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2 computers (apple mail) accessing IMAP accounts with local folders

We recently added another MacBook accessing our gmail IMAP accounts. On both, we have the same rules that route certain emails to local folders. Now we see that each machine captures some (but not all) of the emails that satisfy these rules. What can we do to ensure that both machines end up with all of the emails that satisfy these rules in their local folders?

MacBook Air, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Apr 17, 2014 9:32 AM

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10 replies

Apr 17, 2014 7:34 PM in response to Craig MacKenna

Craig MacKenna wrote:


All of the messages are still visible in both email clients, in the "All mail mailbox". Is there a way to apply a rule to all messages, regardless of whether they are in the Inbox or not?

You can do it manually. Select all of the messages in the All Mail folder, then choose Apply Rules from the Message menu.


Rules only run automatically on messages that come through the Inbox.

Apr 17, 2014 7:47 PM in response to Craig MacKenna

What can we do to ensure that both machines end up with all of the emails that satisfy these rules in their local folders?

Change your rules on both Macs to copy instead of move the messages to each of their local folders. You will still have a copy on the IMAP server(s) so you will have to do something eventually to delete those copies.

Apr 17, 2014 8:14 PM in response to Craig MacKenna

Aside from the automatic handling of messages by rules, I find that if I move an email manually to a folder other than the Inbox, before the email has been seen by the other computer, it becomes largely unavailable to the other computer, even though the other computer has exactly the same set of mailboxes.


This seems to me a huge hole in the basic concept of IMAP, that emails should be accessible from multiple devices. Unless someone can suggest a solution, the only solution I can see is to go back to having only one machine check emails.

Apr 18, 2014 4:33 AM in response to Craig MacKenna

Craig MacKenna wrote:


There are no folders on gmail, only "labels". Rules are, on the face of it, actions on the email client's machine. It's startling that they have ramifications on the server. Does anyone know a good book or tutorial on the basics of IMAP, that might help me understand how client-machine and server actions are inter-related?

A book on IMAP isn't going to help understanding Gmail. Gmail is its own monster masquerading as IMAP (or POP if you wish).


While there really isn't much in the Wikipedia entry, there are references to some books and articles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Message_Access_Protocol

2 computers (apple mail) accessing IMAP accounts with local folders

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