Q about using date range when archiving email

[mikebore]

I have successfully archived some large mailboxes with DTP3. I run the archive email tool at about monthly intervals to update the archive. This takes a long time because each time it looks at all the emails it has already done and only adds the relatively small number of new ones since last archive.

I am wondering about using the date range in the “Archive email” section. Can I just put the “From” date as the date of the previous Archive update, and the “To” date as today, to save it examining the previous twenty years which haven’t changed? …or will the resulting archive be only the ones in the past month?

Thanks

[cgrunenberg]

The filter is only applied to the displayed messages after selecting a mailbox in the sidebar, it doesn’t improve the overall performance. What kind of email client do you use?

[mikebore]

Thanks.

Apple Mail.

So are you saying no point in using the date range?

Not a problem, but wouldn’t want to be doing the full scan unnecessarily

[cgrunenberg]

Did you install & enable the plug-in for Apple Mail?

[mikebore]

Sorry for delay. Been off grid all day.

Yes, Mail Plugin installed, enabled and working.

[mikebore]

CORRECTION. Although the DT3 Mail plugin is shown and enabled in Mail Prefs and the option to “Add to Devonthink” appears in the Mail > Message menu…when I just tried adding a message, the log has popped up “Can’t connect to Mail to get mail message data”.

Will try some troubleshooting.

I said that Archiving as been working well for several months, but the reason that I started this thread now was the last monthly update was extremely slow…much slower than previous months, although it appears to have worked.

Could this log message cause an extra slow (but successful) archive? My understanding has been that the Mail plugin has been for pushing mail from the Mail app to DT3, and the Archive email tool in DT is about pulling email from the Mail app to DT3.

Thanks

[BLUEFROG]

Is Automation for DEVONthink allowed in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Automation ?

[mikebore]

Thanks for quick reply.

Yes, Automation was enabled.

I have successfully repaired the DT Mail Plugin (by deleting it and reinstalling) and just done an email archive which was very quick. Would a non-working plugin cause a slow archive?

So I am all good again, and from what Christian said, there is no point in using the date range in the DT Mail import screen to speed up the process anyway.

[BLUEFROG]

@mikebore

Would a non-working plugin cause a slow archive?

Criss would have to speak to technical details but yes, this would cause a slow response between Mail and DEVONthink.

[mikebore]

That’s pretty much case closed then!

Thanks very much.

[cgrunenberg]

@BLUEFROG

@mikebore

Would a non-working plugin cause a slow archive?

Criss would have to speak to technical details but yes, this would cause a slow response between Mail and DEVONthink.

Indeed it does. Without a working plug-in the fallback based on AppleEvents is used and this is a lot slower.

[mikebore]

Thanks very much to you both for the usual outstanding support.

[BLUEFROG]

Thanks for the generous feedback. Nice to hear first thing in the morning.

[Solar-Glare]

Do you happen to know whether DT knows when it’s using the AppleEvent fallback method?

That might be a way to inform users the e-mail plugin doesn’t work (correctly) and would be a trigger for an intrusive warning and guidance ‘wizard’ to help users correct the problem or facilitate first installation of the plugin.

I’ve extensively described my e-mail plugin experience and discussed it issues with you previously in this thread:

Big Sur mail plugin once again

The mail plugin once more. Could someone at DT please check if they’ve got the time: completely wipe disk of a test machine new macOS Big Sure installation new DT installation login as regular (non-admin) user start DT start Mail + setup some mail account (required to proceed I think) Are the add-ons installed automatically? (I can’t remember if this occurs) Do you get a request by DT or macOS to enable/manage the plugin in Mail? Do you get a request initiated by DT or macOS to allow full…

[cgrunenberg]

@Solar-Glare

Do you happen to know whether DT knows when it’s using the AppleEvent fallback method?

A message should be logged to Windows > Log that the plug-in is not available.

[Solar-Glare]

Considering the amount of users that keep asking questions year after year about the e-mail plugin and my experience with a completely new macOS installation, I would suggest to place some kind of warning sign in the plugin window of DT if the plugin doesn’t work (anymore).

I think people are mostly confused about the plugin checkbox that is checked after an initial installation, even if it doesn’t actually work (anymore).

If they were also presented with a simple checklist of some sort (1. open Finder: check file, 2. open Settings: check disk access etc.) the majority is probably able to restore that problem without referencing the manual or ask a question here.

[cgrunenberg]

@Solar-Glare

I think people are mostly confused about the plugin checkbox that is checked after an initial installation, even if it doesn’t actually work (anymore).

If it’s checked in this window, then it should be usually only necessary to enable the plug-in in Mail’s preferences. And this step is already part of the plug-in’s description in this window. However, we might revise this in a future release.