Lion/gmail mailbox behavior options - help!

Can someone please help me understand the Mailbox Behavior options in Lion with IMAP Gmail accounts?  The setup that I would like is to have all my messages live on my computer AND on the server.  But I cannot figure out which choices give me that!  I have been trying to test the options out but have ended up just getting more confused.
When I select "Store sent messages on the server" does that mean that the sent messages are ONLY stored on the server? Or are they on both my computer and the Gmail servers?  Or if I do not have it checked does it mean that the messages are stored both on the server and on my computer?  Same questions go for Drafts. 
My reason for wanting them to "live" both on my computer and on the server is so that I have them available offline, and most importantly, so I have a backup of my own so I am not entirely relying on Google.
I also find the options for Trash confusing.  Can someone please define what happens when one or the other options or both are checked?
Don't think this matters but in case you want to know, I have 4 accounts in Gmail.  Two are regular Gmail accounts and two go through Google Apps so that I can use my domain name.
TIA

1: Those were local folders. Delete them. They will be recreated again if you ever need them by unchecking storing from the server and once demanded for use.
2: Yes, when you stored messages on the server, it kicked out the local folders to On My Mac.
3: Use the top one. That is the gmail main Sent Messages. The others at the bottom at the gmail site can also be deleted. That section is for folders (labels in gmail terms) that you create at the web site for managing your mail. You can show them in IMAP, but should stay under the gmail folder in Mail. Any label in gmail that you don't want to show in Mail, just uncheck the box to show in IMAP.
4: If you're still having problems:
     You may want to backup those sent messages you need to keep. Uncheck store sent messages on the server. Check to make sure you have the correct Sent Messages folder at the website to show in IMAP. Delete the other created in the bottom section in Labels. Quit and restart Mail so that it will sync up with gmail. Resync (Use This Mailbox For) the IMAP Sent Messages to the Sent mailbox in Mail. Check to see that the store messages on the server box is checked in Mail preferences.
5 & 6 & 7: That's what's suppose to happen. It moves out the local folder if one was created and puts the IMAP folder under the main Sent Mailbox. The subfolder under Sent for that account is actually the IMAP folder. That is no longer a local folder. On the advanced tab for the account, you can choose to store messages for offline viewing or not. If not, when you are not online, the messages won't appear on the computer. If you want to view offline when not connected to the internet, then make sure to select to keep messages for offline viewing.
The advantage of this in IMAP is everything done on the Mac will be the same at the website and other devices used to view the mail accounts.
Remember, the Inbox is automatically done for you by default and can't be changed. The rest of the folders you wish to show as IMAP under the main Mail mailboxes is up to you.
You need to understand that doing something in IMAP need to go through the server before it shows on your computer. If you send a message on your Mac, the message needs to be created on the server then is synced to you Mac before you see it there. If there is a delay in syncing, it may not acutally appear for a few seconds in the sent folder. Same thing with other functions, like moving messages to the trash. The server has to remove it from the Inbox, then disappears from the computer inbox, then trashed by the server, then synced to the Mac to show the message in the Trash. You're instructing the server what and how to handle a task rather than the computer.
Remember, when you're looking at the IMAP folder (either under the main mailbox or under the gmail folder), you're looking at a copy of what's on the server.
Read the help sections in gmail. Play around with different settings is the best way to learn. Create another test account in gmail if you don't feel comfortable playing with the others. I also have a hard time with instructions, so sometimes I just have to try and see the results until I do get an understanding of what they are saying. All will be clear with a little trial and error.
Gmail is more complex than other IMAP sites and a bit harder to get use to.
I created a gmail account to play with. I use it very little and get a bit confused myself. That's why I say read the site carefully and learn and understand the settings a little at a time. I think you will get more out of it that way. Then you can post other questions in the future about specific matters that can be answered by me or others who may know a little more about it.

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