Where did my unsent mail go?

[LinuxUserSince1991]

The other day I did something I almost *never* do--I chose to 'send later' on a message that I wanted to read and re-read a few times before sending. Okay, I chose "File | Send Later" and the message closed.

Later, I wanted to read it. I went to that account's 'unsent messages'--and it was empty. I looked in its 'drafts' folder--and it was empty. I looked EVERYWHERE, including 'sent' and every possible folder under other accounts, even though that made no sense, and never found it. I 'repaired' my 'unsent messages' folder. Nothing.

I had this idea that exiting and restarting SM might do something--and it did! When I re-opened it, I was prompted to send (or not) my unsent message. There were no other choices, i.e., it didn't offer to let me read it or even give me any info about its subject, recipient, etc. (My point being, what if I didn't remember what the unsent message was, and wanted to see it?) I chose not to send it. Again, I checked 'unsent messages' and 'drafts' and so on, and it was NOWHERE to be found.

Once again, I closed and reopened SM and this time chose to send the message--fingers crossed that it was good to go in its current iteration. AFTER it was sent, I read it by going to my 'sent' messages.

My question: WHERE was this message from the point I chose 'send later' until I finally 'sent' it later?!

[Peter Creasey]

Did you check Local Folders Outbox?

[LinuxUserSince1991]

Did you check Local Folders Outbox?

Well...um.....no....

I never even THINK about 'local folders' and never look at it. Since each account has its own 'unsent messages' folder, and 'drafts,' I always thought that covered it, i.e., if you had an unsent message it was in one of those folders, depending on how you'd saved it.

If I ever 'send later' again, and lose the message, I'll look where you indicated. For clarity, are you saying that's definitely where the message was, or suggesting it as a possibility? Thanks.

[Peter Creasey]

That's where it should be but I have never confirmed it.

[DanRaisch]

How is the account set up, as POP or IMAP? In SeaMonkey, the path is Edit->Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings->Server
Settings->Server Type".

In a standard installation of SeaMonkey I don't see any references to "Unsent messages" in the account folders.

[LinuxUserSince1991]

How is the account set up, as POP or IMAP? In SeaMonkey, the path is Edit->Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings->Server
Settings->Server Type".

All my accounts are POP, never IMAP.

In a standard installation of SeaMonkey I don't see any references to "Unsent messages" in the account folders.

Try doing what I did, i.e., use "File | Send Later" on a message you're composing. You may have to exit SM and restart it. Does that account now have an 'Unsent Messages' folder? (Even if it's empty, like mine.)

[LinuxUserSince1991]

That's where it should be but I have never confirmed it.

Okay, thanks. I'll keep this in mind for next time...if there is one. (Or I might just test it for the fun of it!)

[DanRaisch]

Try doing what I did, i.e., use "File | Send Later" on a message you're composing. You may have to exit SM and restart it. Does that account now have an 'Unsent Messages' folder? (Even if it's empty, like mine.)

Tried that. No new "Unsent Messages" folder appeared and the outgoing message WAS present in the Local Folders structure's Outbox sub-folder.

[LinuxUserSince1991]

Try doing what I did, i.e., use "File | Send Later" on a message you're composing. You may have to exit SM and restart it. Does that account now have an 'Unsent Messages' folder? (Even if it's empty, like mine.)

Tried that. No new "Unsent Messages" folder appeared and the outgoing message WAS present in the Local Folders structure's Outbox sub-folder.

That's really interesting, Dan. You know, I've carried my mail with me from decade to decade, starting with Netscape Communicator. I wonder if at some point along the timeline, 'Unsent Messages' was a thing, and then wasn't. Going back and really *looking* at my current accounts, I see that the only accounts that have an 'Unsent Messages' folder are those that are very, very old. Newer ones do not. For example, my 'real' e-mail address, the one I only give to my closest friends and relatives, that I've had for 30+ years (from Earthlink) and receives no spam, it has this folder, but my GMail account--which is much newer--does not.

At any rate, as noted earlier, *if* I ever use 'send later' again and then can't find it, I'll know to look in 'Local Folders' instead!

[DanRaisch]

Thanks for letting us know of your findings.

[LinuxUserSince1991]

Thanks for letting us know of your findings.

You're welcome!

The more I think about it, the more it seems like 'Drafts' may have replaced 'Unsent Messages' at some point--yet that doesn't match up with the fact that people report their unsent messages are in their 'Local Folders' area. Oh well. Just thinking out loud!