KMail2 backup: can ignore the akonadi stuff?

[O. Sinclair]

On 05/05/12 10:18, Mark Fraser wrote:
> On Saturday 05 May 2012 10:07:14 Anton wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I want to switch from Kubuntu 11.10 to 12.04.
>>
>> In earlier time backup of my mails was easy:
>>    tar the .kde folder and you're done.
>>
>> Now we have akonadi (and nepomuk)&  a mysql server running
>> in my opinion:
>> 1. overkill: a simple file based sqlite would have beet simpler
>> 2. security issue due to indexing:
>>      Immagine I have a *temporarily* mail with some
>>      "private" stuff like credit card number / password.
>>      If I delete (or wipe) my email: how can I get sure
>>      that this data is *not* surviving as ghost in some index file.
>>      The same issue nepomuk: I do not want a system using constantly
>>      cpu/memory/disk indexing stuff which I want to search only
>>      from time to time.
>>      I would prefer to search explicitly when I need to, but nepomuk/akonady
>>      (or only akonady do not remember) need to run or Kontakt&  friends do
>>      not work anymore.
>
> May I add a 3rd:
> 3. It makes backing up of emails, contacts etc a nightmare.
>
>> Ok, after my remarky (yes I am whining a little bit) I have one question:
>>
>> Is it enough to back up the .kde folder *ignoring* the akonadi
>> mysql database?
>
> I don't think emails are stored in .kde any more, instead they are stored in
> the .local/share folder in .local_mail_directory.
>
>> Or will I have some mails lost?
>>

As far as I understand it your physical emails are still stored in a 
folder (maildir) or file (mbox) somewhere. The location might differ 
depending on the age of your installation and upgrades gone through etc. 
Currently the default is HOME/.local/share/local_mail and 
HOME/.local/share/.local-mail.directory.

The akonadi and nepomuk stuff are "only" databases related to "just 
about everything". I once deleted all akonadi stuff and boy was I happy 
to have a backup to restore. All accounts, settings etc. seem to be in 
akonadi "somehow" but the raw data is still in folders.

Nepomuk seems to be more about "only" searching/indexing things. I have 
several times deleted the nepomuk folder when search simply stopped 
working. Give it time to reindex and all is back where you left.

If you also use Windows I would say Akonadi is a bit like the registry. 
Delete it and you basically have to start all over with settings, 
accounts etc. Like a fresh install - but your files are still there.

Others may agree or disagree but I generally do not touch the akonadi if 
I can avoid it, I just backup all I can of HOME folder and subfolders.

Sinclair