Tried to Move a Folder with Subfolders & Messages but it did not work fully
As far as I know, Drag n Drop should work - but not into or out of any IMAP account. Only between Local folders and folders in POP accounts.
I moved a subfolder (Clients) under Inbox in a POP account to Local Folders. All the subfolders (a folder for each client) moved, or I should say, copied, as all the folders remained under the original POP account. Also, only four of about 60-70 folders' messages copied as well.
How do I fix this? Is there some way to safely ensure a successful movement? I don't want them in both places.
Help!!
Note that the reason I am moving is simply reorganizing. As well, my providers are now offering IMAP so the only way I know how to "convert" an account from POP to IMAP is to turn off the POP and create a new account. I've done this successfully with two email addresses, but I want to also move the old email subfolders as well.
All Replies (5)
IMAP's folders are at the server and you have a copy. the emails are synced betwen those folders. If you try to drag and drop (thats move) an IMAP- folder outside of the server that cant be done. What should happend with the servers folder? If you could move irt, it would be recreated, emals downloaded to be synced with the servers folder. You can move all the contents (it will marking them as deleted in yours and the servers folder) and (depending how you set it up) it will be deleted from your folder and the server's when you compact that folder. How emails work (Cris Ramsden)
I have a filter set up that moves all emails older than 7 days to a local folder. I keep it there for a month and then automatically (folders retention policy) delete them except those with a star.
A simple way to move old your mboxes from your old accounts is exporting or Make a subfolder in Local folders EXIT Tbird just simple move all your mboxes (thats files with foldernames but no extension) from <profil>MAIL/<old not working account> to <profile> \MAIL\Local folder\ <subfolder>
Modified by Gnospen
Let me rephrase. I'm caught in between. I tried to move a subfolder (full of folders and messages) from a POP account in TB to the Local Folders.
(Just ignore that I'm converting that POP account to IMAP - it's the saved, organized folders of msgs that I'm trying to move).
After my drag & drop, the subfolder/next-level-subfolders all showed up in Local Folders. But only four subfolders' messages copied. The originals still show up in the POP account.
I consider moving folders in Thunderbird to be dangerous and unpredictable; AFAIK it's not documented, so I don't know what should or will happen. Users have reported doing drag-and-drop on a folder originally in an IMAP-connected account to Local Folders, and finding that even in its new location it is still attached to the IMAP server.
It's tedious, but if you create new empty target folders and then transfer the contents, things behave a lot more predictably. And right-click|move to or right-click|copy to tend to be more successful than drag-and-drop.
So, just to refresh... I believe I did select, then dragged & dropped. Just the folders were created; and of the 60-70 folders only the messages of 4 subfolders were copied, not moved.
I just reviewed How to Switch from POP to IMAP:
Transfer your local messages to the server
If you have messages or folders in your POP account that you would like access via your IMAP account, simply select them and move them to your IMAP account by dragging and dropping. Depending on the number of messages that you move, it may take several minutes to be uploaded. Be patient; you are nearly finished.
Modified by Bardi