# Bring back Attachment Extractor!

**URL:** <https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670>\
**Category:** Add-ons\
**Created:** [December 4, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670 "2020-12-04T21:12:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mikepatten1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/discourse.mozilla.org/mikepatten1/32/43068_2.png) [@mikepatten1](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/mikepatten1)\
**Post date:** [December 4, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/1 "2020-12-04T21:12:20Z")

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The Attachment Extractor was the most useful plugin on Thunderbird.

I’m surprised no one is maintaining it.

[https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/attachmentextractor-continued/](https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/attachmentextractor-continued/)

Praying to the coding gods.

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**Author:** ![sfhowes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@sfhowes](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/sfhowes)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/2 "2020-12-05T20:25:04Z")

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FiltaQuilla adds Save or Detach Attachments to the available filter actions. There is a version under development for 78, but those specific actions don’t yet work.

> <https://github.com/RealRaven2000/FiltaQuilla/issues/64>
>
> I just got upgraded to TB 78.0, but FiltaQuilla is disabled.

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**Author:** ![Alan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@Alan](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/Alan)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 11:43am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/3 "2020-12-26T11:43:21Z")

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I think I am at the right place. New Thunderbird version will NOT ‘open’ attachments, it insists I have to ‘save’ first. I see no Settings in Account Settings to aleter this situation.

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**Author:** ![DaveRo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@DaveRo](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/DaveRo)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/4 "2020-12-26T12:42:18Z")

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Right forum, though it would have been better to start a new topic (the + sign top right). Anyway:

I’m using TB 78.6 on Linux.  
I can open attachments. From the pull down menu labelled ‘Save’ at bottom right I can select also Open, Save as, Detach, and delete.  
If this is not true for you:

- are you running addons? If so try Help \> Restart with addons disabled
- have you got a program (app) to open that type of attachment: pdf, jpeg, etc? And what type is it you tried?
- what operating system?

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**Author:** ![Alan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@Alan](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/Alan)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 1:21pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/5 "2020-12-26T13:21:37Z")

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Dave  
Many thanks for a good considered reply, bearing in mind I am just a basic user of Thunderbird, and do not get too involved with some of the finer points. I am running Win 7. I changed computers recently so reinstalled Thunderbird. It would appear that I have a newer version, BCC on the To (address) slot became awkward but have found it, (you right click on the address) When editing the address book any ‘deletions’ shot you back to the beginning each time (on the old version)-that is now fixed -you delete an item and you stay where you are great.  
Present issue with ‘open-save’ -with an attachment a right click caused and still does give you the options ‘open’ ‘save as’ ‘detach’ ‘delete’

I am not sure about the last two , but ‘save as’ works ok- ‘open’ does not work on this new version, it insist I go to ‘save as’ which does work but is often NOT what I want to do-can you help please.  
ALAN

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**Author:** ![DaveRo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@DaveRo](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/DaveRo)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/6 "2020-12-26T14:05:20Z")

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Assuming you have no addons, you probably just need to specify to Thunderbird what program (app) it should use to open that paticular type of attachment. For example a pdf (portable document format) attachment will need a pdf reader, such as Acrobat or Sumatra to display it.  
It will be specified in options\>attachments somewhere, but as I don’t have Windows lets see if someone who does can tell you where, and what options to expect.

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**Author:** ![DaveRo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@DaveRo](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/DaveRo)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 8:37am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/bring-back-attachment-extractor/71670/7 "2020-12-27T08:37:46Z")

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CONTINUED HERE;

> [@OPEN? Please](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/open-please/72788/1):
>
> ‘OPEN’ does not work with regard to an attachment, OPEN goes straight to ‘save as’ Which works ok. OPEN worked fine on an earlier version of T Bird. Help please. ALAN