| Removing Thunderbird integration (no mozeml results)? [message #1946] |
Wed, 21 May 2025 08:20  |
NivaR
Messages: 6
Registered: October 2024
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Junior Member |
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I'm running Version 8.5 build 3163 (Apple Silicon) on an M3 Macbook Pro.
I get a lot of search hits from mozeml files. I use Thunderbird as my primary email client but also run the native Mail.app which seems to generate emlx files. The mozeml results have content from more than one email for some reason. Hits from emlx files don't have this issue and render better with Quick Look and FoxTrot previewer.
I'd like to disable the Thunderbird files from the FoxTrot indexer but can't find the right setting.
I ensured both Mozilla Thunderbird options were unchecked in Settings, Files, Predefined Locations and rebuilt the Index completely. I still get the mozeml hits.
Advice appreciated.
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| Re: Removing Thunderbird integration (no mozeml results)? [message #1947 is a reply to message #1946] |
Wed, 21 May 2025 10:07  |
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 420
Registered: April 2020
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Senior Member |
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.mozeml files are files that Thunderbird creates when "Allow Spotlight to search messages" is enabled in Thunderbird's Settings / General / System Integration. They are typically stored in {home}/Library/Caches/Metadata/Thunderbird/ImapMail
These files are indexed by FoxTrot if either:
- you enabled the "Mozilla Thunderbird Spotlight Cache" predefined location in FoxTrot
- or you enable the larger "Library" predefined location
- or if you added a custom location that includes the contents of your Library folder, i.e. you whole home folder, with "invisible files and folder" checked in the "including" popup menu.
You may disable Spotlight integration in Thunderbird if you don't want this at all (you may still use the other Thunderbird predefined location if your Thunderbird account is set to store messages in individual files); or if you keep this enabled, depending of your situation:
- uncheck "mail messages" in the "index contents of files" list for your Library predefined location
- or make sure that "invisible files or folders" is not checked for your Home or whole drive custom location
- or add {home}/Library/Caches/Metadata/Thunderbird to the "skipping these subfolders" if you want to index other invisible folders
Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
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| Re: Removing Thunderbird integration (no mozeml results)? [message #1948 is a reply to message #1947] |
Wed, 21 May 2025 18:43 |
NivaR
Messages: 6
Registered: October 2024
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Junior Member |
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FoxTrot Engineering wrote on Wed, 21 May 2025 01:07 .mozeml files are files that Thunderbird creates when "Allow Spotlight to search messages" is enabled in Thunderbird's Settings / General / System Integration. They are typically store
You may disable Spotlight integration in Thunderbird if you don't want this at all (you may still use the other Thunderbird predefined location if your Thunderbird account is set to store messages in individual files); or if you keep this enabled, depending of your situation:
- uncheck "mail messages" in the "index contents of files" list for your Library predefined location
Thanks. Did this and a rebuild. The Thunderbird files don't appear anymore.
I am noticing something in the Search Results that is odd: The date associated with a Mail.app message search result is often far off from the actual date of the email as shown in the header.
1) Do a search
2) Filter by Mail Message in the leftmost column
3) Many hits in the middle column will show the same date e.g. 3/4/23
4) Each associated message will be from a different date, often 10-20 years off (I have a lot of very old emails)
Revealing the messages in Finder shows that the datestamp of the emlx file is consistent with what is shown in the middle column vs. the actual message date.
This makes sense in that with file backups, system migrations, etc. file datestamps can change.
But, is it possible to have FoxTrot look deeper into the messages and index by the actual message date vs. the datestamp on the emlx file?
This may have always been the case but I just noticed it now.
(Aside: I am not seeing this Topic on the main forum page and I am not getting a post notification. I don't recall changing any settings to make this private and Post Notification is checked)
[Updated on: Wed, 21 May 2025 19:08] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Removing Thunderbird integration (no mozeml results)? [message #1949 is a reply to message #1948] |
Thu, 22 May 2025 18:24 |
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 420
Registered: April 2020
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Senior Member |
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You are true, in some circumstances FoxTrot can use the filesystem date of the .emlx file instead of date the message was sent; we will fix this in the next release. Thanks for the report.
This should not happen if you use MailCore to import email messages; to do so, press the command and option keys when launching FoxTrot, check "manage third-party metadata importers", then enable MailCore in the "Prefer alternatives to Spotlight's importers" section. You will need to rebuild your index for the change to take effect on existing messages.
Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
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