Turn off 'Check for new messages' in all accounts ...Possible?

[Mark Filipak]

In 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for each account, there are
these two settings:
'Check for new messages at startup'
'Check for new messages every [____] minutes'
which are currently checked '[X]'.

Because of a problem, I need to turn those off in all accounts, but I
have about 50 accounts.

Is there a bulk or automated way to unset those settings in all accounts?

Thank You.
--
The Insect Hall of Fame:
Thunderbird Bug 121947 - 12 years and counting.

[Mike Easter]

Mark Filipak wrote:
> In 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for each account, there are
> these two settings:
> 'Check for new messages at startup'
> 'Check for new messages every [____] minutes'
> which are currently checked '[X]'.
>
> Because of a problem, I need to turn those off in all accounts, but I
> have about 50 accounts.
>
> Is there a bulk or automated way to unset those settings in all accounts?

Depending on what you are trying to do, you could work offline; that
will prevent any fetching whatsoever.

I think it is better to describe the specifics of a 'problem' rather
than wonder how to perform some particular imagined/proposed solution to
an unidentified problem.

Given a description of the problem, there may be alternative approaches
rather than 'turning off' the get new messages function for many accounts.


--
Mike Easter

[g]

hello Marko,

very possible. easy doable.

On 01/19/2015 02:23 PM, Mark Filipak wrote:
> In 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for each account,
> there are these two settings:
> 'Check for new messages at startup'
> 'Check for new messages every [____] minutes'
> which are currently checked '[X]'.
>
> Because of a problem, I need to turn those off in all accounts,
> but I have about 50 accounts.
>
> Is there a bulk or automated way to unset those settings in all
> accounts?

with os = CentOS GNU/Linux, and thunderbird = 24.8.0

[geo@boxen ~]$ cd .thunderbird/lihsqjai.default
[geo@boxen lihsqjai.default]$ grep heck prefs.js
user_pref("mail.SpellCheckBeforeSend", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server1.check_new_mail", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.check_new_mail", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server4.check_new_mail", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server4.check_time", 1);
user_pref("mail.startup.enabledMailCheckOnce", true);
user_pref("spellchecker.dictionary", "en_US")
[geo@boxen lihsqjai.default]$

open prefs.js with text editor, group edit accordingly.

> Thank You.

much welcome.


--

peace out.

in a world with out fences, who needs gates.

CentOS GNU/Linux 6.6

tc,hago.

g
.

[Wolf K.]

On 2015-01-19 3:23 PM, Mark Filipak wrote:
> In 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for each account, there are
> these two settings:
> 'Check for new messages at startup'
> 'Check for new messages every [____] minutes'
> which are currently checked '[X]'.
>
> Because of a problem, I need to turn those off in all accounts, but I
> have about 50 accounts.
>
> Is there a bulk or automated way to unset those settings in all accounts?
>
> Thank You.

No.

--
Best,
Wolf K.
kirkwood40.blogspot.ca

[Mark Filipak]

On 01/19/2015 05:42 PM, Wolf K. wrote:
> On 2015-01-19 3:23 PM, Mark Filipak wrote:

>> In 'Account Settings' > 'Server Settings' for each account, there are
>> these two settings:
>> 'Check for new messages at startup'
>> 'Check for new messages every [____] minutes'
>> which are currently checked '[X]'.
>>
>> Because of a problem, I need to turn those off in all accounts, but I
>> have about 50 accounts.
>>
>> Is there a bulk or automated way to unset those settings in all accounts?
>>
>> Thank You.
>

> No.

Aw, come on, Wolf. Don't you know a way? There must be text files or
'.ini' files or something that I could bulk edit using a command-line
regular expression bulk editor. Got any idea what those files would be?

[Wolf K.]

Well, yeah, but how do I know you would be careful with dangerous
advice? ;-)

You can edit prefs.js, do a find'n'replace. Just be careful when
selecting the string(s) to replace. Back in the days of my misspent
youth I several times used strings that were too short, so that bits I
wanted to keep were changed anyhow. I've not edited the prefs.js file
myself, but who knows when the day will come.... ;-)

If you're on Linux, g showed how to use *nix commands to do it.

Have fun, and good luck,

[g]

i give Mark credit on knowing how to do the replacing, in case not;

repeating, this is how they are found:

++++

[geo@boxen ~]$ cd .thunderbird/lihsqjai.default
[geo@boxen lihsqjai.default]$ grep heck prefs.js
user_pref("mail.SpellCheckBeforeSend", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server1.check_new_mail", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server3.check_new_mail", true);
user_pref("mail.server.server4.check_new_mail", false);
user_pref("mail.server.server4.check_time", 1);
user_pref("mail.startup.enabledMailCheckOnce", true);
user_pref("spellchecker.dictionary", "en_US")
[geo@boxen lihsqjai.default]$

open prefs.js with text editor, group edit accordingly.

++++

this is how they are all replaced;

first, close thunderbird, then in the

~/.thunderbird/*.default

directory;

cp prefs.js prefs.js.org

open prefs.js in text editor, such as kde desktop editor,
it is a simple:

<ctrl+r> to open editing and make entries;

Find: check_new_mail", true);
Replace: check_new_mail", false);

click on [Replace All] button.

make change of;

Find: check_time", 1);
Replace: check_time", 0);

click on [Replace All] button.

make change of;

Find: startup.enabledMailCheckOnce", true);
Replace: startup.enabledMailCheckOnce", false);

click on [Replace All] button.

close editing, close and save prefs.js, open thunderbird.

similar editing can be used in oos, os-x, and bsd.

> Have fun, and good luck,

i agree.

thought for the day:

would be interesting if only poster with answer is
on a filter to delete list for poster with problem.

((GBWG))

[Mark Filipak]

On 01/19/2015 10:08 PM, Wolf K. wrote:
> On 2015-01-19 7:41 PM, Mark Filipak wrote:

> Well, yeah, but how do I know you would be careful with dangerous
> advice? ;-)

Thanks for that. I needed a laugh. Actually, regarding dangerous advice,
I divorced her.

> You can edit prefs.js, do a find'n'replace. Just be careful when
> selecting the string(s) to replace.

-snip-

I use a programmer's editor with built-in regexp.

> If you're on Linux, g showed how to use *nix commands to do it.

Actually, my profile is in a directory that's shared between Windows and
Linux, so I can attack it from either side.

> Have fun, and good luck,

Thank you, sir. I wish you a wonderful 2015.