IMAPSYNC(1) User Contributed Perl Documentation IMAPSYNC(1)
NAME
imapsync - Email IMAP tool for syncing, copying and migrating email
mailboxes between two imap servers, one way, and without duplicates.
VERSION
This documentation refers to Imapsync $Revision: 1.836 $
USAGE
To synchronize the source imap account
"test1" on server "test1.lamiral.info" with password "secret1"
to the destination imap account
"test2" on server "test2.lamiral.info" with password "secret2"
do:
imapsync \
--host1 test1.lamiral.info --user1 test1 --password1 secret1 \
--host2 test2.lamiral.info --user2 test2 --password2 secret2
DESCRIPTION
We sometimes need to transfer mailboxes from one imap server to
another.
Imapsync command is a tool allowing incremental and recursive imap
transfers from one mailbox to another.
By default all folders are transferred, recursively, meaning the whole
folder hierarchy is taken, all messages in them, and all messages flags
(\Seen \Answered \Flagged etc.) are synced too.
Imapsync reduces the amount of data transferred by not transferring a
given message if it resides already on both sides. Same specific
headers and the transfer is done only once (by default it's "Message-
Id:" and "Received:" lines but it can be changed with --useheader
option).
All flags are preserved, unread will stay unread, read will stay read,
deleted will stay deleted.
You can stop the transfer at any time and restart it later, imapsync
works well with bad connections and interruptions.
You can decide to delete the messages from the source mailbox after a
successful transfer, it can be a good feature when migrating live
mailboxes since messages will be only on one side. In that case, use
the --delete1 option. Option --delete1 implies also option --expunge1
so all messages marked deleted on host1 will be really deleted.
A different scenario is synchronizing a mailbox B from another mailbox
A in case you just want to keep a "live" copy of A in B. In that case
--delete2 has to be used, it deletes messages in host2 folder B that
are not in host1 folder A. If you also need to destroy host2 folders
that are not in host1 then use --delete2folders (see also
--delete2foldersonly and --delete2foldersbutnot).
Imapsync is not adequate for maintaining two active imap accounts in
synchronization when the user plays independently on both sides. Use
offlineimap (written by John Goerzen) or mbsync (written by Michael R.
Elkins) for a 2 ways synchronization.
OPTIONS
usage: imapsync [options]
Mandatory options are the six values, three on each sides, needed to
log in into the IMAP servers, ie, a host, a username, and a password,
two times.
Conventions used:
str means string
int means integer
reg means regular expression
cmd means command
--dry : Makes imapsync doing nothing for real, just print what
would be done without --dry.
OPTIONS/credentials
--host1 str : Source or "from" imap server. Mandatory.
--port1 int : Port to connect on host1. Default is 143, 993 if --ssl1
--user1 str : User to login on host1. Mandatory.
--password1 str : Password for the user1.
--host2 str : "destination" imap server. Mandatory.
--port2 int : Port to connect on host2. Default is 143, 993 if --ssl2
--user2 str : User to login on host2. Mandatory.
--password2 str : Password for the user2.
--showpasswords : Shows passwords on output instead of "MASKED".
Useful to restart a complete run by just reading the log,
or to debug passwords. It's not a secure practice.
--passfile1 str : Password file for the user1. It must contain the
password on the first line. This option avoids to show
the password on the command line like --password1 does.
--passfile2 str : Password file for the user2. Contains the password.
OPTIONS/encryption
--nossl1 : Do not use a SSL connection on host1.
--ssl1 : Use a SSL connection on host1. On by default if possible.
--nossl2 : Do not use a SSL connection on host2.
--ssl2 : Use a SSL connection on host2. On by default if possible.
--notls1 : Do not use a TLS connection on host1.
--tls1 : Use a TLS connection on host1. On by default if possible.
--notls2 : Do not use a TLS connection on host2.
--tls2 : Use a TLS connection on host2. On by default if possible.
--debugssl int : SSL debug mode from 0 to 4.
--sslargs1 str : Pass any ssl parameter for host1 ssl or tls connection. Example:
--sslargs1 SSL_verify_mode=1 --sslargs1 SSL_version=SSLv3
See all possibilities in the new() method of IO::Socket::SSL
http://search.cpan.org/perldoc?IO::Socket::SSL#Description_Of_Methods
--sslargs2 str : Pass any ssl parameter for host2 ssl or tls connection.
See --sslargs1
--timeout1 int : Connection timeout in seconds for host1.
