[SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

Sector11 · 2016-12-08 15:06:28

Yes ... but viewing the same emails directly in icedove they show Unicode and are messed up.

So close .. but no BINGO!

johnraff · 2016-12-09 07:31:28

Is this possible?
>
(in Icedove)
1) right-click a "bad" messsage in your inbox, choose "edit as new message"
2) edit out any personal info
3) send it to yourself
4) when the new message arrives, check if it still evokes the "unicode" view when you open it, and bad display

If it's still bad, repeat the above process, but send it to me instead. I'll see how it looks on my Icedove.

Sector11 · 2016-12-09 14:58:42

OK.
in icedove:
1. - done
2. - done
3. - done - to icedove account and to me at my claws-mail account
3a - icedove: still evokes unicode and bad accented characters
3b - claws-mail: uses text format and the accented characters all showed correctly.

Repeated the above process and sent to you.

johnraff · 2016-12-10 08:39:49

OK, the message I got showed up with "western" set, not "unicode" and so displayed fine. (Switch to "unicode" to see the same bad characters as you.)

So we have to find out what triggers that default choice...

EDIT: One more thing to check:
Right-click "Inbox" under "Local folders", choose "properties" and make sure that the checkbox (it says "Apply encoding to all messages in the folder..." under the "Fallback Text Encoding" setting is not checked. If that was checked it might have been imposing the "unicode" default. (You also might try setting that fallback encoding to ISO-8859-1anyway, for cases where auto-detection fails.)

Or, you could try this:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/quest … wer-543196
Encoding in email is such a pain, and my settings are all working OK now, so I don't want to mess anything up. Hence, I haven't actually tested the above myself. (The OP had the opposite problem to you: he wanted "unicode" but kept getting ISO-8859-1 )

But also see:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1139135

Last edited by johnraff (2016-12-10 09:18:31)

Sector11 · 2016-12-10 14:10:24

I have gone through every setting I can find - I've overlooked something somewhere.

mozillaZine - Chacter Encoding says:

For normal use, do not check the box "Use the default character encoding in replies". If you check that box, it can cause problems for people who receive your replies.
1. Originally "not checked" as noted above
2. Changed to "checked" during this process
3. And as of now "Not Checked" again
For normal use, do not check the box "Apply the default character encoding to all incoming messages". If you check that box, it can cause problems for you when you read messages you receive.
1. I can not find this option

Going crazy ...

g33zr · 2016-12-10 19:16:25

I'm trying to think, but nothing happens.... So I went back your first post and noted the date was 11/19. Was there a BL, Mozilla, or IceDove update before that, which may be the culprit? Do you have the same problem with another email app (e.g., gmail)? 8)

Sector11 · 2016-12-10 20:08:19

I only have icedove and claws-mail, claws is pure text mail and behaves as expected. I have no other email accounts.

Well, that's not true, but may as well be. We each have a 'fake' gmail account that we never bother with for 'Andriod' - never sent anything using them, never checked to see if we have mail in them.

Interesting, I cannot remember when the last time it updated. Now I have:

  $ apt list -a icedove
Listing... Done
icedove/stable,now 1:45.4.0-1~deb8u1 amd64 [installed]
icedove/stable 1:45.2.0-1~deb8u1 amd64

  $ icedove -v
 Icedove 45.4.0

added to OP as well.

Sector11 · 2016-12-11 00:16:28

SOLVED!

And how it changed I have NO IDEA, I never knew I could do this - but I clicked on the "Inbox" folder then: Properties ... ¿HUH?

The Inbox properties box looked like this, so I cleared that "Apply encoding to all messages ..." box and the Spanish Accents snapped into place, didn't need to set it to "Western" at all.
Some things I've read recently state that Icedove defaults to using "Unicode UTF-8" anyway. I found that a lot of my folders had different settings. Some with "Western" some others with the "Apply encoding ..." box checked it was a hodge-podge of choices - very strange.

They ALL look like my "Inbox" now.

Thank you everyone.
Have a GREAT DAY!

johnraff · 2016-12-11 04:50:25

Hey, you missed this, 4 posts back?

johnraff wrote:

EDIT: One more thing to check:
Right-click "Inbox" under "Local folders", choose "properties" and make sure that the checkbox (it says "Apply encoding to all messages in the folder..." under the "Fallback Text Encoding" setting is not checked. If that was checked it might have been imposing the "unicode" default. (You also might try setting that fallback encoding to ISO-8859-1anyway, for cases where auto-detection fails.)

Anyway, great news you got it!

Sector11 · 2016-12-11 05:16:08

SAY WHAT! OOPS! Sorry John, I was all over the place today trying things looking in about:config, checking the net ... {sigh}

OK, I owe ya a beer! :8 8o

ohnonot · 2016-12-12 22:19:33

Sector11 wrote:

The Inbox properties box looked like this,

i remember once stumbling about this, too.
it's not part of the preferences ui, and the only way to access it is by right-clicking a folder.
not the best ui design, to put it mildly.

Sector11 · 2016-12-12 23:42:18

I have searched the inter-web high and low. I joined the mozillazine.org forums and asked there - not a single response. The people here have been fantastic ... you and john mostly. It stumped HoaS and he knows EVERYTHING oe knows where to find it at least. Even TheBLbabbler pitched in. (Take that as a compliment BLwbg)

Great community we have here in The Lab!

Now to continue - it is absolutely a STUPID thing to do putting it there, it should be in "Preferences"

It's akin to buying a "new" car.

Salesman says,
Here's your papers. Now, if you can find the keys, you can drive it home!"

And not just "a" folder - all of them, one - at - a - time!

#41 2016-12-08 15:06:28

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#42 2016-12-09 07:31:28

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#43 2016-12-09 14:58:42

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#44 2016-12-10 08:39:49

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#45 2016-12-10 14:10:24

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#46 2016-12-10 19:16:25

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#47 2016-12-10 20:08:19

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#48 2016-12-11 00:16:28

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#49 2016-12-11 04:50:25

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#50 2016-12-11 05:16:08

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#51 2016-12-12 22:19:33

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

#52 2016-12-12 23:42:18

Re: [SOLVED] Fixing Icedove character encoding

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