Search for text in "any" message in a mail folder

[nei1]

Dear Ma'ams and Sirs,

I would like to select an email folder, and do a Search For Text, to see if any emails within that folder contain my search item.

I imagine a function where Eudora will open a window and list any emails within that folder that contain the search term; then I may select and open them individually.

I can't find the function. Is it in there, somewhere?

I'm running Eudora 5.2.1 in Free, unregistered, light-mode under Windows98II.

Gracias,
-Neil-

 

[jrbarnett]

Hi,

My 4.2.1 in paid mode has this function - right click at the top of the mailbox and choose Find. I think it unlikely that a feature this useful (and it is very useful) would be removed in newer versions, so I can only suggest that you either upgrade to sponsored mode and put up with the ads or fork out for the registration.

John

 

[Paddytray]

Here's what I do;

Open a DOS window and use LIST.COM to search for a word in the mailbox files. They are named IN.MBX, OUT.MBX, TRASH.MBX, etc..
The .MBX files are in text format.
LIST.COM is a free program, but you could use other text readers that have a word search feature. Wordpad is one.
My mailbox files are kept in the same folder as the Eudora program, but yours may not, then you'd have to search for the folder they are in.

 

[jrbarnett]

You could I suppose use the Windows find files and folders in files *.mbx in your Eudora mailbox location.

John

 

[MrSki]

I am using 5.2.1 as well. You can hit CTRL+F to open the FIND window and select all mailboxes or just selected ones. Then you can enter the text you are looking for and define the paramters. Indeed a very useful tool, especially with thousands of messages in archives!



Mitch Duszynski
Web Developer
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825
Tel: 217-351-5076 x2474 | Fax: 217-351-2674
mitchd@hkusa.com |

http://www.humankinetics.com

 

[nei1]

Dear Ma'ams and Sirs,

Ah! Mr. Ski got it with the Ctrl-F.

I had hit Ctrl-F by mistake, when I was searching for text within a message. In that case, the proper keystrokes are Shft-Ctrl-F.

Therefore, I would always utter something unmentionable when I hit Ctrl-F by mistake. This crazy window would come up, and I had no idea what the function was for, and I would close it immediately.

Seems that the crazy window was the function I've been looking for, the one for searching for text anywhere within a mailbox. In fact, with the row of checkboxes, you can select as many mailboxes as you want to include in the search, which is terribly useful. Real nice.

It just looked different, and I didn't realize I was looking right at it.

On a side note, I would never suggest that Eudora should follow the Microsoft standard that Ctrl-F should be used for Search (within a window), and maybe Ctrl-Shft-F should have been used for the more global search. After all, I sought out Eudora to get away from them... I can get used to this arrangement.

Opening the *.mbx files is an interesting exercise, but it looks like HTML, and tough to work with. Tried to "Open With" Internet Explorer, but nothing happened (which was kinda rude of my computer).

JRBarnett has E4.2.1, and suggested right-clicking on the top of the mailbox. I opened a mailbox, and right-clicked on the Title Bar, if that's what you meant, JR. Nothing happens with E5.2.1, no right-click menu here.

I read your faq13-3528, JR, about How to Secure Eudora Against Viruses and Other Malware. Thanks for the article; I made the suggested changes, and there seems to be no change in the way E5 appears to me, so thanks again for making it safer.

If you're getting a notion to upgrade to E5, JR, let me warn you: When I open the program, it is a real drain on my Win98 resources. Maybe it's the way all the incoming messages filter into their own mailboxes, and each mailbox with a new message opens up into its own window. Also, after working in Eudora for a while and closing it, it doesn't return all my resources. I would recommend E5 for WinXP or later, since XP doesn't have resource issues. Else stick with the earlier version of Eudora that was contemporary for your older operating system.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Best luck,
-Neil-

 

[jrbarnett]

Neil,

Apologies for the delay in replying - I have now got back from my (much needed) holiday. Two weeks and not a PC, telephone or email in sight. What I meant was that you click the mailbox name and right click and choose find messages, or the top level mailbox which changes depending upon where you have the messages stored.

John