Can no longer save email messages to my files

Question

Level 2

198 points

Can no longer save email messages to my files

Before upgrading to Mavericks, I could open an email message from a client, click Save As, select a folder, then save the message as a text file to the appropriate folder on my hard drive. It seems I can no longer do that. I always get a Mail error message saying "Names longer than 31 characters are not supported on the destination volume."(Even when the name is already shorter than that, I go through the exercise of shortening it.) After doing that, I click Save. Then I get an error saying "Error: Could not save to path...." which, incidentally, goes haywire part of the way through and takes it down a path that is a completely wrong folder for another client. Regardless, it doesn't save.

I've tried completely renaming the file. I've tried everything I can think of.

This used to be SO SIMPLE: Just click Save As, select the appropriate folder, then click Save.

In Mavericks, do I need to convert this email message into a Word document in order to save it to a folder?

Posted on Aug 1, 2014 8:29 AM

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Answer 1

CT

Level 7

24,239 points

Aug 1, 2014 8:38 AM in response to susanmcm

Maybe this:

Mail.app error: Could not save to path (but wrong path)

Others that have encountered this problem claimed it got fixed after one or more restarts.

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Answer 2

susanmcm Author

Level 2

198 points

Aug 1, 2014 8:48 AM in response to susanmcm

Wow, I'm amending my question. It's not just emails. It turns out the the email attachments I've been saving to folders are not actually being saved. I get the same Error message about the 31 characters, so I shorten the name to about 10 characters, then click Save. After that, I don't get an error message, so I've been assuming that the attachments were saving as they always have. But I just noticed that when I go to the designated folder, the attachment is not there. When I do a Spotlight search, it's nowhere to be found on my hard drive.

This is a huge problem because part of my job involves editing documents that I receive from my clients. Today's document was a PPT presentation. Apparently, I cannot save it to my hard drive.

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Answer 3

CT

Level 7

24,239 points

Aug 1, 2014 8:56 AM in response to susanmcm

You have Mavericks, 10.9.4?

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Answer 4

susanmcm Author

Level 2

198 points

Aug 1, 2014 8:58 AM in response to CT

Yes.

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Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Aug 1, 2014 9:57 AM in response to susanmcm

Please follow these directions to delete the Mail "sandbox" folders. In OS X 10.9 there are two sandboxes, while in 10.8 there is only one. If you're running a version older than 10.8, this comment isn't applicable.

Back up all data.

Triple-click anywhere in the line below on this page to select it:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services ▹ Reveal

from the contextual menu.* A Finder window should open with a folder named "com.apple.mail" selected. If it does, move the selected folder—not just its contents—to the Desktop. Leave the Finder window open for now.

Log out and log back in. Launch Mail and test. If the problem is resolved, you may have to recreate some of your Mail settings. You can then delete the folder you moved and close the Finder window.

This action will delete any custom Mail stationery that you have created. If you want to preserve it, ask for instructions.

If you still have the problem, quit Mail again and put the folder back where it was, overwriting the one that may have been created in its place. Repeat with this line:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.MailServiceAgent

Caution: If you change any of the contents of the sandbox, but leave the folder itself in place, Mail may crash or not launch at all. Deleting the whole sandbox will cause it to be rebuilt automatically.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C. In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

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Answer 6

susanmcm Author

Level 2

198 points

Aug 1, 2014 3:30 PM in response to Linc Davis

Wow Linc, kudos to you. I was in a meeting when your post appeared and then had to rush to my already-scheduled Genius Bar appointment. While the Apple Genius was doing some initial diagnostics, running Disk Utility, etc. and while we were waiting for it to complete itself, I mentioned that I had posted here about the problem and gotten what appeared to be a really interesting reply. I told him I didn't know enough to say whether it was a good suggestion and hadn't had time to try it. He asked to see it so I showed it to him on my phone. He said it was definitely a legit suggestion and after doing a few other basic analyses, he asked for my phone again and did exactly what you suggested. It worked. In fact, he said he would probably re-use your suggestion at some point and was glad to know he'd be able to find it here. He says he posts questions here all the time and helpful responses, as do I.

He did some other housekeeping chores (machine had been running sluggish, etc.), so it wasn't totally a wasted trip to the GB. Now I think I'm in good shape again. Thanks SO MUCH.

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Answer 7

susanmcm Author

Level 2

198 points

Aug 1, 2014 3:31 PM in response to susanmcm

I meant to say he says he GETS helpful responses here, as do I.

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Aug 1, 2014 3:56 PM in response to susanmcm

He says he posts questions here all the time

Maybe I should send Apple a bill for employee training.

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Answer 9

Feb 19, 2016 9:13 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hi Linc

I had this problem with Mavericks and used your fix which worked really well. I have unfortunately upgraded to Yosemite 10.10.5 and am now having the same problem but the fix doesn't work. Do you have any suggestions?

Many thanks

Suzanne

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Answer 10

Eric Root

Level 10

685,257 points

Feb 20, 2016 8:56 AM in response to suzfreed1

You might want to consider starting a new discussion. Since this one is marked solved, less people are likely to look at it. You can link to this one.

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