[Users] Impoting Maildir folders

[Steve Litt]

On Thu, 6 Feb 2014 09:49:25 -0300
"Renaud (Ron) OLGIATI" <renaud at olgiati-in-paraguay.org> wrote:

> Is there a simple way to import maildir folders ?
> 
> (I have been asked to rescue old mails, created with Kmail on a
> now-defunct Mageia system) 
> Cheers,
>  
> Ron.
> 
> PS I suppose they are Maildir: each folder with tmp, new and cur
> sub-folders

Here's the quick and dirty way I'd handle this...


1. Determine whether this "kmail" was kmail2 or the earlier kmail.

2. Quick and dirty install Linux on an old box with extra room or an
   experimental box. The version of Linux installed should be one with
   the proper kmail version. If you know the version of mageia, this
   would be ideal.

3. I don't know exactly how to do this, but get your kmail to use the
   former Maildir

4. Copy every tree from the temporary Linux machine to an IMAP like
   gmail.

5. On your new, legitimate machine, fire up Claws and point it at the
   IMAP account referenced in the preceding step.

6. When you're sure every email has been transferred to your new,
   legitimate machine, be sure to wipe out the IMAP copies from gmail
   or whatever. You never know when the NSA will come to Google bearing
   subpoenas.

7. Once everything's good, tested, and backed up, feel free to wipe the
   temporary machine and use it for something else.


Extra credit if, on your new, legitimate machine, you set up a local
IMAP so you *never* have this problem again, and your emails are no
longer stored on your client. Added benefits include travelling access
to your personal email via port 993, and the possibility of filtering
via Procmail, so your mail gets filtered the same way regardless of
email client. Here's an article on how to do that:

http://www.troubleshooters.com/lpm/201202/201202.htm#_The_Pivotal_Suggestion

The information from there to the bottom of the file deals with the
subject at hand.

SteveT

Steve Litt                *  http://www.troubleshooters.com/
Troubleshooting Training  *  Human Performance