How to backup evolution mail

Thanks for your question.

1) All your mails are stored in a subdirectory in your home folder called ".evolution". So if you backup this folder, you backup all your mails.

2) Evolution has an import wizzard to import information, however, if you want to exchange e-mails between windows and linux a lot, in my experience, the most convenient thing is to create an imap server in which you can copy you mail folders from one machine and copy it from there to another. This process works conveniently in both ways.

I hope this helps.

Backup of Evolution: Try to backup .evolution directory in your home directory. It will be hidden because the starting dot. To restore, just put the directory back to your home. It will backup the whole Evolution settings. If you really want just emails, try to look inside the directory. And, if you use IMAP as mail protocol, the mails are stored on the server, so you don't need to bother.
Import OE: First, export it from OE to a few formats, and then try to import one of them to Evolution. I don;t know which one is supported by both clients, so try.

For a propper backup:

1) First shut down Evolution Data Server

# evolution --force-shutdown

2) Backup the gconf entries

# gconftool --dump /apps/evolution/mail > ~/evolution-gconf-backup.xml.dump

3) Backup evoultion data

# tar -czf ~/"evolution_backup_`date +%F_%H-%M`.tgz" .evolution .gnupg evolution-gconf-backup.xml.dump

For restoring this backup

1) Again, shut down Evolution Data Server

# evolution --force-shutdown

2) Extract backup

# tar -xzf ~/evolution_backup*

3) Merge gconf dump

# gconftool --load=evolution-gconf-backup.xml.dump

CU
Christoph

Hi Christoph,
I haven't had a chance to try your method yet but I must say it is the most clear and concise method I have seen so far.
That said, I have some questions...
1) Is there any reason you wouldn't want to create scripts in the user's home directory to perform these tasks? Say ev_backup and ev_restore. What about brief GUI apps to do this (Perl/TK or other?). I can see where the backup would be easier than the restore due to possibly needing to pick a file to restore. On the other hand, you could always have a file latest_xxxxxx that is the most recent backup. That way the script would work without user input.

The reason I am asking about this automation is that I am about to deploy a significan number of Edubuntu boxes to the autistic and other special-needs kids in my area. Most of the parents will be challenged by most anything that doesn't look like Windows or that they have to do anything cryptic.

In this case the kids will probably actually know how to do more than the parents in most areas, but it's not fair to depend on them to do their housekeeping. Like I said - they can probably do it better. That's part of the reason I have started this initiative - to let these kids get solid exposure to computers and the Internet. Some will no doubt become interested in programming. Others, like my sons will be interested in space, nature and other sciences. For others, games of one kind or another will be popular.

I'm locking down visitable web sites on most computers, based on parent input. They can override those choices on their own, but I fear many won't. So I am trying to compile a list of kid-friendly sites to white-list from the start.

Having said all of this, I am trying to get down a solid and consistent way to put together these systems so that they are solid. Things that break down end up being discarded or stowed away. The audience demands it although they don't know that yet.
Easy is key, and your method fits the bill.

My apologies for going off-topic a bit. I thought an explanation of my application of the solution was worthwhile.

Thanks a lot to you and to Ralph for posting the question to begin with,

Joe

According to the Evolution 2.12 User Manual (section 1.3), there is a Backup and Restore plugin available that should be everything you're looking for.

If you can find the plugin, that is. I can't.

Anyone?

If you don't see 'Backup Settings...' and 'Restore Settings...' (or something like that) in your 'File' menu, then you probably need to install the 'evolution-plugins' package (e.g. by "sudo apt-get install evolution-plugins" command or through Synaptic). I tried it and it works very well.

I'm reading this and wondering why there's a 'backup' process in Evolution (Ubuntu 9.10) Is this a discussion from a previous version? if this is the correct way to backup (as opposed to choosing 'backup' within Evolution?

I'm very confused and frustrated.

IJ

If I remember correctly this original request I made about 2 years ago, so
no, it's not for Ubuntu 9.10. I don't know what the correct way to back up
Evolution now.

