WARNING/NOTE: Some extensions can interfere with Mail Converter working correctly. So for the message conversion step we recommend booting with the shift key down so extensions will be disabled.
POPmail now uses a new message storage format. The new format is an indexed file containing more than one message. This cures Finder problems encountered by users with thousands of messages. Also it drastically reduces the disk space needed to store messages. (For example on a 1 gigabyte disk the minimum file size is 17k even if the message is only 200 bytes in size. Multiply this by a few hundred messages and the wasted space adds up quickly.)
To convert messages from versions prior to POPmail 2.3 use the application 'Mail Converter'. On a system 7 machine drop the folder containing messages to be converted onto the Mail Converter program. (If when you attempt to drop the folder the Mail Converter Icon does not hilite, rebuild your desktop file and try again. Remember to rebuild the desktop file you need to boot with the Apple (Cloverleaf) key and the control key down until prompted whether you wish to rebuild the desktop file.) Then you will be prompted where to save the new consolidated message file. The consolidated message file will be used by POPmail 2.3.
The old version of POPmail had a separate folder for each of the following:
1. Incoming Messages - needs to be converted and then placed into Mail folder.
2. Outgoing Messages - merely needs to be moved to new folder. No conversion necessary.
3. Archived Messages - needs to be converted and then placed into Mail folder.
4. Enclosures - This folder is no longer needed. Keep it around if you still have enclosures or decoded files in this folder. Merely for your convenience.
With the new file format only one folder is required. As an upgrading user that will be the folder named 'Incoming Messages' or the equivalent you created when you first setup POPmail.
After message conversion you should place the new files along with any files in the Outgoing Messages folder into your 'Incoming Messages' folder. That is the only location that POPmail will look for received messages and partially composed un-sent messages.
Once the mail conversion has been done you can run the new POPmail and browse old mail and fetch new messages.
Bugs and/or comments to popmail@boombox.micro.umn.edu
