Leave on server

Discussion of general topics about Mozilla Thunderbird
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Barkley Hound
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Joined: June 1st, 2006, 8:53 am

Leave on server

Post by Barkley Hound »

When using POP3 I know that by default when you download email it gets deleted from the server.

If you check "leave on server" at what point does the email get deleted from the server?
If I delete from the computer does it get deleted from the server?
If not then how do I delete the email from the server?
What if 2 computers access the same email and one deletes and the other does not?

The sub options are
For at most xxx [does the deletion take place automatically or must you delete from the computer?]
Until I delete them [delete from where?]
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DanRaisch
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Re: Leave on server

Post by DanRaisch »

When you choose "Until I delete them" the messages will remain on the server until they are deleted from the Thunderbird inbox folder.
If you are accessing from two computers and only one is set for "Until I delete them" the messages will remain on the server until you delete the message from the Inbox folder of Thunderbird on the computer that has that setting.
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Barkley Hound
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Re: Leave on server

Post by Barkley Hound »

DanRaisch wrote:When you choose "Until I delete them" the messages will remain on the server until they are deleted from the Thunderbird inbox folder.
If you are accessing from two computers and only one is set for "Until I delete them" the messages will remain on the server until you delete the message from the Inbox folder of Thunderbird on the computer that has that setting.
So if I mark "leave on server" and I delete from the inbox or any folder it would be deleted from the server.

If I access from another computer where I have not indicated to leave on the server it will be deleted when downloaded. I see no way the server would know the keep option in another program.

If both computers have it marked to "leave on server" deleting on either would delete from server.

What do the 2 sub options do?
For at most xxx days
Until I delete them
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DanRaisch
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Re: Leave on server

Post by DanRaisch »

So if I mark "leave on server" and I delete from the inbox or any folder it would be deleted from the server.
No, only if you delete a message from the Thunderbird Inbox folder.
If I access from another computer where I have not indicated to leave on the server it will be deleted when downloaded. I see no way the server would know the keep option in another program.
Correct.
If both computers have it marked to "leave on server" deleting on either would delete from server.
Only if you have both Thunderbird installations set to "leave on server" "Until I delete them."
For at most xxx days
\
Correct.

Until I delete them

Wrong. "When you choose "Until I delete them" the messages will remain on the server until they are deleted from the Thunderbird Inbox folder."
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Barkley Hound
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Joined: June 1st, 2006, 8:53 am

Re: Leave on server

Post by Barkley Hound »

If I say "keep on server"...

If I move mail out of the inbox into another folder does it get deleted from the server? Would I have to move it back to the inbox before deleting?

If I say to keep on server and I uncheck "until I delete them" and then delete the email on my computer how would I finally delete it from the server in the future?
How would I be able to download this email again if deleted from the computer?
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DanRaisch
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Re: Leave on server

Post by DanRaisch »

If I move mail out of the inbox into another folder does it get deleted from the server?
By default, no, it will not. You can change a setting to make it do that.
Use menu path Tools->Options->Advanced->click on the Config Editor button.
Enter "mail.pop3.deleteFromServerOnMove" into the filter field
Double click on the entry to toggle it to "True."

True means: Delete the copy of the message on the POP3 server if you move or delete the message.

False(default) means: Only delete the copy of the message on the POP3 server if you delete the message.
Would I have to move it back to the inbox before deleting?
Nope, that would not work. With a POP type account, other than the settings you've already noted, the server has no visibility into what you do in Thunderbird. If you move a message out of the TB Inbox folder and later move it back, the server would not be aware of that move.
If I say to keep on server and I uncheck "until I delete them" and then delete the email on my computer how would I finally delete it from the server in the future?
You would have to log onto the account using a browser and delete the messages using the webpage's functionality.
How would I be able to download this email again if deleted from the computer?
If you have set TB to "Leave messages on server" AND if the server has no storage limitaions in terms of time, number of messages, or storage space used, those message will remain on the server "forever". They could be downloaded again by moving all messages out of the Thunderbird Inbox folder, closing Thunderbird and then deleting the file "popstate.dat" (found in the sub-folder for that account in TB's <a href="http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folde ... d">profile folder"</a> Restarting Thunderbird would cause it to download all messages in the server inbox folder.
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Barkley Hound
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Re: Leave on server

Post by Barkley Hound »

Thanks
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