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XEtedBear
March 16th, 2013, 06:54 PM
In Thunderbird I'm trying to import mbox files that I have exported from Evolution. I use Tools->Import->Mail and am presented with a blank dialog box and the prompt "please select the type of file you would like to import". There is nothing to select and nothing can be entered. The only options are <Back> or <Cancel> which makes it a very quick, but not very effective, import tool.

Has anybody got a more practical way of importing mbox files into Thunderbird?

schragge
March 16th, 2013, 07:08 PM
See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_and_exporting_your_mail
Basically, you need ImportExportTools (http://www.nic-nac-project.de/~kaosmos/mboximport-en.html) extension.

XEtedBear
March 16th, 2013, 08:01 PM
See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_and_exporting_your_mail
Basically, you need ImportExportTools (http://www.nic-nac-project.de/~kaosmos/mboximport-en.html) extension.

Yep, that's what I thought too; it makes no detectable difference.

schragge
March 16th, 2013, 10:39 PM
Have you got the new menu entry ImportExportTools on your Tools menu after installing the extension?

XEtedBear
March 17th, 2013, 01:54 PM
Have you got the new menu entry ImportExportTools on your Tools menu after installing the extension?

Yes. However, you make a good point - I hadn't noticed the new option "importexporttools" in the tools menu - I still used the simple "import" option. Having tried the new option I get this inscrutable error message:

"impossible to import in this folder (imap or newsgroup type)"

Is this telling me I can't import in IMAP mode?

XEtedBear
March 17th, 2013, 11:00 PM
OK, I think this is solved now; see:
https://freeshell.de/~kaosmos/mboximport-en.html

It's clear that the ImportExportTools does not support import for IMAP Accounts. Perhaps it should be renamed to "can'timportexporttool"

I'll start a new thread asking if there is any way to import mbox files into a TB imap account.

schragge
March 18th, 2013, 09:57 AM
There are some command-line tools that synchronize local MailDir folders with remote IMAP folders like mbsync (http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages.gz/precise/man1/mbsync.1.gz) from the package isync, or offlineimap (http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/precise/en/man1/offlineimap.1.html), but you will need to convert your mbox files to MailDir format first, e.g. with mb2md (http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/precise/en/man1/mb2md.1.html).

XEtedBear
March 18th, 2013, 10:44 AM
Aha! That's very useful to know; thanks. I'm converting from Evolution, which uses (in its current version) the MailDir format (or so I'm told). It remains to be seen what doesn't work this this process; I note with some misgiving your reference to 'local MaiDir folders': this modifier 'local' has always confused me; anything that I can walk to, without having to stop for lunch somehwre, is 'local' to me - that's what the word means. So all my folders are local, if not closer. Clearly this is a naive view to take when discussing the labels applied by those who are respected for their coding skills, rather than their etymological skills

schragge
March 18th, 2013, 02:38 PM
Here local basically means "physically located on your computer, and not on some remote IMAP server". With some reservations, naturally. E.g. a mail folder on the network share in your LAN is still local from the mail system POV. OTOH, any mail folders on the IMAP server are remote even if that server is located in the same room as you.