Yes, that's what I expected in a way, before I experienced it. But TB still has the "Check for new messages evey nn minutes" field checked and set to 10, on a new install and IMAP Server details. Tut!

Should be disabled.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

must admit at the moment to be slightly confused as to whether I am looking at the server Inbox or the local Inbox when online.

Within most email clients you should see 2 (or more) sets of folders:

• A set of Local Folders, used for all your POP3 a/c's and any local copies of your msgs. You can copy or move your IMAP msgs to here when you want to keep local copies and/or free up space on your server. You can create your own folder structure to hold these as you like.
• One set of folders for each IMAP a/c you have. These are a refection of what's actually on the server and are kept in step. You can also create your own folder structure here and it is created on the server.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Sat 23-Jul-11 17:11:06)

Thunderbird Help itself seems to have trouble explaining what Local Folders are for. As it creates POP3 accounts outside them, and I have five POP3 main domains (POP3 servers) I receive from, it was easier just to add sub-folders within each account and set up Rules to sort stuff.

What I shall almost certainly do is set up the required sub-folder structures and rules on the servers, either through TB or through webmail, (TB will be easier).

So far so good. However your suggestion about Local Folders could solve the retention side. Unfortunately the Archiving function looks to be not much cop, so I shall have to think up a method. What I want to achieve is permanent local copies of emails I haven't deleted, plus auto deletion of server-side after say 30 days as per my POP3 setup. TB doesn't seem to be able to do that, unless I haven't yet fully understood the Archiving system. It won't take long to investigate though.

A simple solution is to select a range and just drag them from initial copy location to a long-term one. Archive may do that more safely than a drag, I shall find out. It depends if it just does a huge archive when triggered, as it is manual, or allows selection first.

What I will be looking for primarily is whether archiving one way or another deletes from the server.

There's account settings > copies & folders > archive options. You can set up a message filter to select all date before X and move to archive.

Thanks, but more info please. I've been to that page a few times but the only options are 3 radio buttons for "A single folder; Yearly archived folders; Monthly archived folders. PLus a tick-box to maintain the folder structure in the archive.

Are you talking about an add-on? And does archiving delete from the server as well as the local normal copy? Logically it should.

Select using Shift-Click, (so I assume CTRL-Click), then Tools >> Archive works, but no use as the archiving is done on the server not locally. So no space saving.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

And does archiving delete from the server as well as the local normal copy? Logically it should.

I'm not actually sure tbh. I've never had to deal with a significant restriction on space (even gmail is about 8GB). If you want to make your own archiving system, create a folder under 'local folders' then set up a filter (tools > message filters) like this; http://i.imgur.com/GHDzm.png

eta; in fact you probably won't need the 'delete message' thing.

Edited by deleted (Sat 23-Jul-11 20:11:52)

No need . The clue is in the options for archive location. Radio button "Other" gives you the same target choices but access to sub-folders.

So create Archives in Local Folders, then sub-folder for the Account, and select that location in the Copies and Folders Archive section. As selecting the relevant range isn't too difficult the problem is solved.

Doing it this way will also encourage me to delete the dross I didn't even read .

Though if you can point me to the "before date" thing I'd appreciate it.

Not sure tbh. I'll check.

Edited by deleted (Sat 23-Jul-11 20:34:34)

I was in the middle of doing the Local Folder thing before I saw your post. Just looked at your screen shot - indeed, that filter idea looks better.