First off, I'm using the version (2.0.0.19) that is part of the Kubuntu package system; not sure if it makes a difference but may be useful. I would like to know if there is a directory or maybe even something like an XML file that maintains a list of messages for an account in Thunderbird. I know that deep within the .mozilla-thunderbird directory (within my home directory) that there are .msf files that hold the subjects but is there a place where the full message (subject, to / from, body, etc.) is stored?

I'm trying to write a shell script that evaluates information within the body of the messages, but I just need to find out how I can read the information in from a file or something. Thanks in advance for any help / info that's provided.

Messages are stored in your profile.
http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/profile
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird


complete messages are stored in MBOX format
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_...ail#Mbox_files



other options you might want to look at

fetchmail - for retrieving email http://fetchmail.berlios.de/
mailfilter - to determine what email to retrieve.. http://mailfilter.sourceforge.net/
procmail - for processing retrieved mail, sorting, launching other applications, sending notification etc.. http://www.procmail.org/