IMAP/mail.app archive question

[Mavimao]

My university is terminating my email account soon after having graduated in the Spring, and I have all my emails saved onto my mac using mail.app.

They use IMAP, and I want to make sure that my emails won't get deleted once my account is no longer on the server. Will it automatically syncronize with the server and wipe my emails? Is there anything I can do? If I "unable" the account in the preferences, will they disappear? Is there anything else I should worry about?!

Please help!

 

[munkle]

Just create an archive folder in mail.app and move all your messages from your inbox to there. This way your mail won't be deleted once it's gone from the server.

You can also make a backup of all your mail messages by making a copy of the user/Library/Mail folder.

 

[Mavimao]

You can also make a backup of all your mail messages by making a copy of the user/Library/Mail folder.

But do you know if I'd still be able to look at them later on in life?

 

[munkle]

But do you know if I'd still be able to look at them later on in life?

You'll have to import them but yes 🙂

 

[Mavimao]

OK, I understand that I can backup the actual MAIL files from my harddrive. But my real question is: Can I just open Mail and look at my emails, re-read them whenever I want without fear that the IMAP protocol will start searching for an account that doesn't exist anymore and potentially wipe my emails?

Thanks!

 

[munkle]

OK, I understand that I can backup the actual MAIL files from my harddrive. But my real question is: Can I just open Mail and look at my emails, re-read them whenever I want without fear that the IMAP protocol will start searching for an account that doesn't exist anymore and potentially wipe my emails?

Thanks!

Yup. Just move your messages from your inbox like I said in my first post. And yup, you'll still be able to read them from within mail.app whenever you want without fear of them being wiped out 🙂

 

[Mavimao]

OK, thanks Munkle for your help, I really appreciate it. Just one more question, I'm sorry!

I don't just have my inbox. I also have seperate folders in which I organized my mail. I'm sure it's possible to archive that stuff, but is it possible to have a hierarchial folder system?

I'm sorry, I should experiment with this once I get home, but I'm feeling antsy at work 🙂

 

[munkle]

OK, thanks Munkle for your help, I really appreciate it. Just one more question, I'm sorry!

No worries!

I don't just have my inbox. I also have seperate folders in which I organized my mail. I'm sure it's possible to archive that stuff, but is it possible to have a hierarchial folder system?

You can set up sub-folders if that's what you're wanting. So you can have a main folder labeled "Family" and sub-folders of "Mum", "Dad", "Sis" etc within that main folder.

Without wanting to pile you with information, you can also very easily set up rules. For example, you can set up a rule that any mail from "Dad" automatically goes into the "Dad" folder. Mail-Act-On is worth checking out for helping you organise your mail.

My favourite mail add-on though has to be Mail.appetizer, a very handy growl-esque notifier.