It is trying to save the e-mail to the Sent folder on the server because you are using IMAP.

You can change the setting for your e-mail account to save the sent e-mail to the Sent folder under "Local Folders" instead. The sent message will not be on the server, just on your computer, but you won't get the error message anymore.

I don't know any way to get Thunderbird to delay trying to placing the sent message to the IMAP Sent folder.

Thunderbird menu: Tools: Account Settings Select "Copies & Folders" under your e-mail address on the left side. On the right side, at the top you can specify where a copy of the sent message is put. Change it to "Sent" Folder on: Local Folders.

Thanks Bruce. The advantage of IMAP (for me) is I can work disconnected and everything catches up eventually. On other machines I can still see all my messages, including sent items. So it seems strange Thunderbird insists on saving a copy to the Sent folder on the remote server when it could just save it locally first and sync up later (rather than popping up a blocking dialog). Perhaps this should be a bug report or feature request?

Your suggestion makes me wonder if I could use a local folder for sent (as you suggest) but also somehow include it in the IMAP sync? Looking at "Synchronisation & Storage" under account settings it looks like I can't select a Local Folder however.

You cannot include a local folder in IMAP sync.

Have the sent messages save in the Sent folder in Local Folders. Then later when you are sure that you have a good Internet Connection, drag and drop those messages into the IMAP Sent folder.

If there is a better way, I don't know it.

Post another reply here so you will be the last poster, and leave the thread as "unsolved". Then the thread will be tagged as "Needing Attention". Then perhaps another volunteer may chime in.

That would seem the best I can do at this stage, thanks again. Perhaps there is a way with "Messsage Filters" to make the copy automatic, but that may just trigger the pop-up again.

usernamed said

That would seem the best I can do at this stage, thanks again. Perhaps there is a way with "Messsage Filters" to make the copy automatic, but that may just trigger the pop-up again.

the trouble with random interruptions to service is they are random, so any automatic workaround is going to suffer from the random nature of the problem. I would think Bruce has the best of it. Do a manual copy when your connection/location is stable.

The other thing, is what mail provider are you using. Both gmail and Outlook make copies in the sent folder as the outgoing mail passes through their servers, so Thunderbird's copy is really superfluous if your provider is one of those two, or your domain is provided using their services.

Hi Matt - I am on GMail and after disabling the copy I can confirm sent mails still end up where they should! So thanks for that - it looks I don't need the workaround, though it may be useful for others not on GMail or Outlook.

Will reply if I see that pop-up again but hopefully that's the end of it. Thanks all.

For redundancy I still suggest a local copy. Just in case there is ever an issue. Disk space is cheap. manually deleting the local copies every week, month or year will not cost you much in time for the added security of knowing you have a copy somewhere regardless.