Default is 120 and 0 means no timeout at all.
--timeout2 int : Connection timeout in seconds for host2.
Default is 120 and 0 means no timeout at all.
OPTIONS/authentication
--authmech1 str : Auth mechanism to use with host1:
PLAIN, LOGIN, CRAM-MD5 etc. Use UPPERCASE.
--authmech2 str : Auth mechanism to use with host2. See --authmech1
--authuser1 str : User to auth with on host1 (admin user).
Avoid using --authmech1 SOMETHING with --authuser1.
--authuser2 str : User to auth with on host2 (admin user).
--proxyauth1 : Use proxyauth on host1. Requires --authuser1.
Required by Sun/iPlanet/Netscape IMAP servers to
be able to use an administrative user.
--proxyauth2 : Use proxyauth on host2. Requires --authuser2.
--authmd51 : Use MD5 authentication for host1.
--authmd52 : Use MD5 authentication for host2.
--domain1 str : Domain on host1 (NTLM authentication).
--domain2 str : Domain on host2 (NTLM authentication).
OPTIONS/folders
--folder str : Sync this folder.
--folder str : and this one, etc.
--folderrec str : Sync this folder recursively.
--folderrec str : and this one, etc.
--folderfirst str : Sync this folder first. --folderfirst "Work"
--folderfirst str : then this one, etc.
--folderlast str : Sync this folder last. --folderlast "[Gmail]/All Mail"
--folderlast str : then this one, etc.
--nomixfolders : Do not merge folders when host1 is case-sensitive
while host2 is not (like Exchange). Only the first
similar folder is synced (ex: Sent SENT sent -> Sent).
--skipemptyfolders : Empty host1 folders are not created on host2.
--include reg : Sync folders matching this regular expression
--include reg : or this one, etc.
If both --include --exclude options are used, then
include is done before.
--exclude reg : Skips folders matching this regular expression
Several folders to avoid:
--exclude 'fold1|fold2|f3' skips fold1, fold2 and f3.
--exclude reg : or this one, etc.
--subfolder2 str : Move whole host1 folders hierarchy under this
host2 folder str .
It does it by adding two --regextrans2 options before
all others. Add --debug to see what's really going on.
--automap : guesses folders mapping, for folders like
"Sent", "Junk", "Drafts", "All", "Archive", "Flagged".
--f1f2 str1=str2 : Force folder str1 to be synced to str2,
--f1f2 overrides --automap and --regextrans2.
--nomixfolders : Avoid merging folders that are considered different on
host1 but the same on destination host2 because of
case sensitivities and insensitivities.
--subscribed : Transfers subscribed folders.
--subscribe : Subscribe to the folders transferred on the
host2 that are subscribed on host1. On by default.
--subscribeall : Subscribe to the folders transferred on the
host2 even if they are not subscribed on host1.
--prefix1 str : Remove prefix str to all destination folders,
usually INBOX. or INBOX/ or an empty string "".
imapsync guesses the prefix if host1 imap server
does not have NAMESPACE capability. This option
should not be used, most of the time.
--prefix2 str : Add prefix to all host2 folders. See --prefix1
--sep1 str : Host1 separator in case NAMESPACE is not supported.
--sep2 str : Host2 separator in case NAMESPACE is not supported.
--regextrans2 reg : Apply the whole regex to each destination folders.
--regextrans2 reg : and this one. etc.
When you play with the --regextrans2 option, first
add also the safe options --dry --justfolders
Then, when happy, remove --dry, remove --justfolders.
Have in mind that --regextrans2 is applied after prefix
and separator inversion. For examples see
http://imapsync.lamiral.info/FAQ.d/FAQ.Folders_Mapping.txt
OPTIONS/folders sizes
--nofoldersizes : Do not calculate the size of each folder at the
beginning of the sync. Default is to calculate them.
--nofoldersizesatend: Do not calculate the size of each folder at the
end of the sync. Default is to calculate them.
--justfoldersizes : Exit after having printed the initial folder sizes.
OPTIONS/tmp
--tmpdir str : Where to store temporary files and subdirectories.
Will be created if it doesn't exist.
Default is system specific, Unix is /tmp but
/tmp is often too small and deleted at reboot.
--tmpdir /var/tmp should be better.
--pidfile str : The file where imapsync pid is written,
it can be dirname/filename.
Default name is imapsync.pid in tmpdir.
