How to configure Mail software to store all related files on the network

Question

I know that Mail software stores all files in Library/Mail under my home directory. Since I have a MacBook Air (with lesser disk space than other Macs), I'm trying to see if I can get the Mail software to read/write files to a network folder instead of Library/Mail. I have done the same with iPhoto in that it looks at the library file from the network and not the local disk. Any ideas of this can be done for the Mail software? Or if this is advisable?

Answer 1

you can do it but I'm not sure if it's advisable. You'd have to test and see how well it works. also, the network drive has to be mounted at all times when you are using Mail, otherwise Mail will crash.
quit Mail. Mount the remote volume. copy the directory homedirectory/Library/Mail to the remote volume and trash the original.
then open terminal and do the following.
type
ln -s
do not press enter yet. press space and drag the copied directory from the remote volume to the terminal window. press space again and type
~/Library
the result should look something like this
ln -s /Volumes/remote-drivename/Mail ~/Library
Press enter in terminal. This will create a symbolic link (it will look like an alias in Finder) to the new location of the Mail folder. Now when you start Mail it should behave normally. In case of problems, quit Mail, delete the symbolic link and move the folder back.