eM Client File Structure and Content

I am new to eM Client and am looking for documentation or articles which describe the various files used by the application. My particular focus at this time is files that are associated with the Backup and Archive functions. I have a rather large e-mail account (12-13 GB) on Outlook.com that I would like to transfer to a portable file that is both accessible and searchable with commonly available tools. Any recommendations?

There are two types of archiving. Server-side archiving which just moves the messages to a special folder on the server, and which is listed among your other server folders like Inbox, Sent, etc. seen in eM Client. And Automatic Archiving, which moves the messages from the server, to a separate set of folders in eM Client that are not synced with a server. Both types of archived messages are still in eM Client and are fully searchable and accessible.

Backups are snapshots of the complete database, which you can use at a later date to restore the database with all local data and settings to the way it was when the backup was made.

The database is not portable. It can only be used by one installation of eM Client.

However, any folders in eM Client that are synced with a server (including server-side archives) will sync with any other installation of eM Client and any other application that connects to the same server account.

In past years when I was working, I used the desktop version of Outlook in most jobs. I made it a habit to periodically save my e-mail to a PST file and then start anew. The PST files were both accessible and searchable via Outlook. They did not consume server storage as they were local files (and sometimes very large local files).

Unfortunately, Outlook.com currently has no save method. Use of server-side archiving, while possible, seems dubious as it would still consume server storage. And I am already pushing Outlook.com’s 15 GB limit.

My Outlook.com account has perhaps a couple hundred folders and thousands of e-mails. However, most of the content that I would like to save is in a handful of folders but still a few thousand e-mails. I would like to use eM Client to move this content off of the server to a file that is both accessible and searchable. The content does not necessarily need to remain “online” as long as it is accessible and searchable by eM Client or other means.

I am still interested in learning more about eM Client database and file structures and formats before I embark on this “adventure.” Can someone point me to documentation or articles that would describe these items in more detail?

You can move them to Local Folders. This is a set of folders that exist only in eM Client - so not synced. If Local Folders are not visible below your other folders, you can enable them by selecting Menu > Settings > General > General > Show Local Folders. Click on Save & Close to save the setting.

eM Client has no limit to the size of the database (besides the size of your disk) so you can have as much data there as you want. Either synced, or in Local Folders, it will all be completely accessible and searchable without having to open other databases.

I can see how it is possible to move a folder from server to local and keep it “online” via eM Client. However, I would like to maintain the content in a file like the PST which I could load only when I need to do a search and not necessarily keep online all the time. Further, I would maintain copies of these files on separate media such as CD, DVD or memory stick when not in active use.

I would anticipate two types of files for this operation. The first is for the e-mail itself and its attachments (if applicable). The second is a container that would house the e-mails and attendant directory structure. Perhaps the e-mails are .eml files and the container is a .zip file? I would need to understand the format and content of each file type in order to be able to search with commonly available tools (not necessarily just eM Client).

Regarding Automatic Archiving, how do you specify the server folders to be archived? The options on the Settings page seem to be account based rather than folder based. As I mentioned earlier, I have hundreds of folders, but only a handful that have significant content that would merit archiving.

I would assume that folder names are retained, server → local, and that local folders would appear in an Archive root folder. Is this a correct assumption?

The documentation appearing on the web site does not appear to elaborate on the archive and backup features. Could you indicate location of additional reference materials, e.g., documents or articles?

Finally, I am fast approaching the end of my trial period. Could you also indicate location of additional reference materials for additional features present in the Pro version? Are there any caveats to starting with the Free version vs. Pro?

@MVC5504

However, I would like to maintain the content in a file like the PST which I could load only when I need to do a search and not necessarily keep online all the time.

eM Client doesn’t have that option as everything is kept within the one mail database (accts and local folders) as is designed.

So you will need to setup whatever folders either “under one of your mail accounts” or “in local folders” as @Gary advised to store messages in. You can obviously create multiple folders for any of your accounts in local folders.

The only other way is to eg: export mail folder messages into .eml files in whatever directory outside of eM Client you want, and then import or drag those back in either to one of your mail accounts or local folders when you want them.

Are there any caveats to starting with the Free version vs. Pro?

See the following page for the differences between the free and pro versions.

https://www.emclient.com/pricing