--pidfilelocking : Abort if pidfile already exists. Useful to avoid
concurrent transfers on the same mailbox.
OPTIONS/log
--nolog : Turn off logging on file
--logfile str : Change the default log filename (can be dirname/filename).
--logdir str : Change the default log directory. Default is LOG_imapsync/
OPTIONS/messages
--skipmess reg : Skips messages matching the regex.
Example: 'm/[\x80-ff]/' # to avoid 8bits messages.
--skipmess is applied before --regexmess
--skipmess reg : or this one, etc.
--pipemess cmd : Apply this cmd command to each message content
before the copy.
--pipemess cmd : and this one, etc.
--disarmreadreceipts : Disarms read receipts (host2 Exchange issue)
--regexmess reg : Apply the whole regex to each message before transfer.
Example: 's/\000/ /g' # to replace null by space.
--regexmess reg : and this one, etc.
OPTIONS/flags
--regexflag reg : Apply the whole regex to each flags list.
Example: 's/"Junk"//g' # to remove "Junk" flag.
--regexflag reg : then this one, etc.
OPTIONS/deletions
--delete1 : Deletes messages on host1 server after a successful
transfer. Option --delete1 has the following behavior:
it marks messages as deleted with the IMAP flag
\Deleted, then messages are really deleted with an
EXPUNGE IMAP command. If expunging after each message
slows down too much the sync then use
--noexpungeaftereach to speed up.
--expunge1 : Expunge messages on host1 just before syncing a folder.
Expunge is done per folder.
Expunge aims is to really delete messages marked deleted.
An expunge is also done after each message copied
if option --delete1 is set.
--noexpunge1 : Do not expunge messages on host1.
--delete1emptyfolders : Deletes empty folders on host1, INBOX excepted.
Useful with --delete1 since what remains on host1
is only what failed to be synced.
--delete2 : Delete messages in host2 that are not in
host1 server. Useful for backup or pre-sync.
--delete2duplicates : Delete messages in host2 that are duplicates.
Works only without --useuid since duplicates are
detected with an header part of each message.
--delete2folders : Delete folders in host2 that are not in host1 server.
For safety, first try it like this (it is safe):
--delete2folders --dry --justfolders --nofoldersizes
--delete2foldersonly reg : Deleted only folders matching regex.
Example: --delete2foldersonly "/^Junk$|^INBOX.Junk$/"
--delete2foldersbutnot reg : Do not delete folders matching regex.
Example: --delete2foldersbutnot "/Tasks$|Contacts$|Foo$/"
--expunge2 : Expunge messages on host2 after messages transfer.
--uidexpunge2 : uidexpunge messages on the host2 account
that are not on the host1 account, requires --delete2
OPTIONS/dates
--syncinternaldates : Sets the internal dates on host2 same as host1.
Turned on by default. Internal date is the date
a message arrived on a host (mtime).
--idatefromheader : Sets the internal dates on host2 same as the
"Date:" headers.
OPTIONS/message selection
--maxsize int : Skip messages larger (or equal) than int bytes
--minsize int : Skip messages smaller (or equal) than int bytes
--maxage int : Skip messages older than int days.
final stats (skipped) don't count older messages
see also --minage
--minage int : Skip messages newer than int days.
final stats (skipped) don't count newer messages
You can do (+ are the messages selected):
past|----maxage+++++++++++++++>now
past|+++++++++++++++minage---->now
past|----maxage+++++minage---->now (intersection)
past|++++minage-----maxage++++>now (union)
--search str : Selects only messages returned by this IMAP SEARCH
command. Applied on both sides.
--search1 str : Same as --search for selecting host1 messages only.
--search2 str : Same as --search for selecting host2 messages only.
--search CRIT equals --search1 CRIT --search2 CRIT
--maxlinelength int : skip messages with a line length longer than int bytes.
RFC 2822 says it must be no more than 1000 bytes.
--useheader str : Use this header to compare messages on both sides.
Ex: Message-ID or Subject or Date.
--useheader str and this one, etc.
--usecache : Use cache to speed up the sync.
--nousecache : Do not use cache. Caveat: --useuid --nousecache creates
duplicates on multiple runs.
--useuid : Use uid instead of header as a criterium to recognize
messages. Option --usecache is then implied unless
--nousecache is used.
OPTIONS/miscelaneous
--syncacls : Synchronizes acls (Access Control Lists).
