Using search folders for scanning multiple IMAP folders

2008-11-15

The support team often relies on Thunderbird search folders for scanning emails throughout multiple IMAP folders of the support@ and other IMAP accounts [ch1], [ch2].

Below is an example of a search folder, called “today”, for monitoring the fresh traffic of emails across multiple accounts, and IMAP folders.

Below is another example of a search folder, for retrieving all emails addressed-to or received-from a customer with email address xyz@bluewin.ch:

(when you need to check for another email address, simply copy-paste new address into two fields within the properties of the same search folder)

There is an inconvenience you must be aware of. Search folders scanning multiple IMAP accounts cannot find new messages of IMAP folders if the corresponding IMAP folders in Thunderbird are not yet refreshed. It seems is the case, even when “Search Online” checkbox of the search folder is checked.

When your thunderbird periodically checks for new messages (e.g. every 10 minutes), only the “Inbox” folder is being updated. By default, the other individual IMAP folders and sub-folders are not updated automatically.

Folders can be updated by individually clicking on each folder every time. If you have to visit each folder individually, the utility of a search folder becomes doubtful. Instead, you can configure all your IMAP folders and sub-folders for being updated automatically together with “Inbox”. Right click on each IMAP folder you are interested in, and in its properties panel check the folder for new messages. You have to do it for each folder and for each sub-folder individually. Once all folders are modified, they will be updated together with the “Inbox”, every time your thunderbird will check for new messages.