Converting from POPs to IMAP

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windspeed
Posts: 49
Joined: March 10th, 2007, 5:25 am
Location: Gold Coast

Converting from POPs to IMAP

Post by windspeed »

Hi,
I'm in the process of converting from POP to IMAP and I'm struggling to understand a few differences.
With POP, I could move an email from my Inbox to a 'save these emails''folder and I would:-
a. Reduce the size of my account folder (so I could stay within my quota limit)
and
b. keep my email stored on my harddrive for later viewing (but strangly enough, still in my Profile?)

Now, with IMAP, is this the same?
If I move an email from my Ïnbox" to Local folders
a. Do I still reduce the size of my account folder?
b. Can I still view them in future if they are in a folder in Local Folders?

If so, how is IMAP different to POP3?

Thanks
Chris
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DanRaisch
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Re: Converting from POPs to IMAP

Post by DanRaisch »

If so, how is IMAP different to POP3?
Very significantly. The issue with your question is you are involving Thunderbird's Local Folders pseudo-account. That structure is the same for both POP and IMAP accounts but the account folders are different.

With a POP account, Thunderbird has access only to the email server's inbox folder and it is unable to access and, indeed, is unaware of any other folders on the server like the Sent, Trash, etc. The messages you view in Thunderbird's Inbox folder have been downloaded to the account folder on your local computer. There is an option in Thunderbird (found under Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Leave messages on server) that could result in the reduction in the size of the account folder on the server without moving messages to Local Folders.

With an IMAP account, the messages you view in Thunderbird are actually stored on the server (although there is an option in Thunderbird to also download a copy of the messages to the local computer to permit viewing when off-line).
windspeed
Posts: 49
Joined: March 10th, 2007, 5:25 am
Location: Gold Coast

Re: Converting from POPs to IMAP

Post by windspeed »

Thanks for the reply.
Where do I set the option to download a copy to local computer? (although there is an option in Thunderbird to also download a copy of the messages to the local computer to permit viewing when off-line).
Thanks
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DanRaisch
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Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
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Re: Converting from POPs to IMAP

Post by DanRaisch »

If you are working now in the IMAP account, look under Tools->Account Settings->Synchronization & Storage.
windspeed
Posts: 49
Joined: March 10th, 2007, 5:25 am
Location: Gold Coast

Re: Converting from POPs to IMAP

Post by windspeed »

Finally got this sorted. It took me a week but I've made it! Thanks for your help.
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DanRaisch
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Posts: 127188
Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
Location: Somewhere on the right coast

Re: Converting from POPs to IMAP

Post by DanRaisch »

You're welcome.
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