--nosyncacls : Does not synchronize acls. This is the default.
Acls in IMAP are not standardized, be careful.
OPTIONS/debugging
--debug : Debug mode.
--debugfolders : Debug mode for the folders part only.
--debugcontent : Debug content of the messages transferred. Huge output.
--debugflags : Debug mode for flags.
--debugimap1 : IMAP debug mode for host1. Very verbose.
--debugimap2 : IMAP debug mode for host2. Very verbose.
--debugimap : IMAP debug mode for host1 and host2.
--debugmemory : Debug mode showing memory consumption after each copy.
--errorsmax int : Exit when int number of errors is reached. Default is 50.
--tests : Run local non-regression tests. Exit code 0 means all ok.
--testslive : Run a live test with test1.lamiral.info imap server.
Useful to check the basics. Needs internet connexion.
--testslive6 : Run a live test with ks2ipv6.lamiral.info imap server.
Useful to check the ipv6 connectivity. Needs internet.
OPTIONS/specific
--gmail1 : sets --host1 to Gmail and options from FAQ.Gmail.txt
--gmail2 : sets --host2 to Gmail and options from FAQ.Gmail.txt
--office1 : sets --host1 to Office365 options from FAQ.Exchange.txt
--office2 : sets --host2 to Office365 options from FAQ.Exchange.txt
--exchange1 : sets options from FAQ.Exchange.txt, account1 part
--exchange2 : sets options from FAQ.Exchange.txt, account2 part
--domino1 : sets options from FAQ.Domino.txt, account1 part
--domino2 : sets options from FAQ.Domino.txt, account2 part
OPTIONS/behavior
--maxmessagespersecond int : limits the number of messages transferred per second.
--maxbytespersecond int : limits the average transfer rate per second.
--maxbytesafter int : starts --maxbytespersecond limitation only after
--maxbytesafter amount of data transferred.
--maxsleep int : do not sleep more than int seconds.
On by default, 2 seconds max, like --maxsleep 2
--abort : terminates a previous call still running.
It uses the pidfile to know what processus to abort.
--exitwhenover int : Stop syncing when total bytes transferred reached.
--version : Print only software version.
--noreleasecheck : Do not check for new imapsync release (a http request).
--releasecheck : Check for new imapsync release (a http request).
--noid : Do not send/receive ID command to imap servers.
--justconnect : Just connect to both servers and print useful
information. Need only --host1 and --host2 options.
--justlogin : Just login to both host1 and host2 with users
credentials, then exit.
--justfolders : Do only things about folders (ignore messages).
--help : print this help.
Example: to synchronize imap account "test1" on "test1.lamiral.info"
to imap account "test2" on "test2.lamiral.info"
with test1 password "secret1"
and test2 password "secret2"
imapsync \
--host1 test1.lamiral.info --user1 test1 --password1 secret1 \
--host2 test2.lamiral.info --user2 test2 --password2 secret2
SECURITY
You can use --passfile1 instead of --password1 to give the password
since it is safer. With --password1 option any user on your host can
see the password by using the 'ps auxwwww' command. Using a variable
(like $PASSWORD1) is also dangerous because of the 'ps auxwwwwe'
command. So, saving the password in a well protected file (600 or
rw-------) is the best solution.
Imapsync activates ssl or tls encryption by default, if possible. What
details are under this "if possible"? Imapsync activates ssl if the
well known port imaps port (993) is open on the imap servers. If the
imaps port is closed then it open a normal (clear) connection on port
143 but it looks for TLS support in the CAPABILITY list of the servers.
If TLS is supported then imapsync goes to encryption.
If the automatic ssl/tls detection fails then imapsync will not protect
against sniffing activities on the network, especially for passwords.
See also the document FAQ.Security.txt in the FAQ.d/ directory or at
https://imapsync.lamiral.info/FAQ.d/FAQ.Security.txt
EXIT STATUS
Imapsync will exit with a 0 status (return code) if everything went
good. Otherwise, it exits with a non-zero status.
LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT
Imapsync is free, open, public but not always gratis software cover by
the NOLIMIT Public License. See the LICENSE file included in the
distribution or just read this simple sentence as it IS the licence
text:
"No limit to do anything with this work and this license."
In case it is not long enough, I repeat:
"No limit to do anything with this work and this license."
https://imapsync.lamiral.info/LICENSE
AUTHOR
Gilles LAMIRAL <gilles.lamiral@laposte.net>
Feedback good or bad is very often welcome.
