Provide the combination of AND and OR in filter creation (Boolean Logic) for Advanced Search

[dpbraune]

Currently, you can create an AND filter (this AND that AND Sam) that triggers on the match of all of the AND parameters. Similarly, you can create an OR filter (this OR that OR Sam) that triggers on the match of any of the OR parameters.  However, you can only create an AND/OR filter (this AND that) OR (Sam OR Jim) manually (by editing the filter script) that will only trigger on a match to this and that combined with either Sam or Jim. Note: this could be done with two unique filters but I have too many already.

Filter creation should provide the capability to create more complex AND/OR filters without the need for manual editing of scripts.

[TheRupp]

very similar "ideas":

• https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/message-filter-that-includes-quot-or-quot-quot-add-quot/idi-p/2...
• https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation/idi-p/...
• https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/super-filter-for-spam/idi-p/15708
• https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/enhanced-email-filters/idc-p/57656
  and the same "idea" but with a different link: https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/enhanced-email-filters/idi-p/46158
• https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/thunderbird-message-filter-enchancement/idc-p/57665

[Ludooohhh]

For now, what I do is

- create several filter rules adding the same tag to the emails I want.

And then I do whatever I want (in my case a virtual folder) with the condition "contains this tag".

A boolean search would be very helpful indeed.

[wsmwk]

Thanks for the idea.  Merging this to similar https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/forums/editpage/board-id/ideas/message-id/11013

[wsmwk]

https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation-boolea...

[wsmwk]

Actually https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation-boolea...

[wsmwk]

Thanks for the idea. Merging this to similar

Thanks for the idea.  Merging this to similar https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation-boolea...

[wsmwk]

Merging this to https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation-boolea...

[TonkNZ]

Filtering out a single email address with "Match all of the following" in combination with "Age in days" "is greater than" works fine, if you are wanting to move certain emails after so many days to the Bin for instance.

There is a bit of an issue if you have a list of email addresses in your filter with some logic operations.

The problem is that with multiple email addresses, in the one filter, you need to use "Match any of the following",  which in combination with "Age in days" "is greater than", does the filter operation on EVERYTHING in your email account, not just the email addresses listed in the filter.  Therefore you can accidentally delete all of your email rather easily!!!!!!

Obviously this problem isn't an issue if you separate each email address into its own rule. Unfortunately this creates an huge number of filters to be created.

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[4mersunse]

I want to add my voice to the "chorus" of those asking to expand the Boolean logic on filters.  In my case, I want to exclude a subset of the higher level selections.  For example: 

Filter message where A or B is true                [easily accomplished with Match any]

but Not C                                                          [where C is a subset of either A or B]

A more specific example is this: A & B represent two Email domains [e.g. nnn@xxx.com and nnn@xxx1.com  respectively], and C is an Email address in one of the two Email domains represented by A & B.  I.e. I want to filter all the messages from an Email domain except for a specific Email address.

[wsm]

This sounds to me like you are looking for criteria which can be specfied as boolean logic, which is requested at https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation-boolea....  I will merge your idea into that.

[Amerika]

Summary:
Expand the new “Add a new group” capability in Search Messages to allow more flexibility in combining multiple search conditions. See attached for current working version in betterbird.

Problem:
Currently, search criteria can be grouped, but nesting and logic control are limited. For example, a user may want to search for emails where:

• (From is jorge@mail.com OR From is felipe@gmail.com)
  AND

• (Subject contains "Project" OR Subject contains "Thunderbird")

This is possible with groups, but once groups are added, managing, reordering, and nesting them deeper becomes cumbersome. There is no easy way to:

• Nest groups inside groups (multi-level logic).

• Reorder conditions and groups via drag-and-drop.

• Save reusable condition templates.

Proposed Solution:

1. Nested Groups: Allow groups inside groups for more advanced logic (e.g., (A OR B) AND (C OR (D AND E))).

2. Drag-and-Drop Reordering: Make it possible to rearrange both individual conditions and groups with drag-and-drop.

3. Templates / Saved Conditions: Provide an option to save and re-use common groups of conditions (e.g., a set of colleagues’ emails).

4. Visual Clarity: Use indentation or collapsible panels to clearly show nested levels.

Benefits:

• More powerful search logic for advanced users.

• Easier to maintain and adjust complex searches.

• Reduces the need to rebuild common search conditions repeatedly.

• This has been already developed in betterbird and the code base has been already submitted to thunderbird.

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[wsm]

The global search equivalent of this is https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/provide-the-combination-of-and-and-or-in-filter-creation-boolea....

I suspect it is more likely that boolean search will come to global search.