So many ways there to import, check the following links

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Thunderbird_:_FAQs_:_Migration
• http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders

Try this Addon

• https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/

This does not help because Em Client cannot export the data in any of the formats these systems need to successfully import the emails AND the file structure.

Sorry just saw that you didn't think ImportExportTools would help you. Then I think its an EM-problem

em client seems to use this as a way to trap their users. They can import from most other mail file types, but if you want to get out, they only export to eml files with one file for every email. I would have to go through every folder and sub folder separately, convert all the emails to eml files, then manually recreate the folder structure, and batch import each folder separately. Not surprisingly, em client does not tell you about this until you are trying to move to another emails server.

How does EM store emails?

Looks like a proprietary format in .dat files.

I still think you can use that add-on. You can export in eml. Can you do that with your structure intact? If so you can import all eml from that folder and subfolders in one go.

bpolky said

Is there any way or tool to import a local em client database to thunderbird retaining the folder/subfolder structure?

Final solution for anyone else wanting to make this move...... The only export option from EM Client is eml files with one file per email. It will however, export those files with the folder structure intact. The Thunderbird ImportExportTools addon then has an import option to import all emails in a folder and a box that you can tick to include subfolders. That will Import all the emails and create the folders and sub folders as per the original structure. There were some minor issues along the way. Thunderbird seemed to not let you import straight into the Local Folders, so I had to create a sub folder, import into that, then move all those folders back into the Local Folders. Also, all the imported emails are marked as unread, so you will need to go through every folder and use the "Mark folder as read" option. Hope that helps someone else get through this process more easily!