An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Syncing Mail across devices
#47198 12/11/17 04:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
After years of using Office for Mac 2011 and Outlook, I have decided to move to the free Apple Mail instead of forking out £229 for a single Outlook 2016 license.

With Outlook, I was able to put the "Microsoft User Data" folder any place I liked, then place a link on each drive where Outlook was going to look for that folder. So, each of my three operating systems were dealing with the same database.

Is there an equivalent approach to Mail? Where is the Mail database? Am I asking to something that Mail can't do?

Thanks.

Last edited by dianne; 12/11/17 06:00 PM. Reason: Moved from the Mac OS X Applications forum.

iMac (19,1, 3.1 GHz i5, 12.7.4, 40 Gb RAM); MacBook Air (1.8 Ghz, 8 Gb RAM, 10.14.6, 256 Gb SSD) Vodafone router and Devolo Wi-Fi Extender, Canon TS8351 printer/scanner.
Re: Syncing Mail across devices
freelance #47205 12/12/17 08:33 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 8
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 8
If I understand you correctly, when you set up the IMAP accounts in Apple Mail on any and all devices, they will automatically be synchronized IF you have checked System Preferences>iCloud>Mail. What does not synchronize are any mailboxes you have created in Mail under the category of "On My Mac".

However, in re-reading your post, I notice you mention "my three operating systems", so I am wondering if you are trying to access Apple Mail "stuff" through a non-Apple system, or if you just mean different versions of Apple OS. If the latter, then my opening comments still apply. If the former, all bets are off.

Maybe a little more info unless I am missing the obvious.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: Syncing Mail across devices
freelance #47206 12/12/17 08:42 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
It may be helpful if you tell us what data is stored in your Microsoft User Data folder so we can relate it back to the equivalent data in Mail.app.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Syncing Mail across devices
artie505 #47207 12/12/17 04:03 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
I have three drives on the same Mac running 10.6.8, 10.10.5 and 10.13.2. I have a fourth HDD that has the Microsoft User Data folder on it. Each OS drive has a link where the User Data folder should be to the actual folder on the fourth HDD. This way, if I receive mail on 10.13.2, it will show up automatically when I reboot in 10.10.5.

I have mail set up now on all three partitions and my laptop. I have to say, Apple Mail does a good job of syncing the various computers. Who knew? Also, gmail is good over the various systems via the cloud, too.

My problem now, is saving the Microsoft archive of hundreds of emails so I can access them when my license no longer works.


iMac (19,1, 3.1 GHz i5, 12.7.4, 40 Gb RAM); MacBook Air (1.8 Ghz, 8 Gb RAM, 10.14.6, 256 Gb SSD) Vodafone router and Devolo Wi-Fi Extender, Canon TS8351 printer/scanner.
Re: Syncing Mail across devices
freelance #47208 12/12/17 04:24 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Offline
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Given the number of emails you are dealing with a stand-alone email archiver such as Email Archiver Pro, or Eagle Filer might be the best alternative for long term storage and access.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Syncing Mail across devices
joemikeb #47211 12/12/17 10:13 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
I'll look into those. Thanks.


iMac (19,1, 3.1 GHz i5, 12.7.4, 40 Gb RAM); MacBook Air (1.8 Ghz, 8 Gb RAM, 10.14.6, 256 Gb SSD) Vodafone router and Devolo Wi-Fi Extender, Canon TS8351 printer/scanner.

Moderated by  alternaut, dianne, MacManiac 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.019s Queries: 26 (0.014s) Memory: 0.5930 MB (Peak: 0.6642 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 09:51:48 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS