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Local folders within an IMAP account

  • 9 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 8 views
  • Last reply by P_Puthorn

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Currently, as far as I can tell, the only way to keep archived messages off the server is to use Copies & Folders to move the Archive folder under Local Folders. However this is rather inconvenient for someone using several distinct accounts, and adds another step when searching for messages in a particular account.

Is there a method to achieve this that I've missed? Or an extension that accomplishes this?

Honestly I don't actually want to Archive mail at all... I'd rather keep all mail in my Inbox permanently but have the server copy automatically pulled after X days (just like POP does) but sadly that simply isn't possible. I thought archiving once a year was the answer, but no.

Currently, as far as I can tell, the only way to keep archived messages off the server is to use Copies & Folders to move the Archive folder under Local Folders. However this is rather inconvenient for someone using several distinct accounts, and adds another step when searching for messages in a particular account. Is there a method to achieve this that I've missed? Or an extension that accomplishes this? Honestly I don't actually want to Archive mail at all... I'd rather keep all mail in my Inbox permanently but have the server copy automatically pulled after X days (just like POP does) but sadly that simply isn't possible. I thought archiving once a year was the answer, but no.

All Replies (9)

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I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve in the first place.

In any case, accumulating messages in Inbox isn't best practice and not recommended. Keep your Inbox as tidy as possible. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Keep_it_working_-_Thunderbird

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I'm trying to conserve server space by removing server copies of older emails that don't need to be available to all devices that may connect to the account (again, just like POP with "leave a copy on the server for X days"). But I also like to keep everything in my inbox since it just makes things quicker to search for (can just use the quick filter instead of having to do a global search, which wastes clicks on setting which account, etc). The best practice way of doing it is Inbox -> Archive|Trash. I get that. But I prefer to do it as Inbox (unread) -> Inbox (read)|Trash. But I need to add the Archive step to keep quota under control. Except it doesn't unless you move Archive to Local Folders, which again is rather non-userfriendly when it comes to searching an account.

So my question remains: how do you make a folder in an IMAP account folder list be local only?

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You can't. IMAP per definition manages all mail on the server. Getting more server space would probably be your best bet.

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Yes, that's the definition of IMAP, but that doesn't mean TB can't abstract how it stores mail. I'm not asking to change anything on the server, I'm just wanting LOCAL folder changes. Mildly similar to the OFFLINE folder functionality.

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I use Saved Search folders to create virtual folders. This can link together your "live" folders and your Archive folders, so you can use folder-based searches instead.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/using-saved-searches

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I'll give that a try, thanks Zenos.

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This is not really a reply to the above topic "Local folders within an IMAP account", but rather a slight variation to the topic as the following: "Moving messages from an IMAP account Inbox into newly created folders under Tbird's 'Local Folders' for a regular POP account" .

If I have misplaced my query into the wrong topic, I would ask the Moderator to please move it to a more appropriate location so that the discussion can be continued.

Once it can be confirmed exactly where my query belongs, I shall add the relevant details to it for everyone's viewing.

Eagerly looking forward to your reply.

P Puthorn in Northern Thailand

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I'd suggest you start a new thread for the new question.

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Thanks christ1 !

I will do so under the new topic "Unable to move IMAP account Inbox messages to Local Folders".

Regards,

P Puthorn in Northern Thailand