Copy smart mailbox settings between Macs

This doesn't seem to work on current (March 2017) versions of OS.

I had a mac: mac 1. I had several Smart Mailboxes on it. I used Mail with an exchange server.

When I got a new mac, Mac 2, I set up Mail on the exchange server. And magically, the smart mailboxes and VIP lists somehow just showed up. I think it's an iCloud thing but honestly am not sure.

Then I got Mac 3. I set up Mail and it connected to the exchange server but the smart mailboxes were blank. I tried copying over the "plist" files etc. but blah blah blah nothing worked. I called Apple and they said to "export" the smart mailbox and import it--but I did this and it only exports the messages, not the smart mailbox settings. So Apple says "well the only way is to re-enter the smart mailbox settings manually."

So I said sigh, thanks. I created a smart mailbox in Mail on Mac 3, and as soon as I did it, all the old ones appeared alongside it. Go figure. So then I deleted the new one I had created, and all is fine. I think. Very glitchy.

I am looking for the same info!

Any thoughts?

Mike

I am looking for an answer to this problem since icloud does not synch smartmailboxes whereas mobileme used to.

Even copying:

SmartMailboxes.plist

SmartMailboxes.plist.backup

VersionedSmartMailboxes.plist

VersionedSmartMailboxes.plist.backup

does not work !? The smart mailboxes from my macbook do not appear on my imac ?!

Even after doing the trick I read elsewhere, to add a new smart mail box to force mail to read the plist.

Anyone who can help to get this done ? Apple, please, you would like us to have lots of Apple products, pls make it easy to use the smart mailboxes on every device !!!!

If you mean ‘have the same system settings on more macs’, then you should use a backup application. I have been accustomed to use iBackup, which is perfect for my needs. Others prefer Time Machine or Carbon Copy Cloner.

Is this what you mean? To have the same criteria and settings on more macs so that behave identically?

I would like to have the same smart mail boxes on my iMac and other devices as I have created on my Macbook.

As these are quite a lot, it would just take lots of time to make them on every computer.

Therefore a way of copying them or syncing them to the other would be helpful.

I tried the copying of the plist, but as said, it did not work.

Use a backup utility as suggested, give a try to iBackup, you can only choose limited backup for sys settings only.

You can export the smart mailbox by Control click export and save on your synced iCloud / Dropbox account

you can import mailboxes / mailbox structure ... choose location iCloud/Dropbox ...

but unfortunately Mail doesn't import it as a smart mailbox ..

I puts all your mails in a mailbox same name under imported mails ... but its not a smart mail box ...

to bad because I have a old disk which was my main laptop for years with 6 smart mailboxes ... a lot of email addresses sorted out easy in handling ..

now I have new laptop and iMac but i can't get these smart mailboxes in my new macs ... bummer ...