IMAP: "immediate" delete, without going through Trash folder?

Question

I currently filter some message from my inbox with these steps:

select inbox
pick messages
set \Deleted tag

and then repeat the process after selecting Trash.

Is there a more direct way of disposing of these messages? Or is it just the feature of the Mail server that deleting a message puts it in the trash, and deleting from the trash permantently disposes of it?

Answer 1

Not sure exactly where you're doing these operations. IMAP itself doesn't specify that you move things to a Trash folder. Typically IMAP will let you mark a message as deleted and keep it within your inbox but marked as deleted. You can then choose to "purge" the folder which will actually delete all items marked for deletion.

Answer 2

I believe you have to call EXPUNGE after setting the tag Deleted.

RFC 3501

Answer 3

With my mail client (thunderbird), to direct delete instead of send to trash, I hold down the Shift key along with the Delete key.