[BAA Comets] MPC reports via Mozilla Thunderbird

[Peter Carson]

Hi All,

If you’re using Mozilla Thunderbird to send your astrometry reports to the MPC you might need to be aware that a recent update to the email software has introduced a “compulsory” plain text line wrap at space 72. There is no easily selectable option to prevent the text wrap which of course means the MPC computer won’t read the observations in your report.

I’m no IT expert but having searched long and hard I’ve discovered that you can change parameters in the Advanced Configuration Editor to prevent the text wrap.

Instructions:
On the Thunderbird home page go to “View settings for this account”. 
Select Composition and Addressing from the left hand list of options in the account settings window.
Click the “Global Composing Preferences” button which brings up an options window.
Click the Advanced symbol on the right hand end of the top panel.
Click the Config Editor button which brings up a warning “Here be dragons!”
Click the blue “I accept the risk” button.
In the search bar enter “mailnews.wraplength” and enter.
Double click on the line reading mailnewswraplength and that brings up an integer value box.
Enter the value 0 (for no text wrap) and click OK.
Close the window and the jobs done. 

Why is it that difficult!! My astrometry reports are now accepted by the MPC using Mozilla Thunderbird.

All the best

Peter Carson
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