Ubuntu
evolution package

suddenly folders and mail disappeared in evolution (ubuntu 10.10) ACCOUNTS APPEAR BUT APPLICATION IS DEAD

Asked by Zoe Lanara

While working normally for a month after installation, folders and mail - virtually everything disappeared from Evolution. The accounts appear in Preferences , plugins are checked, lay out options are the same (show side bar option is ticked etc.)
I have tried re-installation, removal and re-installation, but the problem stays. The application works normally on another computer (using Ubuntu 10.040
Thanks in advance for your kind help and attention

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Zoe Lanara
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mycae (mycae) said : 		#1

Try closing evolution, then moving the hidden ".evolution" folder somewhere else, like "evolution-backup-notworking".

To see the hidden files, in nautilus (the file manager), select view->show hidden files . If you click on your home folder (might be called "zoe"), then you should see a whole load of folders, including ".evolution". This is where your user data is stored for evolution, so renaming it will reset evolution back to its start.

Uninstalling the program does not affect this data (so you don't lose important data), so when you re-install, you are back with the same problem.

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Zoe Lanara (zlanar) said : 		#2

Dear mycae, thank you very much. Following your instructions, I renamed the folder to Evolution phantom and it is now working. That is, the folders reappeared and the application is sending and receiving. However, I cannot retrieve or find all previous mails and data. Luckily they exist still in Outlook Express. I am still wondering why such a thing happened. Meanwhile, to get things done I tried Claws mail which seems decent enough and stable. Thanks again for your time and consideration.

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mycae (mycae) said : 		#3

the previous emails are still inside the "evolution phantom" folder you made. you can import them from Evolutions "import a single file". The largest file in the "evolution phantom" folder (and its sub-folders) will probably be your mail inbox. Note that you will probably lose the "is-read" information, so they might all appear as "unread".