Export and Importing mail

ewal · 3 Jan 2018, 02:03 AM

There does not seem to be an easy way of Importing and Exporting emails via the new interface. So far as I can see, would appreciate help.

I can easily download all my emails by using a third party utility such as Mailstore, but there does not seem to be an easy way of importing emails (such as in eml format).

The Import & Export allows for import of Contacts and Calendar entries stored locally, but no import options for emails stored locally (in any format).

The only 'Import' option is from another mail account (e.g. from Gmail).

I tried doing things in a local mail client (Outlook), opening an eml file and moving it to my Fastmail Inbox - but that does not seem to work. Maybe I'm just being dumb.

This need was prompted by me selecting two emails (using the web interface) and forwarding them in a new email. Sadly that action deleted the two emails (which it should not have) and I'm trying to get the two emails back into my inbox. (I've opened a support ticket), but I now realise the Import & Export options are very lacking and now I feel I don't have proper control on my Fastmail account.

emoore · 4 Jan 2018, 05:34 AM

You could create a IMAP account for fastmail using the free version of the em client from http://www.emclient.com/ . Menu -> File -> Import appears to support importing mail, calendars and contacts using the file formats you are using. The main limitation of the free version is its limited to 2 accounts.

Importing the .eml files will make the messages available under webmail (since IMAP accounts support remote folders, stored on the mail server). According to https://www.emclient.com/faq-account-setup it supports CardDAV (remote contacts) and CalDAV (remote calendar) so you should be able to synchronize your address book and calendar (unless you have a legacy plan that doesn't support CardDAV and CalDAV).

ewal · 4 Jan 2018, 06:00 AM

Many thanks emoore. Let me look at your recommendations and try it out.

In the meantime Fastmail support came back to me on how to detach eml files attached in an email to a Fastmail folder. Unfortunately they have given me some duff information so I have had to go back to them.

Terry · 4 Jan 2018, 11:01 AM

Why do they have to make it so difficult...

JeremyNicoll · 4 Jan 2018, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewal

There does not seem to be an easy way of Importing and Exporting emails via the new interface.

I don't know anything about Importing stuff, but you can Export mail fairly easily. The option is well-disguised though.

Go to Settings - Folders, then scroll down to the bottom. Click the "Mass delete or remove duplicates" link. (I complained about the way that this is hidden and has such a non-obvious name, months ago.)

On the next webpage, choose the folder from which you wish to export stuff. If I want to export an entire folder this is easy, but if I have a selection of mails to export, I generally first move them into a 'work' folder that contains nothing else, then choose that folder here.

Then use the "Purge/download messages" options. Blank-out the "Before date" and "Larger than" conditions if you want all the mails in your chosen folder, otherwise set criteria to limit the choice. Click "Calculate Size" to check that your choice is finding the right number of mails, and if it did, click "Download messages in zip". You'll be emailed when the FM server has created the zip.

Terry · 5 Jan 2018, 07:17 AM

Thank you for that....I wish they would make it a little easier.

n5bb · 5 Jan 2018, 04:14 PM

The easy way to do this is to install the free Thunderbird email client. Then set it up for IMAP access to your Fastmail account(s) and any other accounts you have. Remember that you must set up an application password for Thunderbird on that specific PC.

You can drag one message (or a group of messages) from any Thunderbird email folder at any account to any other Thunderbird folder at any other account.
You can drag messages from a Thunderbird folder to a File Explorer folder. They are saved in .eml format (which is just the raw message).
You can also drag .eml messages from a File Explorer folder to any Thunderbird email folder.
Dragging the messages in/out of Thunderbird folders imports or exports them to your Fastmail account folders. That's the magic of IMAP -- the messages in the client folders mirror the messages on the Fastmail IMAP server.

Bill

FredOnline · 5 Jan 2018, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewal

I can easily download all my emails by using a third party utility such as Mailstore, but there does not seem to be an easy way of importing emails (such as in eml format).

I've not used MailStore Home for quite a while (I'm a Linux convert) but seem to recall when using Windows OS that I could export from MailStore Home in to my FastMail account.

Terry · 7 Jan 2018, 07:31 AM

Edit.............

MagicDavid · 1 Mar 2018, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewal

In the meantime Fastmail support came back to me on how to detach eml files attached in an email to a Fastmail folder. Unfortunately they have given me some duff information so I have had to go back to them.

Hello

I've been asking for this facility to be restored to the new interface for ages (it used to be available on the old interface and worked really well). Support did promise this was on a list to be brought back online, but it's not happened so far.

