Open Bug 175502 Opened 22 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Configurable default setting for grouping, and order for all accounts and folders

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Folder and Message Lists, enhancement)

Product:
Thunderbird
Component:
Folder and Message Lists
Type:
enhancement

Tracking

(Not tracked)

People

(Reporter: vdvo, Unassigned)

References

Details

(Whiteboard: wontfix?)

I'm not particularly happy that bug 17074 (RFE "Sort per folder and keep through exit") is fixed. I want all my folders sorted in the same order. And furthermore, I don't even want the persistence: sometimes I may re-sort for the moment, for finding a particular message, but then I want my usual order back on the next startup. This is exactly opposite to what was requested (and done) in bug 17074, so obviously not everyone will agree with me. On the other hand, I'm not alone - see bug 86845 comment 13. In fact, bug 86845 requests a configurable "default sort order", which makes little sense when every folder remembers its individual sort order. Therefore, I propose two new checkboxes in Preferences -> Mail & Newsgroups: "Remember message sort order across sessions" (default on) and "Message sort order applies to all folders" (default off). The group could be labeled "Message Sorting", and could be placed at the bottom, shrinking the "Select the buttons..." group which is unnecessarily large. I've observed that it is difficult to persuade Mozilla's UI experts to add new preferences (I don't see why), but what better proof you want that these are needed, than two RFE bugs that go straight against each other?
QA Contact: gayatri → laurel
Not sure about the selected component, but confirming.
Status: UNCONFIRMED → NEW
Ever confirmed: true
QA Contact: laurel → esther
From my experience there is no use to have different sort settings for different folders, in fact I think that the behavior described by the reporter is, by far, the most common one (having the same order for every folder, and only change it temporarily). I wonder what real-world uses are there in the default behavior (perhaps somebody could tell). I think that, since when I am looking for something sorting (for example) by sender I commonly look in more than one folder, it would be better/easier for all the folders to share the order, which is just specified as you click in the headers (without any option). In the case that per folder sort is considered more useful than harmful then the only necessary option would be "Message sort order applies to all folders".
I think there is a need/use. I have filters which separate out my mailing list emails to their repective folders. Typically I like viewing my Inbox in a order received fashion but for the mailing list folders, I prefer sorted by thread. I prefer the current behaviour.
-> to default owner and QA contact. Prog.
Assignee: mscott → sspitzer
QA Contact: esther
Product: MailNews → Core
sorry for the spam. making bugzilla reflect reality as I'm not working on these bugs. filter on FOOBARCHEESE to remove these in bulk.
Assignee: sspitzer → nobody
QA Contact: backend
Product: Core → MailNews Core
wontfix? This more of a discussion point than a request. Given where we are today with v3 folder control and column sort capabilities, is this request still needed, and is it even reasonable to expect it would be accepted in core functionality?
Component: Backend → Folder and Message Lists
Product: MailNews Core → Thunderbird
QA Contact: backend → folders-message-lists
Summary: per-folder sort order and sort persistence should be optional → per-folder column sort order and sort persistence should be optional
Whiteboard: wontfix?
Version: Trunk → unspecified
Summary: per-folder column sort order and sort persistence should be optional → per-folder column sort order and sort persistence should be optional - provide a configurable default

It's annoying that after every install of Thunderbird the config editor must be opened to change the default sort order!
An option to change the default sort order is needed for simple users.

(In reply to Jozsi from comment #11)

It's annoying that after every install of Thunderbird the config editor must be opened to change the default sort order!
An option to change the default sort order is needed for simple users.

View > Sort By > Descending isn't good enough?

A user can select all folders in an account and use it.

It wouldn't be a default if users had a way to change a default. Not in my way of thinking anyway.

I've borrowed the title from one of the other bugs - which seems like a reasonable request.
It may not be exactly what the author requested - but I think it's what we mostly likely might be interested in implementing.

Summary: per-folder column sort order and sort persistence should be optional - provide a configurable default → Configurable default setting for grouping, and order for all accounts and folders

(In reply to WaltS48 [:walts48] from comment #12)

(In reply to Jozsi from comment #11)

It's annoying that after every install of Thunderbird the config editor must be opened to change the default sort order!
An option to change the default sort order is needed for simple users.

View > Sort By > Descending isn't good enough?

A user can select all folders in an account and use it.

Except that doesn't work. It appears to only operate on the first folder selected, not on all of them.
Using Thunderbird 103.0b4 on Mac.

If it did work, that would be perfect for my purposes.

Severity: normal → S3
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