#!/bin/cat
$Id: FAQ.LocalStorage.txt,v 1.1 2025/09/16 14:33:27 gilles Exp gilles $

This documentation is also available online at
https://imapsync.lamiral.info/FAQ.d/
https://imapsync.lamiral.info/FAQ.d/FAQ.LocalStorage.txt

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          Imapsync issues and tips about local storage
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Questions answered in this FAQ are:


Q. Can imapsync be used to maintain and restore a local offline copy 
   of a mailbox, eg for backup purposes, using Mbox or Maildir 
   format, so that if the server fails, then the mailbox could be 
   reinstated?


Now the questions again with their answers.

https://imapsync.lamiral.info/FAQ.d/FAQ.LocalStorage.txt
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Q. Can imapsync be used to maintain and restore a local offline copy 
   of a mailbox, eg for backup purposes, using Mbox or Maildir 
   format, so that if the server fails, then the mailbox could be 
   reinstated?

R1. No. Imapsync plays with IMAP servers only.

R2. Imapsync can't but rick-sanders-imap-tools can!
    See https://github.com/andrewnimmo/rick-sanders-imap-tools
    
    Back up and restore IMAP accounts with imapdump.pl and dumptoIMAP.pl
    It looks like imapdump.pl has options to avoid duplicates and be
    in an update mode. There are options -u -U
    [-u] Don't dump messages already dumped
    [-U] Don't dump message if it already exists in the dump directory
    I wonder the difference, I've never used Rick's tools.

    Remember that doing backups without trying the restore process
    is more dangerous than doing no backups at all. No backups makes
    people act in a safer way, well, usually...
    
R3. Use isync or mbsync
    https://isync.sourceforge.io/

R4. Use ImportExportTools for Mozilla Thunderbird by Paolo Kaosmos. 
    ImportExportTools does not do IMAP as a destination.

R5. There is a free online service (French language) allowing you to do
    a Maildir or EML or HTML backup at 
    https://www.powermail.fr/sauvegarder-une-boite-mail/
    Prefer Maildir or EML format if you want to be able to restore the 
    archive. HTML format will be ok to only view the messages, not to
    restore them to an imap server account.

I have never used any of this tools so asking me for support with them 
won't go far away.

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