Remove the e-mails from the server after downloading?

[Dirki]

When the e-mails are downloaded they obviously are not deleted on the server:
> https://i.imgur.com/c2Xbafv.png

How could Thunderbird remove the e-mails from the server after downloading?

[DanRaisch]

Not clears why you would want to do that but you could create a message filter ( http://kb.mozillazine.org/Filters_%28Thunderbird%29 ) to move new messages from the server inbox to a sub-folder of Local Folders. Then, with the option to "Clean up (Expunge) the inbox on exit" the messages would be cleared from the server inbox folder but present on the local system.

[Gone Postal]

Not clears why you would want to do that . . .

Because you don't want your e-mails available to any bad actor who manages to hack your supplier's system.

[Dirki]

Not clears why you would want to do that

When I press or click to download all the messages the same messages (automatically, periodically downloaded before) are downloaded again from that server. And why should one keep the e-mails on the server? I then have them stored in Thunderbird.

Many thanks for the link. So there is no method to automatically remove the messaged from the server after downloading them?

[DanRaisch]

You are working against the intended functionality of the email protocol. You seem to be using an IMAP type account, which means that what you are viewing in Thunderbird are actually stored on the server. You can set Thunderbird to download message but that's usually only for off-line access. In normal usage, you are viewing the data on the server. With a POP type account, messages ARE downloaded to your local system and the system can be set to delete the messages from the server automatically.

[Gone Postal]

Not clears why you would want to do that

When I press or click to download all the messages the same messages (automatically, periodically downloaded before) are downloaded again from that server. And why should one keep the e-mails on the server? I then have them stored in Thunderbird.

Many thanks for the link. So there is no method to automatically remove the messaged from the server after downloading them?

I have one account which is only available from the server as IMAP. I have a message filter set up for the relevant IMAP account as below which brings all received messages down from the server and then deletes them from the server. It is checked to run manually and also when getting new mail.

1) Copy message to > XXX on Local Folders
2) Delete Message

As far as I can see this removes the message from the server after it has been downloaded to my local folder. Presumably it lies in the Trash folder on the server until timed out and I haven't yet worked out how to solve that one!

[DanRaisch]

As far as I can see this removes the message from the server after it has been downloaded to my local folder. Presumably it lies in the Trash folder on the server until timed out and I haven't yet worked out how to solve that one!

Unless you are dealing with a Gmail account. In that case those "deleted" messages will still be present in the "All Mail" folder on the IMAP server. In Google's world view, nothing should ever be deleted without multiple steps as they imagine everyone will have a need to search through every message ever received for messages from untold years gone by.

[Dirki]

You are working against the intended functionality of the email protocol. You seem to be using an IMAP type account, which means that what you are viewing in Thunderbird are actually stored on the server.

I absolutely didn't know that. But Thunderbird downloads each e-mail and I open each one here, not on the server, so this e-mail downloaded is shown here.

With a POP type account, messages ARE downloaded to your local system and the system can be set to delete the messages from the server automatically.

Yes, that's exactly what I was used to. And that is what my other IMAP accounts do, but this one does not. So why is this?

[DanRaisch]

I absolutely didn't know that. But Thunderbird downloads each e-mail and I open each one here, not on the server, so this e-mail downloaded is shown here.

Not necessarily so. Unless you have set Thunderbird to synch the messages to the local system for off-line access (Tools->Account Settings->Synchronization & Storage) you are only viewing those message as it exists on the server. That is the nature of the IMAP email protocol. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/off ... ca85d5b1c9

Yes, that's exactly what I was used to. And that is what my other IMAP accounts do, but this one does not. So why is this?

Perhaps the settings for the two IMAP servers are different in Thunderbird. Otherwise you should see basically the same performance on both accounts.

[Dirki]

Thank you for the link.

Perhaps the settings for the two IMAP servers are different in Thunderbird. Otherwise you should see basically the same performance on both accounts.

Every setting should be the same actually. But I have understood it is not possible that the e-mails are downloaded and removed from the servr with an IMAP. if there is such a setting that downloads the e-mail and removes it after from a server, which one is it?

[DanRaisch]

you could create a message filter ( http://kb.mozillazine.org/Filters_%28Thunderbird%29 ) to move new messages from the server inbox to a sub-folder of Local Folders. Then, with the option to "Clean up (Expunge) the inbox on exit" the messages would be cleared from the server inbox folder but present on the local system.

[Gone Postal]

As far as I can see this removes the message from the server after it has been downloaded to my local folder. Presumably it lies in the Trash folder on the server until timed out and I haven't yet worked out how to solve that one!

Unless you are dealing with a Gmail account. In that case those "deleted" messages will still be present in the "All Mail" folder on the IMAP server. In Google's world view, nothing should ever be deleted without multiple steps as they imagine everyone will have a need to search through every message ever received for messages from untold years gone by.

Dan

Thanks for the heads-up. Didn't know that about Google as my GMail runs on a POP3 account.

[Dirki]

OK, thank you very much!

[DanRaisch]

You're both welcome.