How to COPY (not move) email from IMAP inbox to Local Folder

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kalifsoup
Posts: 2
Joined: January 15th, 2019, 4:01 am

How to COPY (not move) email from IMAP inbox to Local Folder

Post by kalifsoup »

Hi there,

I'm using the same IMAP email account on 2 computers.
On both computers there are auto moving emails from Inbox to Local Folders.
After move to Local Folders, emails are deleted on server (IMAP synchronization...), because they not exist in inbox on computer.

I have a problem:
1st computer receive emails > then move it to local folder > then delete it on server.
2nd computer will not receive this emails (it's receive it only when both computers are running)

I don't want to delete any emails from server.

Maybe the solution is to COPY (not MOVE) email from Inbox to Local Folder?
How to solve it?

Regards,
Artur
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tanstaafl
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Posts: 49647
Joined: July 30th, 2003, 5:06 pm

Re: How to COPY (not move) email from IMAP inbox to Local Fo

Post by tanstaafl »

Yes.

Moving a message basically copies the message and deletes the original, in one step. I suggest you modify the message filters (what I assume you are using to auto move emails) to copy the message instead of move it. That way you have a copy in Local Folders and the original is still in the remote folder, so other PCs can access it.

If you do this, (for future new mail) while you will be able to read the original message using the second PC, it won't be marked "new" anymore since any changes you made to that remote folder (such as reading a message in it) on either PC effect both PCs.

Syncing doesn't delete anything in the remote folder. It will delete messages in the corresponding offline folder if they don't exist in the remote folder, so that the offline folder is a mirror copy of the remote folder.
kalifsoup
Posts: 2
Joined: January 15th, 2019, 4:01 am

Re: How to COPY (not move) email from IMAP inbox to Local Fo

Post by kalifsoup »

Thanks for help.

I see that I could set filter only for received emails, yes?
What about coping SENT emails from SENT to Local Folder?
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tanstaafl
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Posts: 49647
Joined: July 30th, 2003, 5:06 pm

Re: How to COPY (not move) email from IMAP inbox to Local Fo

Post by tanstaafl »

You can copy messages from any folder to any folder. Doesn't matter whether its a local or a remote folder, or what accounts its in.

The issue with copying messages via message filters is it designed to automatically do that for new mail only for the inbox. However, for sent messages there is support for automatically running a message filter when sending a message if you click the checkbox for "After Sending" in the message filter. You could use that to automatically copy the message to a sent folder in "Local Folders" when you send it.
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