Gilles LAMIRAL earns his living by writing, installing, configuring and
teaching free, open and often gratis software. Imapsync used to be
"always gratis" but now it is only "often gratis" because imapsync is
sold by its author, a good way to maintain and support free open public
software over decades.
BUGS AND LIMITATIONS
See https://imapsync.lamiral.info/FAQ.d/FAQ.Reporting_Bugs.txt
IMAP SERVERS supported
See https://imapsync.lamiral.info/S/imapservers.shtml
HUGE MIGRATION
Pay special attention to options --subscribed --subscribe --delete1
--delete2 --delete2folders --maxage --minage --maxsize --useuid
--usecache
If you have many mailboxes to migrate think about a little shell
program. Write a file called file.txt (for example) containing users
and passwords. The separator used in this example is ';'
The file.txt file contains:
user001_1;password001_1;user001_2;password001_2
user002_1;password002_1;user002_2;password002_2
user003_1;password003_1;user003_2;password003_2
user004_1;password004_1;user004_2;password004_2
user005_1;password005_1;user005_2;password005_2 ...
On Unix the shell program can be:
{ while IFS=';' read u1 p1 u2 p2; do
imapsync --host1 imap.side1.org --user1 "$u1" --password1 "$p1" \
--host2 imap.side2.org --user2 "$u2" --password2 "$p2" ...
done ; } < file.txt
On Windows the batch program can be:
FOR /F "tokens=1,2,3,4 delims=; eol=#" %%G IN (file.txt) DO imapsync ^
--host1 imap.side1.org --user1 %%G --password1 %%H ^
--host2 imap.side2.org --user2 %%I --password2 %%J ...
The ... have to be replaced by nothing or any imapsync option. Welcome
in shell or batch programming !
You will find already written scripts at
http://imapsync.lamiral.info/examples/
INSTALL
Imapsync works under any Unix with perl.
Imapsync works under Windows (2000, XP, Vista, Seven)
as a standalone binary software called imapsync.exe
Imapsync works under OS X as a standalone binary
software called imapsync_bin_Darwin.
Purchase latest imapsync at
http://imapsync.lamiral.info/
You'll receive a link to a compressed tarball called imapsync-x.xx.tgz
where x.xx is the version number. Untar the tarball where
you want (on Unix):
tar xzvf imapsync-x.xx.tgz
Go into the directory imapsync-x.xx and read the INSTALL file.
As mentioned at http://imapsync.lamiral.info/#install
the INSTALL file can also be found at
http://imapsync.lamiral.info/INSTALL
It is now split in several files for each system
http://imapsync.lamiral.info/INSTALL.d/
CONFIGURATION
There is no specific configuration file for imapsync, everything is
specified by the command line parameters and the default behavior.
HACKING
Feel free to hack imapsync as the NOLIMIT license permits it.
SIMILAR SOFTWARES
imap_tools : http://www.athensfbc.com/imap_tools
offlineimap : https://github.com/nicolas33/offlineimap
mbsync : http://isync.sourceforge.net/
mailsync : http://mailsync.sourceforge.net/
mailutil : http://www.washington.edu/imap/
part of the UW IMAP tookit.
imaprepl : http://www.bl0rg.net/software/
http://freecode.com/projects/imap-repl/
imapcopy : http://home.arcor.de/armin.diehl/imapcopy/imapcopy.html
migrationtool : http://sourceforge.net/projects/migrationtool/
imapmigrate : http://sourceforge.net/projects/cyrus-utils/
wonko_imapsync: http://wonko.com/article/554
see also file W/tools/wonko_ruby_imapsync
exchange-away : http://exchange-away.sourceforge.net/
pop2imap : http://www.linux-france.org/prj/pop2imap/
Feedback (good or bad) will often be welcome.
HISTORY
I wrote imapsync because an enterprise (basystemes) paid me to install
a new imap server without losing huge old mailboxes located in a far
away remote imap server, accessible by a low-bandwidth link. The tool
imapcp (written in python) could not help me because I had to verify
every mailbox was well transferred, and then delete it after a good
transfer. Imapsync started its life as a patch of the copy_folder.pl
script. The script copy_folder.pl comes from the Mail-IMAPClient-2.1.3
perl module tarball source (more precisely in the examples/ directory
of the Mail-IMAPClient tarball).
perl v5.20.2 2017-12-06 IMAPSYNC(1)
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