Importing .eml files into Gmail results in the date being wrong

[bouchacha]

I exported some emails into .eml using just a vanilla 'Save As' command from within TB. I now want to 're-import' the same emails back into the account. I tried just drag/dropping using vanilla TB but I then noticed it gave me the wrong date in Gmail. Instead of the date the email was received/sent (which shows up accurately in TB), it instead shows me the date it was uploaded in Gmail. I used TB to delete the messages, and used ImportExportTools to 'import' the emails instead of just drag/dropping. This resulted in Gmail using the same date as when I last uploaded it the first time with just TB. I realized that I'd need to empty the trash folder, but when I used ImportExportTools again after emptying the trash folder, the 'date' in Gmail now just showed the current time.

Is this intended behavior?

[cleidigh]

@bouchacha not sure I'm completely understanding, however, do you possibly have a nonpersonal eml file you could post here so I can try and reproduce? cheers Christopher

[ethan0879]

I also had this problem. When importing an eml file from a directory to a Gmail (directly), the email displays the right date in Thunderbird, yet when I check Gmail in the browser, it displays the date when the email has been copied in the directory.

There are two solutions:

1. First copy the email to a local folder created in Thunderbird and once there, copy/move it to a Gmail directory. Yet, if you want to copy lots of emails, this would consume the timeout response and once it does then you have to start over again or take it over from the point it failed. Not a smart solution.
2. @cleidigh could implement an option in this addon that mimics the copy function (Copy from folder to folder) but it must loop through something like a while condition (or just a condition) where the condition would be "if/while the timeout response is consumed, then try it again"; in that way, you force the action even though the time response is consumed. This function is already in the addon through options like "Import eml file". I cannot pull this as a request... idk why, but it would be if this is implemented. It would be awesome!!

[ethan0879]

I also had this problem. When importing an eml file from a directory to a Gmail (directly), the email displays the right date in Thunderbird, yet when I check Gmail in the browser, it displays the date when the email has been copied in the directory.

There are two solutions:

1. First copy the email to a local folder created in Thunderbird and once there, copy/move it to a Gmail directory. Yet, if you want to copy lots of emails, this would consume the timeout response and once it does then you have to start over again or take it over from the point it failed. Not a smart solution.
2. @cleidigh could implement an option in this addon that mimics the copy function (Copy from folder to folder) but it must loop through something like a while condition (or just a condition) where the condition would be "if/while the timeout response is consumed, then try it again"; in that way, you force the action even though the time response is consumed. This function is already in the addon through options like "Import eml file". I cannot pull this as a request... idk why, but it would be if this is implemented. It would be awesome!!

@cleidigh what about the implementation I described earlier? What are your thoughts? I think it is a straightforward task since the function is already in the "Import eml file". Such function forces the copy even if the time response is consumed. So what we need is an implementation of a "copy option" that allows us to copy emails from folder to folder between different accounts, and the function I mentioned earlier should be there. This will/might keep the right date after copying the emails. Sorry for pushing it but I think many people would be happy and grateful to have such an option.

[bouchacha]

@ethan0879 solution works exactly as described. Copying the email to a local folder, purging the email from the gmail account (including emptying trash, crucial step!), then copying back the email via the "Copy To" command now ("Move To" also confirmed to work) has the email displaying the correct date in Gmail.

However, as explained, this is not a solution that appears to scale up easily. @cleidigh I'm sorry, I don't have an eml file I can post given the sensitive nature of the account I'm using. Is there anything else that could help you reproduce this issue?

[cleidigh]

@bouchacha I have not had a chance to play with this yet. I think this is a quirky Gmail issue possibly. I do not think I need a particular eml , but I could be wrong I will try to reproduce Christopher

[bouchacha]

I resorted to using @ethan0879's solution until a fix is issued. Upon further testing, it seems like there's an allowance for moving 300-400 emails in a day before the server starts timing out. After that, you can then only get away with moving 10-15 emails at a time before it times out. I don't know if that's helpful in formulating a fix.

[mangpa444]

@bouchacha not sure I'm completely understanding, however, do you possibly have a nonpersonal eml file you could post here so I can try and reproduce? cheers Christopher

I am having that problem right now, I am attaching one eml file here. Check it out. eml.zip

[cleidigh]

@mangpa444 thanks for the file. I tested with my Gmail account and I can reproduce the issue. For that I don't think it has anything to do with a particular email, see @ethan0879 I appreciate the suggestions, but I have to say I am concerned about how specific this is. also as mentioned above the server timeout is going to be problematic.
I am not positive I could make reliable solution I am also pretty overrun around the moment.

[tkrunning]

@ethan0879's workaround number 1 works for me. I also didn't run into any timeout issues (imported a few thousand emails to a Google for Work account).

[cablop]

I confirm it also happening for Yahoo! Mail. Date shows right on Thunderbird, but email platform and other email clients, like Mac Mail, show them as received at import time.