IMAP questions

[sir42]

I'm thinking of switching from pop email (which I've used for years) over to IMAP. Before doing so, I have just a few questions:

1. Is it possible to delete an email locally without deleting it server side? For instance, if I'm checking my email at work and someone sends me a private email, I will want to delete it from the work computer but still have it show up on my home computer when I get home.

2. I'm going to have my IMAP email downloaded to my computers and stored locally. I've been reading however that IMAP folders must be monitored to make sure that the server side disk space isn't exceeded. Will the servers automatically purge old email after a certain time? Or will I have to log on and manually purge old emails to prevent my inbox from filling up?

3. In the Apple Mail app, is there a way to manually refresh the folders, just to make sure that everything is in sync?

thanks!

 

[varmit]

I'm thinking of switching from pop email (which I've used for years) over to IMAP. Before doing so, I have just a few questions:

1. Is it possible to delete an email locally without deleting it server side? For instance, if I'm checking my email at work and someone sends me a private email, I will want to delete it from the work computer but still have it show up on my home computer when I get home.

2. I'm going to have my IMAP email downloaded to my computers and stored locally. I've been reading however that IMAP folders must be monitored to make sure that the server side disk space isn't exceeded. Will the servers automatically purge old email after a certain time? Or will I have to log on and manually purge old emails to prevent my inbox from filling up?

3. In the Apple Mail app, is there a way to manually refresh the folders, just to make sure that everything is in sync?

thanks!

1) No, since what shows up in your mailbox stored on the server, shows up on every computer for that imap account mailbox. So if you delete a piece of mail from your mailbox, its gone from the server, then the other computer when it syncs.

2) The server doesn't purge emails, the local client software (Outlook on Windows or Mail on OSX) is the only thing that will delete or archive your email. imap is just a protocol for getting mail, just like POP is a protocol, but has syncing ability to keep the local client software in sync with the server and the other way around.

3) You can set it to sync every minute, 5, 15, 30 minutes or every hour automatically.

imap keeps the server and the mailbox on the computer synced. Meaning you have to watch your storage space, and if you want to delete something from one computer, it will be deleted from the server, then as well as any other computers that have that mailbox setup on it. For Private emails, I would just store it locally at your home computer. I would also suggest getting a Private email address for friends and family. Not sure if you are the owner or anything of your business for which you are going to be switching your email to IMAP, its best to keep business separate from your personal life. Thats just my IT professional opinion, because I don't know why people use their corporate emails for personal stuff that usually will come back to haunt them in the end. And if you move on to another job, don't expect to get your personal email back.

 

[sir42]

Thanks for the reply. Something else just came up that's kind of weird. I setup Mail and my iPhone with an IMAP account (one of my less frequently used email accounts that was previously setup as pop) and all of the mailboxes for this account are showing up in the Inbox.

For instance, within the Inbox section on Mail there are folders for Drafts, Sent, Spam and Trash, instead of being placed with the appropriate Drafts, Sent, Spam and Trash sections below.

How can I correct this?

 

[sir42]

Okay, never mind, I figured it out by using the "Use Mailbox For..." feature. But I do have a few more questions if you don't mind:

1. I'm used to (with my pop accounts) having all of my messages (incoming, sent, drafts) stored all of my machines indefinitely. When "keep messages for offline viewing" is selected will all of my IMAP messages including inbox, draft, and sent be stored on my machine locally indefinitely?

2. When I rollover my IMAP mailboxes (inbox, sent, drafts) it's telling me that the contents are stored on the server. Which is great for syncing purposes, but I selected to the option to "keep messages for offline viewing." So where are the messages being stored locally?

3. I have also selected "store drafts/sent/junk messages on server" so that these folders stay synced. But is this in addition to the copies that are hopefully being saved locally by checking "keep messages for offline viewing"? Meaning that it will serve both locally and on the server?

 

[davidg4781]

Okay, never mind, I figured it out by using the "Use Mailbox For..." feature. But I do have a few more questions if you don't mind:

1. I'm used to (with my pop accounts) having all of my messages (incoming, sent, drafts) stored all of my machines indefinitely. When "keep messages for offline viewing" is selected will all of my IMAP messages including inbox, draft, and sent be stored on my machine locally indefinitely?

2. When I rollover my IMAP mailboxes (inbox, sent, drafts) it's telling me that the contents are stored on the server. Which is great for syncing purposes, but I selected to the option to "keep messages for offline viewing." So where are the messages being stored locally?

3. I have also selected "store drafts/sent/junk messages on server" so that these folders stay synced. But is this in addition to the copies that are hopefully being saved locally by checking "keep messages for offline viewing"? Meaning that it will serve both locally and on the server?

Ahh, I remember having all those questions a few years ago...here are some answers for you...

1. They're stored on your machine so that, if you're in an area without an internet connection, you can view them. This is good to download a bunch and then leave for, say, a train ride or something. If you delete any, though, once you get back online and sync, it will be deleted from the server.

2. I think they're stored in your library. I remember coming across the folder a few weeks ago, but, I'm not at my Mac (cleaning room and there's no room for it), so I can't look it up for sure. Try a spotlight search .

3. Yup, it's being saved at both, until you delete them.

If you need to store them on your Mac indefinitely, you'll have to set up local folders and move them to it.

 

[sir42]

Thank you very much. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this IMAP business!

 

[davidg4781]

Thank you very much. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this IMAP business!

No problem, I had the same questions, only I didn't have a Mac and didn't have all the great help that's here to help me with it. It's really great if you check your mail at more than one computer. I had it a LONG time ago, with Mailblocks (dumb AOL) and didn't know what I had until they canceled it. I decided to go with FuseMail, but I think they're only doing expensive business plans. You can try emailing them and asking about it...I'm grandfathered in (so they say) at $20/year. Of course, that's if you don't already have someone in mind.