53 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
53 lines
2.6 KiB
Markdown
# IMAP Email Migration Pattern
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Source-to-destination IMAP migration using Python stdlib (imaplib). Used for migrating email accounts from SiteGround to MXroute.
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## Known Hosts
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| Provider | IMAP Host | Port |
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|----------|-----------|------|
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| SiteGround | c1113726.sgvps.net | 993 |
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| MXroute | heracles.mxrouting.net | 993 |
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| germainebrown.com | mail.germainebrown.com | 993 |
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| iCloud | imap.mail.me.com | 993 |
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## Pattern
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```python
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import imaplib, ssl
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ctx = ssl.create_default_context()
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# Connect old
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old = imaplib.IMAP4_SSL(OLD_HOST, 993, ssl_context=ctx, timeout=15)
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old.login(email, old_pw)
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# Connect new
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new = imaplib.IMAP4_SSL(NEW_HOST, 993, ssl_context=ctx, timeout=15)
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new.login(email, new_pw)
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# Get folder list
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for line in old.list()[1]:
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decoded = line.decode()
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# IMAP list format: (flags) "." "foldername"
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# Extract the last quoted segment
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parts = decoded.split('"')
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folder = parts[-2] if len(parts) >= 2 else decoded.split()[-1]
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# Copy messages
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for uid in uids:
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r = old.fetch(uid, "(RFC822)")
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if r[0] == "OK" and isinstance(r[1][0], tuple):
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new.append(target_folder, None, None, r[1][0][1])
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```
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## Pitfalls
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- **SiteGround folder list is nonstandard** — subfolders show as `INBOX.Trash`, `INBOX.Sent`, etc. but the LIST response uses `"."` as separator. Parse carefully — there are many redundant `.` entries. Only folders with actual content (INBOX.Trash, INBOX.Sent, etc.) are real.
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- **Timeout on large folders** — 60s is not enough for 100+ messages. Set terminal timeout to 300 for full migration.
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- **Duplicate on retry** — if a migration is interrupted and restarted, messages get appended twice. No built-in dedup during copy. Mapped folders (Trash, Sent) may show 2x expected count after retry. Clean up via MXroute webmail.
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- **Folder name mapping** — SiteGround uses dotted hierarchy (INBOX.Trash), MXroute uses flat names (Trash). Map explicitly per account.
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- **MXroute folder creation** — `new.create("Trash")` works for flat names but can fail if the folder already exists (catch and pass).
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- **MXroute LIST response** may show 6 `.` entries with no content — these are cursor entries, not actual folders. Filter them out with `if fname == ".": continue`.
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- **SiteGround LIST `%` pattern may error** — `list('', 'INBOX.*')` returns BAD on SiteGround. Use `list()` with no pattern and parse the full response.
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- **List response parsing is provider-specific** — the HMXroute format is `(flags) "." Trash` (simple), while SiteGround is `(flags) "." "INBOX.Trash"` (quoted). Use `rsplit('"', 2)` for max compatibility across providers.
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