IMAP Saving To Computer Question

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Hi All!
I'd like to set up a G Mail account as IMAP on my Mac (10.1.6) to use with Apple Mail (9.3), but I managed to get myself confused about saving mail locally.

Here Is My Set Up-
I only have one device that goes on line (the computer that will get the new G Mail account).
My computer has two user accounts. One's titled "Real Life" & one is called "Work Stuff".

Here Are My Goals-
The new mail account will be on both users' Apple Mail application so when I am logged into the "Real Life" side, I can see if "Work Stuff" has new mail.
When I click on, or delete, a message while logged into Real Life, the mail on Work Stuff will be marked as read or deleted, per my action in Real Life's Mail.
Therefore, I think IMAP is appropriate for the new account.

Here Is The Hiccup-
In my existing POP accounts, I open Mail & let the messages arrive, complete with their attachments.
While at work, or when home internet is off line, I can review those messages and work on replies.
If I set up the new account as IMAP, I'd like the messages & attachments to automatically be saved to the computer.

Here's How I Think I Can Accomplish This Task-
In Mail, go to Preferences - Accounts & highlight the new IMAP account.
Click "Advanced" & check "Automatically Download All Attachments".
Go to "Mailbox Behaviors" and choose each option to save Drafts, Sent, Junk & Trash on the computer.

Before I set up the new account and, if my plan can't be done, am stuck with IMAP, I wanted to be sure my "genius" plan will work:
Do you think the above plan will accomplish my goal & save all the attachments and messages to the local computer automatically when I check for new messages (so I can look at them while not on the internet)?
Did I mis any set up steps?

Thanks For Helping me figure this out. (Mail confuses me & the more I study, the worse it gets. Mental block, I suppose!)
Paul
 

chscag

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What you suggest will work. But make sure you want to use IMAP.

I don't use my gmail IMAP account for several reasons:

1. gmail IMAP will copy the server folders to your Mail account.

2. Mail retention - unless you make a copy of everything you wish to keep, gmail IMAP will remove it in 30 days. If you delete something on the server side, it will delete those messages from any device that you have which is using gmail IMAP.

I continue to use my gmail POP account because it offers me the kind of control I like over my personal mail. And plus I do not use Mail on any of my other devices. And with my POP account I can store mail on the gmail server as long as I wish. (And do not exceed my space allocation.)
 
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Thanks Chscag for your sound advice! I appreciate it.
During my studying, I somehow missed the 30 days & gone operation. I often go way back in time to review information in an old e-mail, so I like to have them around.

Considering how I use my other Mail accounts, I'll follow your thoughts and go with POP for the new account.

Thanks Again & Enjoy This Day!
Paul
 
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Paul, if you are using IMAP you can write a rule to put all incoming messages into a new folder. Then when the 30 days is up, the one in the inbox may be removed, but not the copy in the other folder.
 
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Mail retention - unless you make a copy of everything you wish to keep, gmail IMAP will remove it in 30 days.
Interesting. I have mail in my Gmail IMap Inbox going back to 2016, and in my All Mail>Gmail box, back to 2015.
 

chscag

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We were referring to mail which has been downloaded and deleted from the server. In other words, the IMAP account shows it in the Trash. Those will be removed in 30 days.

With an IMAP account on gmail, if you delete mail from your machine (from your Inbox or All Mail box) it will likewise be removed from the server. That does not occur if the account is PoP.
 
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With an IMAP account on gmail, if you delete mail from your machine (from your Inbox or All Mail box) it will likewise be removed from the server. That does not occur if the account is PoP.
I don't understand this point? Why would you want gmail, or any email service, to save emails you don't want?
 

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I don't understand this point? Why would you want gmail, or any email service, to save emails you don't want?

Hi Bob

There may be certain circumstances where this is desirable. Say you're away from home with just an iPhone or iPad. You deal with emails on the road, but would ideally (a) like to delete them from the iDevice whilst (b) being able to store them on your iMac when you return home.

Dead easy with POP3 account. Less easy with IMAP.

That said, my accounts are IMAP. With iCloud, I had no choice. With British Telecom (BT), they forced me to change from POP3 to IMAP when I got macOS Sierra - raised questions of compatibility which I think was nonsense. I could have fought the issue, but struggling through interminable layers of administration to do this, defeated my will to live;D

Ian
 
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So, you do want the email, you just do not want the email on a particular device? So, then you would have to go through all your devices and delete the emails there? Which, is the same as, copying the email to a folder (for saving), and deleting it (across all devices)?
 

chscag

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I don't understand this point? Why would you want gmail, or any email service, to save emails you don't want?

Have you ever deleted a email message from your Mac that later on you found out your really wanted to save?

Enough said about that. ;)
 

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