Convert Gmail POP to IMAP in Mac Mail

Hi--
I have been living in the dark ages using Mac "Mail" to get my gmail email as a Pop account. I've set it so that the messages are left on gmail's server as well as being downloaded to my Mac. But now I'd really like to switch over to using gmail and Mail through an IMAP account. I've read lots of potential scenarios as to how to do this, but most people have NOT left their message on gmail's server.
I know I can set up another IMAP account in mail and disable my current POP account. But many people have then said to drag my "On My Mac" folders/mailboxes that I've created over the years to the new IMAP mailbox....my concern is that because gmail's server has all the messages, I will actually be duplicating ALL my mail on both the server and my mac.
So....is there any way to switch my gmail over to IMAP and preserve or recreate my "On My Mac" folder/mailbox system given that all the messages are still on the gmail server.
Thanks for any and all help
dp

I found this great set of mail AppleScripts:
http://homepage.mac.com/aamann/Mail_Scripts.html
It includes one script to delete duplicate messages. So if we can't find a way to do this right, then I'll just download all the duplicates then delete them. Of course I don't want to actually do that, lets call this the nuclear option.
So can anyone think of a way to make an IMAP account for my gmail without it downloading all the messages again that I have already downloaded?

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Converting from POP to IMAP on Mail

I have had an ISP email account for a long time with Charter and have used it as a POP account with Apple Mail. It's worked fine for me. I've developed the habit of saving lots of old email in Mail in the Mailboxes (some kept in my Inbox and Sent box) and most catalogged into folders I've created in the On my Mac area.
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I suppose my use of web based Yahoo mail has exposed me to many of the differences between POP and IMAP. I believe that my Yahoo account is most similar to IMAP--correct?
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I found this great set of mail AppleScripts:
http://homepage.mac.com/aamann/Mail_Scripts.html
It includes one script to delete duplicate messages. So if we can't find a way to do this right, then I'll just download all the duplicates then delete them. Of course I don't want to actually do that, lets call this the nuclear option.
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HI,
I have an hotmail account which I changed from Pop to Imap. Receiving, deleting and archiving mail work fine. But the send box in TB shows my mails twice. However mails which I send from outlook on line are shown only once.
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Hello all,
OK, I messed up. It happens to us all, once in a blue moon (even if I knew better to back up BEFORE I tried something new, and it had been 3 months).
I've been using the Mail App with my Gmail accessed through POP Mail since 2005.
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Mike,
Gmail, which is not true POP, captures a copy for the Sent on the server if you use their SMTP -- smtp.gmail.com. To see those messages captured that way requires web mail access and will not be seen by any other email client accessing as POP. I know this to be true, for I tested it when I once used POP with Gmail.
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Message was edited by: nachdenki
Message was edited by: nachdenki

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Convert Gmail POP to IMAP in Mac Mail

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