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How to schedule a filter to run frequently and move all messages in one folder to another folder?

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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.

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)

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.