merging two thunderbird 15 mail directories

Lynn McGuire

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Sep 18, 2012, 1:09:24 PM9/18/12

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How do I merge two thunderbird 15 mail directories
into a single TB mail directory ? The newer mail
has about 5,000 emails in it. The old mail
directory has about 50,000 emails in it.

Thanks,
Lynn

Mike Easter

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Sep 18, 2012, 1:31:40 PM9/18/12

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This page has instructions for installing and using the Add-on for
importing.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders
1 Install the ImportExportTool extension
2 Find your old profile
3 Find the folders
4 Import the folders
5 See also

--
Mike Easter

Lynn McGuire

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Sep 18, 2012, 2:47:15 PM9/18/12

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Thanks!

Lynn

John H Meyers

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Oct 6, 2012, 2:03:07 PM10/6/12

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On 9/18/2012 12:09 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:

> How do I merge two Thunderbird 15 mail directories

> into a single TB mail directory ?

It seems odd to me that Mozillazine
recommends treating one of those as if
not even already being in Thunderbird,
"importing" all the individual "mbox" files instead,
having also to use an external extension to do that.

I would simply make a subfolder in one of my profiles,
where I want to "graft in" my second set of mail folders.

If I call my new subfolder "Othermail,"
it will manifest on disk as a directory "Othermail.sbd"
into which I can copy (or move) the top level content
of the mail folder tree (on disk) of any other profile,
thus grafting the entire second profile's folder tree
into the first profile.

If I want to further merge content,
e.g. combine the grafted "Inbox" with the other,
I can move messages between mailboxes afterwards,
via normal Thunderbird select, drag, drop.

I more often want to keep my "imported" content
separate, however, so I don't do that last step.

--

Robert Miles

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Nov 9, 2012, 1:22:49 AM11/9/12

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On 9/18/2012 12:31 PM, Mike Easter wrote:

Caution - I've used the ImportExportTool extension under TB 17 beta
and found that, at least under that Tb version, it can import one
and only one directory of .eml files. I've notified its author;
no answer yet.

No choice of where the imported email goes - apparently always into
your first Inbox.

Robert Miles

V S Rawat

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Nov 9, 2012, 7:03:39 AM11/9/12

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Thanks for pointing to ImportExportTool extension.

I was always worried about making a new profile thinking if it didn't
work, my mails will be locked in previous profile.

this addon will help me fetch my data. Thanks.
--
Rawat

Keith Nuttle

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Nov 9, 2012, 8:33:55 AM11/9/12

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You have a lot of emails, more than I have ever tried to move.
After backing up both email accounts have you ever tried to just move
the sub directories from the old account to the new? I have no idea
how many sub directories you have in either account so it may take some
personal time and some processor to time to make the move.

I know it works for a couple of dozen emails.

Robert Miles

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Nov 17, 2012, 10:01:10 PM11/17/12

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An update: It's able to import .eml files, from either Windows Mail or
Windows Live Mail, again and again if you use the Import messages
command. It's the Import all messages from a directory command
that works only once. It's supposed to be able to import .nws files,
but I've found no hint of where if anywhere it puts then after it imports
them.

Still no response from the author.

Robert Miles