search status stuck at "Searching ..."
Categories
(Thunderbird :: Mail Window Front End, defect)
Tracking
(Not tracked)
People
(Reporter: hrdubwd, Unassigned)
Details
(Keywords: dupeme)
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64; rv:87.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/87.0
Steps to reproduce:
Search
Actual results:
Status bar simply says "Searching ...", progress bar solid green.
Expected results:
Show progress with current folder name in status bar, and properly incrementing progress bar.
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Comment 1•5 years ago
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Which problem would that solve? This ticket describes a solution but not an underlying problem...
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Reporter | |
Comment 2•5 years ago
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The problem is that one has no idea what is actually happening. With a very large set of folders, the search order is unknowable, and given the poor selectivity in folders to search it is impossible to know when it is reasonable to abandon a search. It is only about clarity, it is true, but such information is commonplace in most other similar contexts. It was marked as an ehancement request, not a bug, but it is surely odd that the progress bar is no such thing.
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Updated•4 years ago
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There is not much information provided other than you are searching a very large set of folders and the search says it is still searching.
Are you new to Thunderbird? It is entirely possible you are not using the best search method for the particular search required.
If searching for something in 'Body' content, it may not work so well if you have some imap folders downloading headers only.
There are different search methods which are used for different search requirements.
Quick Filter Bar, Global Search, Find > Search Messages, Windows search.
What search method are you talking about?
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Reporter | |
Comment 4•4 years ago
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Certainly, new to TB, but I explore as far as I can before making a report.
Large number of folders, indeed, but no IMAP at all - it does not suit. I have everything local.
I was referring to the search function obtainable on the Local Folders page that opens a new window. That has the progress bar. (Same as Ctrl-Shift-F)
I never use Windows search - indexing disabled.
Quick filter bar (Ctrl-K?) - that has proved to be inconsistent on occasions.
Global Search: same as Ctrl-K, no? It looks the same.
It sounds like you may be unsure of which method to use in specific situations.
I was referring to the search function obtainable on the Local Folders page that opens a new window.
You are using the 'Menu app icon > Find > Search Messages' method.
It is entirely possible you have set up parameters that are very general and so could be included in many emails etc. Again I could offer more advise if I were to understand more about your setup. You mention 'Local Folders', if you have pop accounts you could be using 'Global Inbox' set up or not. However, this is not a Help Forum, so is the wrong place to explore your situation.
If you need help/guidance and info on the various search functions, please create a question in the Thunderbird Support Forum and then post a link to it so I can locate it.
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Reporter | |
Comment 6•4 years ago
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Could I refer you to the original point?
"The problem is that one has no idea what is actually happening. With a very large set of folders, the search order is unknowable, and given the poor selectivity in folders to search it is impossible to know when it is reasonable to abandon a search. It is only about clarity, it is true, but such information is commonplace in most other similar contexts. "
This is not about what and how to search, but about the display of useful, valid progress information. I am not looking for help, just pointing out that it does not behave as one might expect. Indeed, when "Done" shows and plainly it has not finished we have a problem there as well.
and given the poor selectivity in folders to search
This tells me you are not aware of how to select very specific folders in any account. As suggested perhaps you need advise but this is a matter for the Thunderbird Support forum.
display of useful, valid progress information - The problem is that one has no idea what is actually happening.
When you select specific folder(s) to search then it is very obvious what the search is searching within. If all your mail is organised into lots of folders as you stated then it would seem a search should be easier to target specific folders. But I do not know the parameters and details of the search you are attempting. When using the correct search method for the type of search you require, the search is usually performed quickly. A progress green bar is already used to indicate the search is in progress and usually it flashes up so quickly and is then gone and the X number of matches is shown.
If by useful, valid progress information means show name of file being searched you could be staring at a rapidly flashing text would be equally as futile.
when "Done" shows and plainly it has not finished
The fact that you appear to be stuck in a search means there is likely to be more going on and this forum is not the place to discuss that problem. It does not mean there is a bug nor does it mean what is asked to be searched is incomplete.
If the search is Done and nothing is displaying then you may be selecting parameters which cancel each other out - I do not know.
You have an issue which might be resolved by compacting folders and then resetting the global database data which may be out of date etc or choosing the correct search method, but at this point I do not know. I've had people using the 'Find' > Search messages' and they were trying to search a 'From' based on a display name they set up in their address book and became confused when there were no matches.
Requesting flashing text showing file name is not going to offer you any helpful information if the problem has nothing to do with the file being searched. It is just data for the sake of it.
If "it does not behave as one might expect" when perhaps the majority of Thunderbird users do not have a problem then one would need to ask for help to find out what is going on and try to rule out potential causes.
You may not be looking for help, but that does not mean you may not need help.
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Reporter | |
Comment 8•4 years ago
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If I want search all, I have no choice. I know how to pick a single folder, but aif you select several in the tree a search is not available.
I have many nested folders. I simply ask to see how far the search has got.
Stuck search: there is nothing else going on.
Cancelling parameters? A simple search is all I am attempting.
Global database has been reset: no help.
"usually it flashes up so quickly"- well, I have never, ever seen that. It has always been dead slow.
Help? Please. I have been using computers of many kinds for > 50 years. I do my homework as best I can before wasting anybody's time. I struggle on the basis that I am missing something. If I fail to resolve it I then try to report what I find. If there is no interest, fine.
I give up.
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Reporter | |
Comment 9•4 years ago
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BTW: I have several thousands of message archived, and the folder selection problem has been recognized elsewhere.
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Comment 10•4 years ago
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Some of the support comments here are not helpful. Stuck on "Searching" is an old bug and certainly not invalid.
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Comment 11•4 years ago
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(In reply to alta88 from comment #10)
Some of the support comments here are not helpful. Stuck on "Searching" is an old bug and certainly not invalid.
Good point alta88. "Searching..." in this context indicates the backend folder search/looking for folders is still in progress.
Not fatal flaw, though perhaps confusing. It's not likely anything that will be fixed soon - bigger issues take priority.
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Comment 12•4 years ago
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IMO such a visible UI stuck status is quite more than just confusing. And higher priority than a bad dark theme, for example.
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Reporter | |
Comment 13•4 years ago
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Thanks, chaps. Apologies if it is a dup. - I did try to check that first.
It is more than confusing, it is quite misleading.
If it is about looking for folders, given that they are all local, it is even worse because that means that the file structure in the Profiles | Mail | Local folders is somehow not recognized or scrambled in the db.
If folders are not being dealt with properly, I can have no confidence in search results - and that matters a great deal for me because I have to be able find scattered material and rely on it.
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