HPR3848: Editing Thunderbird email filters using vim.

Prerequisites:

• Backups of ALL your data (especially your Thunderbird directory).
  
• Confirm your backups are working as expected.
  
• Vim text editor installed with at least a basic/novice level knowledge of vim.
  
• Thunderbird email client installed with at least a basic/novice level knowledge of the Thunderbird email client.
  
• Web browser (preferably Firefox).
  

Thunderbird Directories.

I’m on a GNU/Linux system (Pop_OS!) and I have Thunderbird installed via the apt system package manager (.deb).

• System package manager install.
  • $HOME/.thunderbird/
• Snap package manager install.
  • $HOME/snap/.thunderbird/
• Flatpak package manager install.
  • $HOME/.var/.thunderbird/
• Windows 10 install.
  • C:\Users\your-account\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\
• Your Thunderbird email filters are located in this subdirectory (msgFilterRules.dat).
  • $HOME/.thunderbird/*.default-release/ImapMail/imap.email-accounts.com/msgFilterRules.dat

Vim Directories.

I’ve created subdirectories within $HOME/.config/ as a place to store my vim sessions. You may not have these directories on your system, but you can create them using the mkdir command.

• $HOME/.config/vim/sessions/session-files-here.vim

Vim session file.

I’ve created session files for purposes of editing my Thunderbird email filters. This session only stores the shortcuts needed to make flawless edits to my email filters. I will share them with you.

nnoremap <leader>1 2dw$x0:s/ OR /\rOR /g<CR>
nnoremap <leader>2 Icondition="<Esc>A"<Esc>0:s/ "$/"/<CR>
nnoremap <leader>n1 gg0VG:s/$/ /<CR>gg0VG:s/  *$/ /<CR>gg0
nnoremap <leader>s1 gg02f,<C-v>G$ugg02f,<C-v>G$:sort u<CR>gg0

Web sources.

• Article: Vim - the ubiquitous text editor
  
  • Supporting Article: Vim Documentation: The vim book (pdf file).
    
• Article: Thunderbird is a free email application that’s easy to set up and customize...
  
  • Supporting Article: Thunderbird Support site.
    
  • Supporting Article: Keyboard shortcuts. Perform common Thunderbird tasks quickly.
    
  • Supporting Article: Protect your Thunderbird passwords with a Primary Password.
    
  • Supporting Article: Organize Your Messages by Using Filters.
    
  • Supporting Article: Profiles. Where Thunderbird stores your messages and other user data.
    
• Article: Vim’s sessions, a tool to instantly save the state of everything in your current Vim session.
  

Creative work License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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