If you have never used or received an email for an email address, so this is the first instance of it's use in Thunderbird in a new Write email which you are sending. Outgoing email addresses can be automatically added to an address book of choice. This is where this is set up: Using version 78*

• Menu app icon > Options > Composition
• Scroll down to 'Addressing' section
• Select checkbox 'Automatically add outgoing email addresses to my: ' Select Address Book.

Whilst in that section make sure you have selected the 'Local Address Books' checkbox and if appropriate in your case, the 'Directory server' checkbox and select server.

If you have received an email from X and you want to add it to the address book: select email so visible in Message Pane. The email address will have an outline star if not in address book. click on email address and select 'Add to Address Book' It is auto added to the 'Personal address book' and star will turn blue. click on email address again and you can choose 'Edit Contact' which then allows you to choose a different address book and you can also click on 'Edit details' if you need to check what is stored or add additional information.

If you used an addon previously prior to an update please check that addon is up to date to work with current version installed. To copy all the addresses in a selection of messages, there is an add-on which may be of interest to you. https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-us/thunderbird/addon/copy-address/

I am using Version 78.10.0 and following your instructions above I have check and the option 'Automatically add outgoing email addresses to my' is checked and also greyed out All the option under Addressing section is checked but 'Directory Server' and 'Automatically add outgoing email addresses to my' is greyed out so I can't select any option from the drop down 'Local Address Books' and 'Default start-up directory in the address book window' are the only option not greyed out under Addressing Section

I have also tried to click on the email address and choose add to Address book but that doesn't work either

Can you help?

Do you see the same problem (addressing options all greyed out) if you restart Thunderbird in Safe Mode: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/safe-mode-thunderbird

Yes the addressing options are still greyed out when I started Thunderbird in Safe Mode except 'Local Address Books' and 'Default start-up directory'

Can you post an image showing what you see.

The image is attached as requested

What setting is set up in the 'Account Settings' > 'Composition & Addressing' for each mail account ? 'Use my global LDAP server preferences for this account' or 'Use a different LDAP server'

Its is 'Use my global LDAP server preferences for this account'

See if there is any corruption to Thunderbird address books which may be causing the autocomplete to fail. create a folder on desktop call it 'TB AB'

In Address Book Select address book name in left pane (not 'All Address Books)

• Tools > Export
• Choose the 'TB AB' folder
• Save as type: LDIF

Repeat for each address book.

In Thunderbird

• Help > Troubleshooting Information

Under 'Application Basics - about 8th in list - Profiles

• Click on 'Open Folder'

A window opens showing contents of profile name folder

• Move only the *.sqlite and *.mab.bak files to 'TB AB' folder - as a backup of original.
• restart Thunderbird.

In Address Book

• Tools > Import
• Select 'Address Books' and click on Next
• Select 'Text file (LDIF, .tab, .csv, .txt)' and click on Next

Repeat for all the exported LDIF address books.

You said 'Move only the *.sqlite and *.mab.bak files to 'TB AB' folder - as a backup of original. restart Thunderbird' - What exactly am I moving please, is it the abook.mab?

I have attached the options I have

Thanks

The images only seem to show two address books. 'abook.mab' and 'history.mab' which are the 'Personal Address Book' and the 'Collected Addresses'. The mab files are very small, so it would seem does not contain much in the way of contacts, although the history.mab may have something in it.

But this is very odd indeed, as version 78 cannot use .mab files. In fact, they should have been automatically reformatted from mab to sqlite files when upgrading to version 78. eg: abook.sqlite and history.sqlite in order to work and the abook.mab and history.mab file should have altered to abook.mab.bak and history.mab.bak file.

So it is highly likely the 'Prefs.js' file also contains old info.

This does explain a few things. I would be surprised if you could see anything in the Thunderbird default address books.

At this point, ignore what I instructed previously as the situation has changed. I think you should try another full install to see if we cannot get those files properly created.

Exit Thunderbird.

Then uninstall Thunderbird. It should be stored here by default: C:// Program Files (x86)/Mozilla Thunderbird Delete the 'Mozilla Thunderbird' folder Then empty the computer Recycle Bin'

Get a fresh download from here: https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/all/ Choose prefered language and click on eg: Windows 64bit - (assuming you use a Windows OS 64bit computer) It should download to your 'Downloads' folder, then run to install.

Do you have more than one 'profile name' folder ?

In Thunderbird Help > Troubleshooting Information Under 'Application Basics - near the bottom - click on 'about:profiles' it will open in a new tab It should list all the profile name folders

How many do you see ?

Thank you to answer your last question regarding the number of profiles I have is 2 I have default-release folder and the default folder.

The default-release folder is the one in use

re :I have default-release folder and the default folder.

Could you check the 'default' one to see if it has eg: abook.sqlite ?

After you have performed the fresh install please report back on what you see in the 'default-release' profile regarding abook.mab, abook.sqlite etc - the images really help.

The default folder is practically empty and just has parent.lcok and times.json folder

I will try the fresh install and let you know what the result is

I tried what you recommended and Its still the same. I have attached images.

Would the fact that thunderbird profile is part of our roaming profiles ( Saved in App data) which is saved on our network

Default location for Thunderbird Program: C:\Program Files(x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird

Default location for profiles on the computer you are using: C:\Users\User Name\Appdata\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\profile name folder

Would the fact that thunderbird profile is part of our roaming profiles ( Saved in App data) which is saved on our network

Agree, this is likely to be the issue. There are a few files that did not appear to get updated when you went from version 68* to 78*.

Is there anything I can do to rectify this?