GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 731656
"Automatically synchronize remote mail locally" confusing
Last modified: 2014-06-19 06:12:36 UTC
In the IMAPx "receiving options", the last checkbox is: "Automatically synchronize remote mail locally" Which sounds good at first glance, but I suspect (from observed behavior) that what it truly means is "Synchronize remote mail in all folders for offline use, regardless of whether or not the user has set individual folder properties to synchronize mail for offline use or not" So I would like to suggest one of the following strings which would convey this nuance more clearly: - "Synchronize mail for offline use in all folders" - "Keep an offline copy of emails in all folders" - "Automatically synchronize remote mail locally for all folders"
Thanks for a bug report. It's an account option, thus it sort-of makes sense that it is applied to all folders. Individual folders can be turned on (not off) as an override for this global option. The string cannot be changed in 3.12.x, due to string freeze, but I can change it for 3.13.x. I chose "Synchronize remote mail locally in all folders". I also changed case of one INBOX into "Inbox" in those strings. Created commit e6b5921 in eds master (3.13.3+) [1] https://git.gnome.org/browse/evolution-data-server/commit/?id=e6b5921
Keeping user docs in mind very welcome for such UI changes. I've now filed bug 731787. If I have "Synchronize remote mail locally in all folders" enabled in the account settings, what does right-clicking on an IMAP folder, clicking "Properties" get "Copy folder content locally for _offline operation" do?
(In reply to comment #2) > If I have "Synchronize remote mail locally in all folders" enabled in the > account settings, what does right-clicking on an IMAP folder, clicking > "Properties" get "Copy folder content locally for _offline operation" do? I wrote it here: (In reply to comment #1) > Individual folders can be turned on (not off) as an override for this global > option.
Ah, wasn't sure that refered to this specific string. So if I have enabled synchronizing remote mail locally in all my folders for that IMAP account anyway, why do that account's folders show "Copy folder content locally for _offline operation" as disabled? Or in different words: How can you override the already enabled account-wide folder sync, if you can only turn *on* folder sync for a specific folder (which should be enabled account-wide anyway, but the checkbox for the specific folder sync doesn't reflect that)? I really don't get it but would like to see it documented in the user docs in words that also non-programmers understand as I'm afraid more people have the same problem.
There is only one way, enable for all or enable individually. There is no "enable for all, but disable for individual folders". It's not ideal, but it works. If you look for all those "Check for new messages..." options, which tried to cover all the differences, then you may know what I mean. A three-state option in folder properties would make this work the best, I believe. The options would be: [m] Follow global setting (a "grey" check) [ ] Never copy for offline here [x] Always copy for offline here That would also fix your complain about inconsistent view in folder properties. As I said, it's not ideal.