Do not Delete mail on Server

[uds0]

DANGER DANGER WILL ROBINSON!

The default setup PERMANENTLY deletes emails on the server when the trash folder is purged!  Unless a user specifically happens upon the setting to change this to "hide local, do not delete on server", this DESTRUCTIVE behavior happens by default and without warning.  I told a friend of mine about this app before I stumbled across this deadly default behavior, and she immediately purged the trash folder on her phone and thus lost EVERY email on the server before she could download in on her PC (primary email client).  Fortunately, the emails were all spam, but it could have been a disaster instead.

Other email clients do NOT EVERY delete from the server by default and thus must default to NEVER delete mail on the server, so new users would likely assume that this app would also take the most conservative approach by default.  NO DELETE ON SERVER is a critical required behavior for many users so PLEASE add this as a choice AND default to it.  Hiding the mail locally is not secure and slows the device down, so that is not a good workaround for many.

Hope this helps.

I greatly appreciate your efforts and careful consideration of user feedback.

[uds0]

I just verified that there is NO mention of purge deleted folder ALSO DELETING from the server on the setting for "move to deleted" - that will cause many users to be UNAWARE that the messages are DELETED from the server during a trash folder purge when this choice is chosen (and is default choice!).  There needs to at least be a BIG BOLD WARNING on that window!

Hope this helps many folks avoid this FATAL default behavior.  Still, by far the best fix is to add and default to NEVER delete mail from server.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Re: The default setup PERMANENTLY deletes emails on the server when the trash folder is purged!

Same as it does in every other mail app or web mail that I've ever seen - but maybe it's just me.

Perhaps the wording, "purge", is not clear enough - I'm open to suggestions.

Re: "move to deleted"

"move to deleted" does not "immediately delete" messages from the server - it "moves them to deleted", and so no additional warning is necessary here.

There is a confirmation / prompt when you "purge" the "deleted" folder which says that "messages will be permanently deleted".

[phred]

Same as it does in every other mail app or web mail that I've ever seen - but maybe it's just me.

As a new registered user who is struggling with the 'hide' vs 'delete' issue, I must disagree with you. K-9 Mail, which I have given up on after more than five years of use, gives each email account the ability to delete messages from the local app -AND- keep them on the server. This action is a true delete to a 'trash can' which can then be emptied. K-9 does not hide the 'deleted' message(s).

I find the AquaMail method of hiding the message in order not to have it deleted from the server quite wasteful both in terms of time needed to (eventually) go back and truly delete them and in the amount of storage space they must occupy while hidden. I like to be able to read them when I'm out and about, but I also like to delete them from the phone once read. Then when I get to a desktop, I can then take action (save, delete, etc.) on them since they'll still be on the server.

It would be great if you would consider this.

Otherwise I'm very impressed with AquaMail to the point of testing for about six hours and then paying for the full version.

Thanks.

[phred]

Pop3?

Thanks for the reply.

The five accounts are IMAP, (1 Gmail, 2 Yahoo, 2 Comcast) but the Comcast accounts can be set as POP3 if that will allow me to delete from the app only.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

This action is a true delete to a 'trash can' which can then be emptied. K-9 does not hide the 'deleted' message(s).

No it's not -- it has to keep around at least the "Message ID" of some sort, so it doesn't keep re-downloaded the "deleted but not really deleted" messages over and over again.

Aqua Mail keeping the "hidden" messages fully on the device - not just the ID - makes it possible to undo (un-hide) them. I think this is a useful feature.

They will be cleaned up over time same as "non-hidden" messages, so the app's storage usage will not grow infinitely.

[phred]

Aqua Mail keeping the "hidden" messages fully on the device - not just the ID - makes it possible to undo (un-hide) them. I think this is a useful feature.

Ahhh ... the ability to undo/unhide. Yes, that is useful.

They will be cleaned up over time same as "non-hidden" messages, so the app's storage usage will not grow infinitely.

Is the time frame for clean-up of hidden message user-selectable - i.e. x number of days or weeks, etc? If so, I haven't found it in the settings.

I have found a work-around for my initial issue and that was to delete all five IMAP accounts and recreate them as POP3. Thanks to Paris Geek for making me think more about his question.

Although as I explore and learn AquaMail's capabilities, I may go back to IMAP as it does have it's pluses.

Thanks for you comments Kostya.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

Re: Is the time frame for clean-up of hidden message user-selectable - i.e. x number of days or weeks, etc? If so, I haven't found it in the settings.

The cleanup is performed daily (at night, around 2-3 am).

The relevant setting is "messages to cache" in app settings or account settings (if you long press on an account -> options and folders -> account options).

[phred]

The cleanup is performed daily (at night, around 2-3 am).

What happens if the phone is powered down overnight? Does the cleanup take place as soon as it's powered on, or does it wait until the next time 2-3 am comes around?

The relevant setting is "messages to cache" in app settings or account settings (if you long press on an account -> options and folders -> account options).

Great info. Thanks.

[Kostya Vasilyev]

What happens if the phone is powered down overnight? Does the cleanup take place as soon as it's powered on, or does it wait until the next time 2-3 am comes around

The cleanup should still happen, although somewhat less often - feel free to also use Menu -> Compact the database on the app's main screen.