Local Trash for IMAP

R

RH

Hi there. I am sort of new to IMAP, have always used POP3. Is there any way
to create the following situation:

Message in IMAP inbox selected for reading. When I hit the delete button it
is moved to a local/offline Trash folder so that it is still on my PC despite
being removed from the server?

Additionally, is there any mechanism for automating the removal of messages
from the server over X period of time? I have a fixed amount of space on
this account so I cannot leave mail there indefinitely, but I do want to
access it from multiple PCs and have access to all mail locally (even after
it's "deleted" since in my work I often have to refer back to old messages).

Help is appreciated, I know I am trying to mix the worlds of POP and IMAP
here, heh.

Thanks.
 
V

VanguardLH

RH said:
Hi there. I am sort of new to IMAP, have always used POP3. Is there any way
to create the following situation:

Message in IMAP inbox selected for reading. When I hit the delete button it
is moved to a local/offline Trash folder so that it is still on my PC despite
being removed from the server?

Hard to tell if that was a question or statement (despite the use of
"?"). Do you WANT deleted items to remain in a local trash folder
(rather than in the server-side trash folder)?

I don't use IMAP but from what I read it seems you need to unsubscribe
from the IMAP account's trash folder. Under the advanced or IMAP tab
for the properties in the e-mail account that you defined in Outlook,
see if unsubscribing from the trash folder (on the server) forces
Outlook to use a local trash folder.
Additionally, is there any mechanism for automating the removal of messages
from the server over X period of time? I have a fixed amount of space on
this account so I cannot leave mail there indefinitely, but I do want to
access it from multiple PCs and have access to all mail locally (even after
it's "deleted" since in my work I often have to refer back to old messages).

Would that be for all folders or just the trash folder (on the server)?
That's not something that Outlook is really designed to do. Use the
webmail interface to your IMAP account. See if the e-mail provider has
an option for retention of e-mails. Some will let you specify how long
read e-mails remain on their host, how long unread e-mails stay there,
how long spam mails stay there, and how long before the trash or junk
folders get purged. Otherwise, you might want to investigate Outlook's
auto-archiving function. You don't have to archive. You can also
specify to permanently delete the items when they reach their
expiration.
 
B

Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]

Hi there. I am sort of new to IMAP, have always used POP3. Is there any
way
to create the following situation:

Message in IMAP inbox selected for reading. When I hit the delete button it
is moved to a local/offline Trash folder so that it is still on my PC
despite
being removed from the server?

This is not possible with Outlook's implementation of IMAP. IMAP protocols
don't implement Trash folders, although some clients provide them by using
IMAP protocols to copy the item to a trash folder, then delete and purge the
item in the original folder.
Additionally, is there any mechanism for automating the removal of messages
from the server over X period of time?

Not in the IMAP protocols, but Outlook 2007 does allow the automatic purging
of a folder when you leave that folder.
I have a fixed amount of space on
this account so I cannot leave mail there indefinitely, but I do want to
access it from multiple PCs and have access to all mail locally (even after
it's "deleted" since in my work I often have to refer back to old messages).

Then don't delete it. Simple. If you need to reference it, why would you
delete it? In order to be able to share it among various PCs, it will need to
stay on the server.
 

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