One step you could take is to create your mail folder structure, exit Pegasus Mail before you start storing messages in it, then make a backup of that folder and keep it as a template. The next year, use a copy of the template folder and copy your address books into it. Or, Brian's doc may be your preferred method.

On January 1, every year, I  start a new Pegasus. What I do is (this is what I have just done a couple of days ago):

1.- I change the directory name MAIL to MAIL-2016.

2.- I make a copy (MAIL-new(2) ) of the directory name MAIL-new   (a copy of the original MAIL directory which I saved for this purpose when I downloaded my Pegasus 4.70 about a year ago), and name it   MAIL-new(2) ---> .MAIL

3.-  My Pegasus starts like new and I start filing my 2017 mail in a NEW filing structure that I have to create all over again. and a new Address book which I also have to create all over again. 

I would like to :

.(i) - Be able to copy my 2016 Address book AND my  2016 filing structure (without the emails stored in it) into my newly starting Pegasus for 2017. This way I have the same address book and continue filing my current year's mails into the same file structure.

THIS would be a tremendous saving in time. What this produces is a way to preserve my email in a way I can loaded into Pegasus and look back at any year in the past by simply changing back MAIL ---> MAIL-2017;    MAIL-2016 ---> MAIL   and I can browse through my last year's mail  

NOW, my quetion is:

A - Is this a good way to doi it?

B-  Is there another way to accomlish this ?  Perhaps an easier way? 

c.- Is this capability already built-in into Pegasusu which I haven't noticed?

This way, I pretend to create a File each year, labeled MAIL-2016, MAIL-2017, MAIL-2018,  etc., which I can review when needed.

I will appreciate any comments

Jorge 

[quote user="Jorge HERAUD"]I would like to :

.(i) - Be able to copy my 2016 Address book AND my  2016 filing structure (without the emails stored in it) into my newly starting Pegasus for 2017. This way I have the same address book and continue filing my current year's mails into the same file structure.

[/quote]

That address book issue is an easy one.  Simply copy the .pmr & .pm! files from MAIL-2016 to MAIL.  There might also be .pm1 files which should be copied as well if any exist (unlikely, but possible).

Unfortunately there is no way to copy over the folder structure.  It is a virtual structure maintained by the HIERARCH.PM file.  This file can be used to restore a structure when the folder files exist but if the folder files don't exist then HIERARCH.PM gets rebuilt according to the folder files it finds in the mailbox directory.  I do not know of a practical way to duplicate folder files but have them be empty.

Thanks a lot Brian for your reply. You have solved at least the first part (Address book)

Now, regarding the folder structure, I think I see a solution in the last 4 words of your reply and I need your verification to check out if my interpretation is correct or not:  what do you mean exactly by "have them be empty" ?. Definitely, what I want to move from MAIL-2016 to MAIL is the "empty" folder structure only, not the emails contained in it. I can erase the emails under Pegasus (with MAIL-2016 loaded as MAIL, leaving a full copy of MAIL2016 outside). I think this will fit my interpretation of your 4-word comment - it would be "empty of 2016 emails". So if my interpretation matches your meaning, it would work.

As a matter of fact, this would solve the whole issue! because I don't even have to look for and transfer the .PMR, .PM! and possibly .PM!  files, I would just leave them in the MAIL folder. The "only" problem (which perhaps will take lots of time) is erasing the emails (my MAIL-2016 folder has 15,000 emails....)

Am I right?

Thanks,

Jorge 

If I understand correctly, your goal is to archive the previous years messages.  You can certainly do as you describe (copy \Mail >> \Mail-2016 and then delete all of the messages from within Pegasus Mail). 

Have you considered archiving just the messages to a directory that you can access as an added mailbox when needed?  If that concept is not familiar to you send my a PM with your email address and I will send you the document I provide to my co-workers when they want to archive messages.  This method eliminates the need to insure that when you load Mail-2016 you don't end up with any current message coming down into that mailbox.  I also allows you to open an archived message and forward or reply to it just like would a current message.