For the most part, SmarterMail mirrors Microsoft Exchange in how it handles languages and language changes, and an email client's interpretation of the information sent to it on an initial sync, as well as subsequent syncs, with regard to language selection. In some respects, SmarterMail is actually more language-friendly than Exchange and can understand changes in language, keeping the potential for duplicate folders at a minimum when compared to Exchange.
To understand this, take the following scenarios, noting that the languages used are arbitrary:
- Your email client is using English, but your language in webmail is set to French;
- You finish your sync to the client, then change your webmail language to English.
Using those scenarios, below is a list of email clients and how they interpret language settings during an initial sync with SmarterMail, and then what happens if the language set in webmail is changed. (I.e., change from French to English.)
This is mainly how default/special folders (e.g., Sent Items) are handled as custom folders will always remain in their original language.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Language choice, and changing that language choice, is a complex process. Therefore, after a language change is made for a user in SmarterMail, it's best to remove and re-add the account in any client that is synced to that user.
Outlook for Windows
Using SmarterMail, special folders may be duplicated in Outlook, having both a French and an English version. However, these do not sync back to the SmarterMail server, so they do not appear in webmail. Microsoft Exchange acts the similarly, except that it does sync a Drafts folder back to the server. (SmarterMail does not.)
When changing the language in SmarterMail, Outlook automatically updates the special folder names, but the duplicates remain and the duplicates sync back to the mail server, so they will appear in webmail. Exchange acts the same way -- not initially, but after Outlook is closed and re-opened, the duplicates are synced back to the server.
Outlook for Mac
Using SmarterMail, all folders are correctly mapped in Outlook on an initial sync as well as when the language is changed in SmarterMail. Exchange acts the same way.
However, we have noticed that duplicate folders can appear after Outlook has been in use for a period of time and after an undetermined number of syncs. If this happens, duplicate folders can be cleaned up in Outlook by going to Account Settings > Advanced > Folders and resetting mappings. After the mappings have been reset, the duplicate folders can be deleted.
Windows Mail
Using SmarterMail, special folders may be duplicated in Outlook, having both a French and an English version. However, these do not sync back to the SmarterMail server. Microsoft Exchange acts the same way.
When changing languages, folder names are updated automatically in both SmarterMail and Exchange.
Thunderbird
Using SmarterMail, all folders are correctly mapped in Outlook on an initial sync. When the language is changed in SmarterMail, folder names are automatically updated in the Subscribe dialog, though a restart of Thunderbird is required for the changes to take effect.
Using Exchange, there is some folder duplication on the initial sync, though Inbox, Drafts and Sent Items are properly translated. When the language is changed, it's necessary to unsubscribe from "phantom copies" of the special French folders.
eM Client
Using SmarterMail, special folders are correctly mapped, though folders such as "Sync Issues" will still show in French. Exchange acts the same way.
When changing languages, folder names are updated automatically in both SmarterMail and Exchange.
Mac Mail
Using SmarterMail, all folders are correctly mapped in Outlook on an initial sync as well as when the language is changed in SmarterMail. Exchange acts the same way.
Conclusion
The takeaway from this is that email clients act differently on an initial sync and on subsequent language changes. Ideally, all clients would act like Outlook for Mac and Apple Mail: map folders correctly on an initial sync as well as on any language changes in webmail.