I have a whole tonne of emails waiting to be extracted but still waiting for the facility to do so.

Did Fastmail support say this was now available to you recently?

Thanks

David

ewal · 1 Mar 2018, 04:38 PM

Hi David

Fastmail support confirmed that the ability was in the previous version of the Fastmail web interface but, due to low usage, was not carried over into the current web interface. To do what we want to do is to do it via a local client.

Overview of steps.
Download all eml files, import them locally into a client, setup your Fastmail account in the client and then move from the local account to the Fastmail account in the local client.

cheers
Edward

MagicDavid · 1 Mar 2018, 05:22 PM

Thank you for getting back to me, that's really helpful. I'll try this out.

3 Jan 2018, 02:03 AM	#1
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: West Sussex, UK Posts: 1,334	Export and Importing mail There does not seem to be an easy way of Importing and Exporting emails via the new interface. So far as I can see, would appreciate help. I can easily download all my emails by using a third party utility such as Mailstore, but there does not seem to be an easy way of importing emails (such as in eml format). The Import & Export allows for import of Contacts and Calendar entries stored locally, but no import options for emails stored locally (in any format). The only 'Import' option is from another mail account (e.g. from Gmail). I tried doing things in a local mail client (Outlook), opening an eml file and moving it to my Fastmail Inbox - but that does not seem to work. Maybe I'm just being dumb. This need was prompted by me selecting two emails (using the web interface) and forwarding them in a new email. Sadly that action deleted the two emails (which it should not have) and I'm trying to get the two emails back into my inbox. (I've opened a support ticket), but I now realise the Import & Export options are very lacking and now I feel I don't have proper control on my Fastmail account.

5 Jan 2018, 04:14 PM	#7
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,925	Use Thunderbird to easily import/export .eml files to your Fastmail account The easy way to do this is to install the free Thunderbird email client. Then set it up for IMAP access to your Fastmail account(s) and any other accounts you have. Remember that you must set up an application password for Thunderbird on that specific PC. You can drag one message (or a group of messages) from any Thunderbird email folder at any account to any other Thunderbird folder at any other account. You can drag messages from a Thunderbird folder to a File Explorer folder. They are saved in .eml format (which is just the raw message). You can also drag .eml messages from a File Explorer folder to any Thunderbird email folder. Dragging the messages in/out of Thunderbird folders imports or exports them to your Fastmail account folders. That's the magic of IMAP -- the messages in the client folders mirror the messages on the Fastmail IMAP server. Bill

7 Jan 2018, 07:31 AM	#9
Terry The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VK4 Posts: 3,012	Edit............. Last edited by Terry : 7 Jan 2018 at 06:02 PM.

4 Jan 2018, 05:34 AM	#2
emoore Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 280	You could create a IMAP account for fastmail using the free version of the em client from http://www.emclient.com/ . Menu -> File -> Import appears to support importing mail, calendars and contacts using the file formats you are using. The main limitation of the free version is its limited to 2 accounts. Importing the .eml files will make the messages available under webmail (since IMAP accounts support remote folders, stored on the mail server). According to https://www.emclient.com/faq-account-setup it supports CardDAV (remote contacts) and CalDAV (remote calendar) so you should be able to synchronize your address book and calendar (unless you have a legacy plan that doesn't support CardDAV and CalDAV).

4 Jan 2018, 06:00 AM	#3
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: West Sussex, UK Posts: 1,334	Many thanks emoore. Let me look at your recommendations and try it out. In the meantime Fastmail support came back to me on how to detach eml files attached in an email to a Fastmail folder. Unfortunately they have given me some duff information so I have had to go back to them.

4 Jan 2018, 11:01 AM	#4
Terry The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VK4 Posts: 3,012	Why do they have to make it so difficult...

5 Jan 2018, 07:17 AM	#6
Terry The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VK4 Posts: 3,012	Thank you for that....I wish they would make it a little easier.

1 Mar 2018, 04:38 PM	#11
ewal Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: West Sussex, UK Posts: 1,334	Hi David Fastmail support confirmed that the ability was in the previous version of the Fastmail web interface but, due to low usage, was not carried over into the current web interface. To do what we want to do is to do it via a local client. Overview of steps. Download all eml files, import them locally into a client, setup your Fastmail account in the client and then move from the local account to the Fastmail account in the local client. cheers Edward

1 Mar 2018, 05:22 PM	#12
MagicDavid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 164	Thank you for getting back to me, that's really helpful. I'll try this out.