migrate from Thunderbird to Evolution without re-downloading IMAP mails

Question

I have about 3GB mails hold for offline usage in my thunderbird and it would take quite a while on a slow iinternet connection to re-download them all again in evolution.

Is there a way to install evolution and take the mail folders from the Thunderbird profile to fill the evolution mail folder?

Solution

Go to .thunderbird/Profiles/xxx.default/Mail/, and then to your mail folder.

There will be two types of files. Inbox.msf, and Inbox. You need the file without the extension.

In Evolution, go to mail window view and click File --> Import.

Select "import a single file" option when asked, and select the file (from above) you want to import and select a location to be imported.

Repeat for every archive that you have (if more than one).

Comments

[Mitch]

Everyone is going the other direction. Evolution to Thunderbird. Why are you considering migrating if I may ask?

[rubo77]

I would like to use notbit as sendmail for a bitmessage ccount, but Thunderbird cannot use a custom sendmail binary in Thunderbird

[rubo77]

I have no such large Inbox file in my thunderbird ImapMail folder. Maybe The storage foder structure has changed in Thundrbird 31?

[Mitch]

I have 7GB in emails, and they are in multiple folders. Do you have that?

[rubo77]

yes, about 100 folders ;)

[Mitch]

Unfortunately you have to do one at a time.

[Mitch]

You can, just t try copying the mbox files into ~/.evolution/mail/local/Inbox.sbd/. Make sure that you copy first justto make sure it works.