How to schedule a filter to run frequently and move all messages in one folder to another folder?
I'd like to create a filter that runs at regular intervals to move all messages in one folder (not the Inbox) to another folder -- but don't see a way to do it.
The interval can be most anything, such as once a day, every few minutes, or when getting new messages. The key requirements are that it run regularly and act on a specific folder only.
I found some add-ons that might work, but didn't find one that works with Thunderbird 68.12.0.
All Replies (6)
Filters can be run manually on any folder, but run automatically only on the Inbox. I can't find a reference at the moment, but the ability to run filters automatically on other folders has probably been requested in the past.
Thanks, sfhowes. Yes, that's my understanding of how TB filters work. But I'm hoping there might be an add-on that performs this type of scheduling that works with TB 68.12.0 and later.
Although I'd like this scheduling function (moving all messages in one folder to another folder once a day) to be accomplished by TB or a TB add-on, since this is an IMAP account, it can be done by any email client that supports this capability -- and I'm okay with keeping such a client running at all times even though it wouldn't be used for composing and/or reading email.
Since all of the account inboxes are updated per your timing settings, just have a filter attached to "getting new messages" - the filter itself doesn't need to do anything with the inbox and can instead move objects from other mailboxes.
E.g.: setup a new account that checks mail once daily (could duplicate another account) ... and attach the filter to this new account and getting mail.
Modified by GWild55
Thanks, GWild55.
As sfhowes related, the filters run automatically only on the Inbox. (in fact, I think they run on all just-received messages that normally would end up in the Inbox)
In any case, even if another account is created, I don't see a way to automatically run a filter on a folder (not the Inbox folder) -- and my requirement is to move all messages in a non-Inbox folder to another folder.
There is clearly a way to do this (and it's the way I'm doing it now) by manually running a filter on my non-Inbox folder.
I've had filters move files from folders other than the inbox - like files I had intentionally moved to a saved folder - during automatic filter runs. So I do not believe a file in the sent folder is immune from being moved during a automatic filter run. Any matching file in the folder (or subfolders) are subject to a move function and why order of filters is important.
I could be wrong - maybe 78 works differently now - but I've done this before; though it was by accident, and not something I was doing intentionally.
The problem is that I don't see anywhere in the parameters of a single filter (the window titled Filter Rules) to specify what folder to act on.
I want to move only the messages in folder A to folder B. The TB filter rule allows folder B to be specified, but not folder A.