re Server doesn't have unlimited space so I want to sync only the Inbox - This statement is a bit odd - IMAP mail accounts allow for loads of space - do you mean that your computer does not have much disc space.

All the emails and their folders are on the server (except Local Folders) because you have an IMAP mail account. You see a remote view of any folders you have subscribed to see.

You only see the headers, until you select an email to view and then contents are downloaded to a temp cache to facilitate quicker viewing. You cannot see these emails if you go offline because they are not stored locally. Any changes you make to any folder will get updated on the server because you have an IMAP mail account.

Synchronzing means that a copy of the folder is downloaded to the computer and stored locally so that you can view emails even if offline. However, any changes you make, these changes will be synchronized to the server to update the folder.

Synchronizing one folder means that only that folder will be downloaded as a copy to your computer, all other folders remain subscribed so you can see headers, but are downloaded to a temp cache when selected.

Basically, any changes to any IMAP folders will be changed on the server. Anything that also looks on the server or webmail will see the changes.

Pop mail accounts usually are allocated much less space on the server, because it is expected that you will not keep all your emails on the server.

Pop mail accounts can only access the Inbox on the server. they cannot see any other server folder. Emails are downloaded to your computer for viewing. You can choose to 'leave messages on the server' or not. (Not wise to leave on server and never delete as quota can easily be exceeded and you then have the extra job of accessing the webmail to check and remove) You can choose to leave on the server but delete after xx number of days or when you actually delete an email. These emails are stored locally on your computer. You can read them whether online or offline. When you move emails to other folders, those folders are on your computer they are not on the server, there is no synchronizing like an IMAP account. The only updating that is performed is to delete an email off the server Inbox and to check for new mail in the server Inbox., assuming those options are selected.

Sorry guys, I know you're trying to be helpful but it doesn't answer my points. Actually I cheated a little - my server doesn't have a specific space limit, but with 8G of mail that has gathered in my main account (I use a lot of mail) I prefer to run a process where I don't have to think "what's going to happen when there is too much mail on the server". Also - though I only tried with short mails, the full mails ARE downloaded before I view them. I have checked this by disabling the network before reading them.

My problem is I want to sync some mail folders and not others and have mails deleted from the server when I move them from a synced folder to a non-synced one on the client (as in archiving a mail), but it doesn't work - the destination folder gets synced as well.

Thanks for your thoughts

andy

I think you're using the wrong terminology.

Please re-read what Toad-Hall wrote above.

In case of Thunderbird 'synchronization', this does *not* mean to keep folders on the server and the clients in sync. That functionality is already inherent to the IMAP protocol.
You can unsubscribe from folders on the server though, which means they won't be visible in Thunderbird at all.

Also you can tell Thunderbird to download an offline copy on a per folder basis, e.g. for Inbox, but not for other folders. The headers will be visible in those other folders though.

Furthermore, you can move messages off of the server to your Local Folders account. That will remove them also from all other IMAP clients.

If this still doesn't address your problem, please rephrase your question using the correct terminology.

For an IMAP mail account, whether a folder is subscribed and synchronized or just subscribed, these folders are the same folders on the server. Moving emails between these folders will show up on the server because you are using the IMAP mail account folders.

If you move an email from eg: Inbox fo the imap mail account to eg: Local Folders Inbox, this email will now be on your computer and not in the IMAP mail account. If you copy an email to Local Folders Inbox or another Local Folders folder, you will still see the copy on the server. If you do not want to see it via webmail or another device that views those imap folders, then you need to delete the copy in the Imap mail account Inbox. This will mean it is removed from the Imap mail account folder, so will not appear on the server, but it will be visible via Local Folders.

So if you are trying to keep an Archived email on your computer, but not in any Imap mail account folder, you need to Archive it in a Local Folders folder and then make sure there is no copy left in an imap folder.