How to automatically store Mail messages on HD?

[Sams]

Hi there,
Given that storing tons messages on servers is costly (environmentally and financially), I recently changed the preferences of my different e-mail accounts for not storing sent messages more than 1 month on the server. By doing so, I thought I was safe because the older e-mails are stored on my HD anyway (library/Mail). But this morning I realize that all my sent items older than 1 month are gone from my Library too, meaning that the server automatically updates (deletes) what stored on my HD (which I didn't know…). Thus, how can I at the same time have my sent messages be deleted from the server when one month old, but still have them on my HD (and visible in Mail)?

A subsidiary question is: how can I get my old sent e-mails back from my TimeMachine backups?

Thanks a lot for your help!
Sams

P.S. I have one Exchange and 2 IMAP accounts on Mail

 

[sullij]

I prefer to use the email provider's storage for most of my accounts because I can access them from anywhere, even a PC in the library or a linux workstation. I do use Apple mail for the information which I consider especially important, and will send a copy to the account which I configured on my desktop mac.

I tend to think the efficiency of the ISP is good. At the rate which online storage is increasing, I expect their cost and energy consumption is less than mine. The Risk, of course, is how much you trust the provider, if you have internet access, when needed and tools such as search and restore.

I have successfully used Time Machine to recover old emails ( for my wife's system, since she uses Mac mail for all her accounts ) The trouble which I've had is getting a good description of what I'm looking for. I just opened the mail application, entered time machine and kept going back far enough to find the emails.

 

[MBP17•David]

^^^... and that's the reason why I wouldn't use IMAP for anything but throw away accounts. I have some emails on my system that 19yrs old - no way someone else would keep it that long for me, nor would I trust them to.

Sams, you've basically just outlined the difference between the POP and IMAP protocols (well, strictly speaking it should be PO and IMA protocols LOL): the former transfers messages from server to your system, the latter keeps them on the server and shows them to you on any device, connected to the server. It is convenient, sure, but there are serious drawbacks, as you've just found out.