Joe

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Joe Jacobson
Jacobson Technologies

(i) www.jacobsontech.com
(m) (918) 284-8250
(f) (918) 449-8253
(l) (918) 449-8255

-----Original Message-----
From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of Iraj
Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 10:32 PM
To: <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: [Question #5749]: How to backup evolution mail

Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749

Iraj requested for more information:
I'm reading this and wondering why there's a 'backup' process in
Evolution (Ubuntu 9.10) Is this a discussion from a previous version?
if this is the correct way to backup (as opposed to choosing 'backup'
within Evolution?

I'm very confused and frustrated.

IJ

--
You received this question notification because you are a direct
subscriber of the question.

Just go to file -> backup settings, that should do it :)

--
Regards,
Vikram Dhillon

On Wed, 2009-12-02 at 17:00 +0000, JSpaceCadet wrote:
> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>
> JSpaceCadet proposed the following answer:
> If I remember correctly this original request I made about 2 years ago, so
> no, it's not for Ubuntu 9.10. I don't know what the correct way to back up
> Evolution now.
>
> Joe
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------------------
> Joe Jacobson
> Jacobson Technologies
>
> (i) www.jacobsontech.com
> (m) (918) 284-8250
> (f) (918) 449-8253
> (l) (918) 449-8255
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of Iraj
> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 10:32 PM
> To: <email address hidden>
> Subject: Re: [Question #5749]: How to backup evolution mail
>
> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>
> Iraj requested for more information:
> I'm reading this and wondering why there's a 'backup' process in
> Evolution (Ubuntu 9.10) Is this a discussion from a previous version?
> if this is the correct way to backup (as opposed to choosing 'backup'
> within Evolution?
>
> I'm very confused and frustrated.
>
> IJ
>

I thought I marked this as solved. You're right; it was user error, not
Ubuntu.

Thanks.

IJ

> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>
> JSpaceCadet proposed the following answer:
> If I remember correctly this original request I made about 2 years ago, so
> no, it's not for Ubuntu 9.10. I don't know what the correct way to back
> up
> Evolution now.
>
> Joe
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------------------
> Joe Jacobson
> Jacobson Technologies
>
> (i) www.jacobsontech.com
> (m) (918) 284-8250
> (f) (918) 449-8253
> (l) (918) 449-8255
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of
> Iraj
> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 10:32 PM
> To: <email address hidden>
> Subject: Re: [Question #5749]: How to backup evolution mail
>
> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>
> Iraj requested for more information:
> I'm reading this and wondering why there's a 'backup' process in
> Evolution (Ubuntu 9.10) Is this a discussion from a previous version?
> if this is the correct way to backup (as opposed to choosing 'backup'
> within Evolution?
>
> I'm very confused and frustrated.
>
> IJ
>
> --
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>
>

I thought I marked this as solved. Thanks. It was user error.

IJ

> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>
> Vikram proposed the following answer:
> Just go to file -> backup settings, that should do it :)
>
> --
> Regards,
> Vikram Dhillon
>
>
> On Wed, 2009-12-02 at 17:00 +0000, JSpaceCadet wrote:
>> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>>
>> JSpaceCadet proposed the following answer:
>> If I remember correctly this original request I made about 2 years ago,
>> so
>> no, it's not for Ubuntu 9.10. I don't know what the correct way to back
>> up
>> Evolution now.
>>
>> Joe
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---------------------
>> Joe Jacobson
>> Jacobson Technologies
>>
>> (i) www.jacobsontech.com
>> (m) (918) 284-8250
>> (f) (918) 449-8253
>> (l) (918) 449-8255
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: <email address hidden> [mailto:<email address hidden>] On Behalf Of
>> Iraj
>> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 10:32 PM
>> To: <email address hidden>
>> Subject: Re: [Question #5749]: How to backup evolution mail
>>
>> Question #5749 on evolution in ubuntu changed:
>> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/evolution/+question/5749
>>
>> Iraj requested for more information:
>> I'm reading this and wondering why there's a 'backup' process in
>> Evolution (Ubuntu 9.10) Is this a discussion from a previous version?
>> if this is the correct way to backup (as opposed to choosing 'backup'
>> within Evolution?
>>
>> I'm very confused and frustrated.
>>
>> IJ
>>
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>
>

Once i have made a backup of evolution data, is it automatically backuped all the time i close the evolution or i have to do it manually again and again???