Multi Folder Searching

[Asiagryphon]

Is there any chance in the forseeable future that we will be able to search for a message in multiple folders?

I have my emails in over 200 folders and if one gets mis-filed or I cannot remember where it is it is almost impossible to find.

For me this search function is an essential and the lack of it a significant weakness in the fastmail core offering

[janusz]

This request keeps cropping up quite frequently, and of every occasion FM's official response is 'we're thinking about it, but don't hold your breath'.
A textbook case of case of ignoring customers' requirements...

[Asiagryphon]

Yes that is the answer I have got in the past too.



I cannot think why they are not prepared to provide such an necessary feature. Compared to some other e-mail programs they are well behind and cannot really lay claim to being "The world's best email service provider"

For me it is getting to the point that I am not going to renew my enhanced subscription if it is not fixed.

[joe_devore]

The feature really would be helpful, especially when I am trying to search for a
really old Registration email etc, and I can't remember what folder I put it in.
I make extensive use of multi-layered mail Folders so it can be difficult to locate something if I forgot where i put it.

[Asiagryphon]

So Fastmail - As a starter at least 3 definite requests for this fairly reasonable request.

What are you going to do?

[eugen]

Multiple folder search will be a great addition.

If fastmail could also implement the ability to flag or tag message with a short descriptions, then the multiple folder search could be so effective. Almost like gmail...

[JTB]

It's just like the Calendar request. It's been asked, demanded, etc., many times, yet no ETA on when it will be implemented.

Seems FM will take member's requests and suggestions, but they will implemented whatever they have on their list, and in the exact order THEY chose, instead of ordering it by demand.

Oh well...

[the bishop]

Originally Posted by JTB

It's just like the Calendar request. It's been asked, demanded, etc., many times, yet no ETA on when it will be implemented.

Seems FM will take member's requests and suggestions, but they will implemented whatever they have on their list, and in the exact order THEY chose, instead of ordering it by demand.

Oh well...

If they followed what people wanted they might grow too large too quickly. Seriously -- it might be a planned thing to make sure that enough people stay with other alternatives instead of FM lest their hardware overload with customers and cause us loyalists woes.

[JTB]

I see what you did there.

[physci]

I see what you mean..

Originally Posted by JTB

I see what you did there.

[rabarberski]

But can you search what he meant? ... only if you know the folder it is in

Originally Posted by physci

I see what you mean..

[n5bb]

Have you tried the freeware IMAPSIZE tool? It allows multi-folder searching.

Bill

[hadaso]

Originally Posted by janusz

A textbook case of case of ignoring customers' requirements...

Well, the customers just ask them to "please completely rewrite the application" in this case. I too would very much like to have the ability to run a search on multiple folders, but I see that the application is written to handle just one folder at a time, and the limitation is a limitation of the IMAP protocol on which it is based that works with the "current mailbox" and not with multiple mailboxes and they would have to completely change the logic behind this screen which is currently just using IMAP directly to get and display the message list.

If I had a choice between having multiple folder search or having the ability to tag messages using labels or keywords I would choose the later because it would allow me to reduce the number of folders I use (usually when I have to look for a message in several folders it is because there were several places it could be filed in, and I chose one that looked the best choice. If I could tag it I would use several relevant keywords).

[janusz]

Originally Posted by n5bb

Have you tried the freeware IMAPSIZE tool? It allows multi-folder searching.

Originally Posted by hadaso

the limitation is a limitation of the IMAP protocol on which it is based that works with the "current mailbox" and not with multiple mailboxes .

A naive question: If IMAP-based IMAPSIZE can do multifolder searches, why IMAP-based FM software cannot ??

And I agree with hadaso (and many others) that tagging messages with multiple and meaningful tags would provide a usable, and may be better, alternative.

[n5bb]

Originally Posted by janusz

A naive question: If IMAP-based IMAPSIZE can do multifolder searches, why IMAP-based FM software cannot ??

Because IMAPSIZE traverses your folders slowly one by one, in a rather inefficient manner. This takes a lot of server resources, so Fastmail doesn't want to make it easy to use in the web interface.

Bill