "Local Folders" and, if desired, rename to a new name.

then when thunderbird is reopened, thunderbird will resort moved
email folder files, recreate the account with minimal folders. then
op can open 'account manager' and remove the account.

again, CYOA. backup of _entire_ thunderbird path should be done
before any changes are made.

what would have made *disabling* an account easy would have been
if devs had such a feature in 'account manager'. but, then again,
as good as the devs are, they can not think of all the desires that
thunderbird users come up with. ;-)

followup set to moz.gen, aka, news.mozilla.org/m.general.

[Tanstaafl]

On 5/15/2015 12:04 PM, g <gel...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> On 05/15/2015 07:16 AM, Tanstaafl wrote:
>> Personally, I'd say don't complicate things by hacking prefs.js...

> editing prefs.js is not hacking when one has knowledge of what one
> is doing.

Whether or not something is considered 'hacking' has nothing whatsoever
to do with someone's level of knowledge or expertise.

Directly editing prefs.js is most absolutely considered 'hacking', since
that is a file that no end user should ever be editing directly.

See
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Preferences/A_brief_guide_to_Mozilla_preferences

Manual config changes by end users should be done to the user.js file only.

[Rod]

Maybe try this program, and then delete the accounts
http://www.mailstore.com/en/mailstore-home-email-archiving.aspx

[WaltS48]

I would just archive the emails.

[Archiving your e-mail - MozillaZine Knowledge
Base](http://kb.mozillazine.org/Archiving_your_e-mail)

[Archived Messages | Thunderbird
Help](https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/archived-messages#thunderbird:win7:tb31)

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[Tanstaafl]

On 5/17/2015 8:04 PM, WaltS48 <thali...@REMOVEaim.com> wrote:
> On 05/15/2015 12:08 AM, Calle2008 wrote:

>> But is there an extension, or some manual way, whereby I can hide those
>> accounts that I do not want to see every time. But in a way that I could
>> get back to them if needed.
>>
>> I could perhaps move them out of the profile somewhere and move them
>> back if needed, but I would rather do it some other way, if possible.

> I would just archive the emails.

Look at the two sentences directly above your reply... he said he knows
he can move them, but wants to be able to 'reactivate' the accounts at
some future date if possible.

My solution is the only one that - in combination with the Addon he is
using - does that.