Solved File context menu ‘Send to>Mail Recipient’ no longer works

OAT · Mar 19, 2023

wiganken said:
@OAT - That worked. Brilliant. I now see Thunderbird in the Send to list and clicking on it launches Thunderbird and attaches the file to a new message ready to send when ready.

There was just a slight omission in your Send to path but I am not complaining. I am happy.
You wrote %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
Should be %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

As you can see I found the 'Send To' folder but there is no desktop.ini file so I cant check its contents. This does not concern me since my problem is solved.

Thank you all for your monumental efforts.

Interesting as the path that works for you does not work for me.
The path I indicated works for me. In order to see the .ini, you need to unhide system files.

Edwin · Mar 19, 2023

Try3 said:
I'm not sure what you are asking.
The diagram you posted shows an empty Subject line already.
If you want to know how to use that Context menu entry just to open Thunderbird with no file attached then I'd suggest just trying it with no file selected.

Denis

I dunno..., I ran across it a few times where you could add 'subject <null>', or something like that, so it would automatically skip this part:
(Just can't remember where or how)

Try3 · Mar 19, 2023

Edwin,

I have never used Thunderbird.
I imagine that, if there is a solution, it will be in an application setting or in an add-in.

All the best,
Denis

Try3 · Mar 19, 2023

OAT said:
Interesting as the path that works for you does not work for me.

My %AppData% variable is, like yours, C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Roaming
Perhaps this is just a misunderstanding.

Denis

OAT · Mar 19, 2023

@Edwin
How about this example for you?

thunderbird -compose "to='john@example.com,kathy@example.com',cc='britney@example.com',subject='dinner',body='How about dinner tonight?',attachment='C:\temp\info.doc,C:\temp\food.doc'"

Now the single and double quotes are going to be fun to set up in the reg or in a shortcut!
Good luck.

Edwin · Mar 19, 2023

OAT said:
Now the single and double quotes are going to be fun to set up in the reg or in a shortcut!
Good luck.

Thanks, I'll play around with it.

Try3 · Mar 19, 2023

And now I'm baffled.
I do not see how that example relates to your desire to avoid having an entry in the Subject line when you send.

Denis

OAT · Mar 19, 2023

Try3 said:
And now I'm baffled.
I do not see how that example relates to your desire to avoid having an entry in the Subject line when you send.

Denis

Change subject='dinner' to subject=' ' maybe?
@Edwin only knows, but that example provides all the available parameters that Thunderbird uses.
Could come handy.

Try3 · Mar 19, 2023

But it's the application that objects when Send is pressed - using the dialog that Edwin posted.
[Outlook does not object]
Perhaps there is something in TB options or a TB add-in that can help???

Denis

Edwin · Mar 19, 2023

OAT said:
Change subject='dinner' to subject=' ' maybe?

Naw, didn't work! Tried 100's of combinations!

Edwin · Mar 19, 2023

Okay...,
The custom Root Menu entry works for Thunderbird.

The Expanded Send To folder also works...

eM Client and Thunderbird also work as Desktop or Taskbar drag n drops...

Thunderbird is the only one that will open a Compose window only with attachment attached...,
the other clients have to be running in the background.

However, eM Client is the winner...

Try3 · Mar 20, 2023

Edwin said:
Thunderbird is the only one that will open a Compose window only with attachment attached...,
the other clients have to be running in the background.

Incorrect.

As stated earlier, I can do this with MSOffice Outlook [2007 & 2021].
It does not have to be running already.
My SendTo shortcut starts from scratch and opens a 'compose' window with the selected files attached.

All the best,
Denis

Edwin · Mar 20, 2023

Try3 said:
As stated earlier, I can do this with MSOffice Outlook [2007 & 2021].
It does not have to be running already.
My SendTo shortcut starts from scratch and opens a 'compose' window with the selected files attached.

You're right! My bad, sorry!

sh1nzee · Sep 10, 2023

I solved this problem using a vbscript instead of the Thunderbird shortcut in SentTo.

