Re: [Evolution] Items in the trash reappear in the archive folder

[Pete Biggs <pete biggs org uk>]

> We use Evolution 3.18.5.2 (Ubuntu 16.04) and 3.34.1-2 (Ubuntu 19.10,
> previously the version 3.32.1-2 in 19.04) on two different computers,
> both will be updated this year. The email account this problem relates
> to is configured in the same way in both Evolution versions on the two
> computers. It is set up with IMAP.

What is the server?  i.e. Gmail or some other cloud service? If it is a
local IMAP server, what software does it use?

> For a year or even more we have a mysterious problem. Emails in the
> trash folder that are usually automatically deleted from the email
> server after a month reappear in the Archive folder after they are
> deleted server-side. Maybe it is similar to this bug:
> https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/evolution/issues/580
> But it does not happen immediately after the email was moved to the
> trash folder but most of the time only a month later when it is deleted
> from the server.
>
> In the above mentioned bug report you asked for the work flow. Here is
> ours: The emails that are read and not need to be archived are moved
> (manually) to the Trash folder. The emails that are read/answered are
> moved to the Archive folder, either by moving it manually or by
> "deleting" it with the Delete key as the Archive folder is set as the
> "Real Folder for Wastebasket/Trash". I wondered whether this last
> setting might explain the behaviour but we had this settings on all
> computers for many years (with different email providers) and the
> reappearance of the emails only occurred for a year or so.

I think it's unwise to "overload" an operation and repurpose it for
something else that the developers couldn't anticipate. Deleting things
has a specific meaning and I wouldn't be surprised if it causes
confusion doing what you are doing.  There is an archiving mechanism in
Evolution these days, why not use that.


>  I first
> hoped it will disappear by itself but it did not. At the moment I have
> to re-delete all emails and then open the trash folder in Thunderbird
> and delete it there permanently. If I delete the re-deleted emails
> manually from the Trash in Evolution they usually reappear again.

Do you have "Show deleted messages" turned on?

How do you "delete" the mails from your Trash?  Is it by any chance by
deleting them - does that not move them to the Archive folder since you
have told Evolution that that is your Trash folder?

> I can stop this problem if I set the official TRASH folder as the "Real
> Folder for Wastebasket/Trash" on the computer with 3.34.1-2  (Ubuntu
> 19.10). But it reappears if I use the Archive folder as the the "Real
> Folder for Wastebasket/Trash" like on the other computer.
>
> Do you need to know something more? Do you have any hint? 
> Could it be an Evolution problem (maybe the old Evolution 3.18.5.2 or a
> new feature in the newer version)?
> Or is it rather a email server problem?
I suspect it's an issue of trying to use features for something they
weren't intended for.  If you need to "Archive" things, then use the
built in archiving mechanism - it can be done manually with a key
combination or an icon on the top bar, or it can be setup to be
automatic.

I'm also surprised you don't have other problems - such as the "Trash"
(i.e. your archive) being purged occasionally. 

P.