MikeR-NZ

Q: Trash folder(s) in Mail

My Trash folder has 2 sub-folders, namely "On My Mac' and 'xtra.co.nz' - the latter being my ISP. Why do I have 2 folders and what's the difference? I cannot see how Mail the differentiates between the two when I delete mail.

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1)

Posted on Sep 19, 2016 8:01 PM

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Q: Trash folder(s) in Mail

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  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 19, 2016 8:28 PM in response to MikeR-NZ
    Level 9 (50,401 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 19, 2016 8:28 PM in response to MikeR-NZ

    There are separate folders for all accounts. On My Mac is considered an account, though you don't send and receive mail from it.

    All of the different account folders are "merged" into the unified mailboxes of the same type.

  • by leroydouglas,

    leroydouglas leroydouglas Sep 19, 2016 8:33 PM in response to MikeR-NZ
    Level 7 (23,796 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 19, 2016 8:33 PM in response to MikeR-NZ

    Just don't flip the triangle—just treat it as a single trash folder.

  • by MikeR-NZ,

    MikeR-NZ MikeR-NZ Sep 20, 2016 1:46 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 20, 2016 1:46 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Thanks for the prompt reply.

     

    I accept what you say but it frustrates me that I can't determine why mail that I delete, for some unknown reason, seems to go randomly to the 2 different folders in the Trash - and I feel there has to be a reason!! Maybe I'm 'over thinking' the issue.

  • by MikeR-NZ,

    MikeR-NZ MikeR-NZ Sep 20, 2016 1:48 AM in response to leroydouglas
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 20, 2016 1:48 AM in response to leroydouglas

    That's true but it still frustrates me that I can't work out the difference.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,Apple recommended

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 20, 2016 3:37 AM in response to MikeR-NZ
    Level 6 (12,436 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 20, 2016 3:37 AM in response to MikeR-NZ

    The difference should be simple to understand if you know what On my Mac means.

    Folders that are under "On My Mac" are managed by you and reside on your mac, separated from any mail account you may have. If you delete a message that is on one of these folders, it goes to the "On My Mac" subfolder in the Trash.

     

    Assuming your account uses IMAP (or Exchange, which works similarly), your messages and your mailboxes or folders are synced between your mac and your server.

    So you move them to the trash they are also moved to the trash folder in your server (that is what the trash folder named after your ISP means). And if you actually delete them they will also be deleted in the server.

  • by MikeR-NZ,

    MikeR-NZ MikeR-NZ Sep 20, 2016 5:17 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 20, 2016 5:17 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Thanks for the info - it all helps with the understanding.