Thunderbird - add ability to manually sort (order) folders in folder pane

[Itagaki]

Thunderbird can move folders to different hierarchies using drag and drop. However, it is not possible to move them within the same hierarchy, i.e. reorder them.

The "Manually sort folders" add-on had helped to sort folders, but with Thunderbird 115 (Supernova), it is no longer available. It is time to make it a proper feature.

I was involved in the development of the add-on to make it Thunderbird 78 compatible and later as a collaborator. So, as an option, I have considered developing another add-on for Thunderbird 115. This may not be impossible. (John is providing a POC.) But I would like to consider implementing the ability to sort folders properly in Thunderbird.

My current thinking and the work required has been described here.

1846550 - add ability to manually sort (order) folders in folder pane (mozilla.org)

[TheTolkienist]

A massive thank you to Itagaki for his hard work on this - I haven't updated my TB in what feels like years as this was beyond annoying that I could not chose my own order for my folders. Now I can finally be up to date again, thank you!

[TwinkleStar]

How to auto sort several of my local Folders. I have many in random order... and would like to auto sort them.

[Itagaki]

@TwinkleStar 

> How to auto sort several of my local Folders. I have many in random order... and would like to auto sort them.

Although it is not included in the current version 140, a future version (perhaps 142) will allow users to reset the order of subfolders back to the default. Normal folders will then be arranged in alphabetically.

[rafisz]

In my TB installation, I also have folders in a random order. I can't manually arrange them because TB already sorts them in a known order. Is there a bug in version 140?

[Itagaki]

@rafisz 

> In my TB installation, I also have folders in a random order. I can't manually arrange them because TB already sorts them in a known order. Is there a bug in version 140?

Yes. It was a bug in 139/140. Already been fixed in 141.

[Stekar]

I have the same problem. Whereas in a pc running the nightly 139 version works well, on another pc running version 140 neither stores my order, plus I get problems moving folders of my Local Folders. At times a folder I want to move goes up on top of all and won't move away from there. It's really buggy. On my main pc I still use the 102.15.1 version where the add-on still works and I won't update Thunderbird unless there is a version free of sorting problems.

[Stekar]

I installed version 141 on my pc as an upgrade on version 140 and the sorting was buggy as before. But since I had done a clear install on another pc that only had the nightly version and all worked perfectly well, I tried unistalling completely Thunderbird from my pc, including all its AppData folders, and made a fresh install of version 141. Then I moved my profile from the 102.15.1 version there and run Thunderbird. Now sorting my Local Folders works perfectly well. Other users may come across the same problem, so I mention it here. Again, many thanks to Igataki for his dedicated work on this issue.

[jandavid]

What's the logic how folders are sorted currently? It doesn't seem to be alphabetically, and neither does it seem to be by date created. Trying to figure out what the logic is hoping to manipulate it...

[Itagaki]

Let me explain what happened.

The 139 nightly build that incorporated my patch was worked as expected.

However, before the official release of 139, someone on the Thunderbird team refactored part of my code, which inadvertently causing a degradation. I reported the issue, and the fix was added to the 141 branch. So, 141 should be fine now. The fix has probably been backported to 139 and 140 as well.

The problem was that when a new subfolder was added to a folder with rearranged subfolders, it was placed before the first special folder, such as Trash.

In the specifications that I designed and implemented, subfolders within a folder (or account) will be sorted in the conventional order if they have not been manually sorted yet. That is, in the following order:
1. Inbox
2. Drafts
3. Templates
4. Archive
5. Junk
6. Trash
7. Virtual
8. Queue
9. Normal subfolders in alphabetical order

When a new subfolder is added, the following applies:
If no sibling folders have been rearranged yet, the order remains as described above.
If sibling folders have been rearranged, the new subfolder is placed immediately before the first sibling folder that comes after it alphabetically (excluding special folders).

[Itagaki]

Let me explain what happened.

The 139 nightly build that incorporated my patch was worked as expected.

However, before the official release of 139, someone on the Thunderbird team refactored part of my code, which inadvertently causing a degradation. I reported the issue, and the fix was added to the 141 branch. So, 141 should be fine now. The fix has probably been backported to 139 and 140 as well.

The problem was that when a new subfolder was added to a folder with rearranged subfolders, it was placed before the first special folder, such as Trash.

@Stekar Thank you for the useful report!

[Itagaki]

In the specifications that I designed and implemented, subfolders within a folder (or account) will be sorted in the conventional order if they have not been manually sorted yet. That is, in the following order:
1. Inbox
2. Drafts
3. Templates
4. Archive
5. Junk
6. Trash
7. Virtual
8. Queue
9. Normal subfolders in alphabetical order

When a new subfolder is added, the following applies:
If no sibling folders have been rearranged yet, the order remains as described above.
If sibling folders have been rearranged, the new subfolder is placed immediately before the first sibling folder that comes after it alphabetically (excluding special folders).

[B_Billy2112]

Thanks @Itagaki for the hard work on this!

I'm having trouble dragging/dropping folders to where I'd like them; I wind up just moving them into other folders.  Am I missing something?

[AlainCh2]

@B_Billy2112 
"I'm having trouble dragging/dropping folders to where I'd like them; I wind up just moving them into other folders.  Am I missing something?"

I got this issue trying to use TB feature after having ADD-ON for year!

-> take care because the indicator for the intended position is very small and there is a fast response as well

Solved this way:
Move near the intended position...
 * probably a subfolder list will open
  * keep the mouse pressed and move the pointer over the mails list
 * wait few seconds ... the subfolder will close again
-> now re-enter sidewise in the exact position you intend for you moved folder

------------------------> !!WRONG!! 🙄

--> redo  😂 ...and learn the exact position as TB intend it !

( sorry I'm not good for a Screen-Recorded session - Have to learn that )


D U H  ! ! !   ->

    <-   Y E S !!!!   Success !!!

[AlainCh2]

@B_Billy2112 
"I'm having trouble dragging/dropping folders to where I'd like them; I wind up just moving them into other folders.  Am I missing something?"

I got this issue trying to use TB feature after having ADD-ON for year!

**** take care ****
because the indicator for the intended position is very small and there is a fast response as well

Solved this way:
Move near the intended position...
 * probably a subfolder list will open
  * keep the mouse pressed and move the pointer over the mails list
 * wait few seconds ... the subfolder will close again
----* now re-enter sidewise in the exact position you intend for you moved folder

-----------------    > !!WRONG!! 🙄

*********  redo ********* 😂
...and learn the exact position as TB intend it !

( sorry I'm not good for a Screen-Recorded session - Have to learn that )


D U H  ! ! !   

    <   Y E S !!!!   Success !!!

[AlainCh2]

( sorry I'm not good for a Screen-Recorded session - Have to learn that )


D U H  ! ! !   

    <   Y E S !!!!   Success !!!