The script correctly retrieves the files selected in Explorer and then regenerates the command line allowing Thunderbird to compose an email with the attachments.

Code:

Option Explicit

Const sTBpath = "D:\Apps\Thunderbird\Thunderbird.exe", _
      sSubject = "Files sending"

Call Main()

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Sub Main()
  Dim vArgs, sArg, aArgs, iArg, sCmd

  sCmd = sTBpath & " -compose attachment='$attachment',subject='$subject'"""
  Set vArgs = Wscript.Arguments

  ReDim aArgs(vArgs.Count-1)
    For Each sArg In vArgs
      aArgs(iArg) = sArg
      iArg = iArg + 1
  Next

  sCmd = Replace(Replace(sCmd, _
         "$subject", sSubject), _
         "$attachment", Join(aArgs, ","))

  'MsgBox sCmd 'For debuging
  WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run sCmd, 1
End Sub

Create a new file and copy/paste the script into it.
Change the location of Thunderbird, the subject of the message you prefer
Save the script anything you like, for example "SendToTB.vbs", and put a shortcut to it in the SendTo folder.

cbreemer · Oct 26, 2023

I'm a bit late to the party but I noticed various long pathnames for the SendTo folder being used in this thread. Too complicated ! I've always used Shell:SendTo, and that's worked for me through a number of Windows versions.

noigped · Feb 27, 2024

cbreemer said:
I'm a bit late to the party but I noticed various long pathnames for the SendTo folder being used in this thread. Too complicated ! I've always used Shell:SendTo, and that's worked for me through a number of Windows versions.

Hello all,
I searched widely because I had the problem with 'file - RHC- send to email recipient'.
Finally I managed with the following solution. Works perfectly.

Try3 · Feb 27, 2024

cbreemer said:
I noticed various long pathnames for the SendTo folder being used in this thread. Too complicated ! I've always used Shell:SendTo

It's only got to be written into a shortcut once so it does not matter much.
Your version would be written as
explorer Shell:SendTo
in a shortcut's Target field.
My own shortcut is to
C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
but is no more valid than yours.

All the best,
Denis

cbreemer · Feb 28, 2024

Try3 said:
It's only got to be written into a shortcut once so it does not matter much.
Your version would be written as
explorer Shell:SendTo
in a shortcut's Target field.

I've never thought of creating a shortcut for this folder. Indeed in that case it does not matter much.

But I've always typed Windows-R, then shell:sendto to open the SendTo folder. That's why it matters to me to have a short and sharp name instead of having to remember and type the mindbogglingly convolute actual pathname. How does MS come up with paths like that ? And then FFS change them between Windows versions ?

Try3 · Feb 28, 2024

cbreemer said:
Is that something people do ?

Yes.
If it does not suit you then fine.

It suits me. I have all my frequently-needed locations set up in shortcuts that I keep arranged in a Taskbar Toolbar [for which, in Windows 11, I need to run ExplorerPatcher].
Taskbar Toolbars - Creating and naming, customising, moving - TenForums
New Version of ExplorerPatcher - ElevenForum

Denis

cbreemer · Feb 28, 2024

Try3 said:
Yes.
If it does not suit you then fine.

It suits me. I have all my frequently-needed locations set up in shortcuts that I keep arranged in a Taskbar Toolbar [for which, in Windows 11, I need to run ExplorerPatcher].
Taskbar Toolbars - Creating and naming, customising, moving - TenForums
New Version of ExplorerPatcher - ElevenForum

Denis

Makes sense now.
Thanks for the tip on ExplorerPatcher ! Great to have a lot of Windows 10 functionality back. I'm disappointed though that I still cannot drop a shortcut onto the taskbar like I could in Windows 10, and there is no 'Pin to Taskbar' menu option. When I try to drop a shortcut, a balloon tooltip appears saying 'Pin to Google Chrome" !?!?
I'll study your tutorial on customizing the taskbar toolbars. Great work.