Issue wih Evolution mail restore ( table folders has 13 columns but 12 values were supplied)

[PeaNut (H!A!)]

I am running Fedora 42, Evolution 3.56.2 (3.56.2-2.fc42app3) on two Nuc computers - one at work, one at home. Every day I use the BackUp function in Evolution, save to an SD card, then when I ge home, I use the Restore function in Evolution. It’s worked like a charm for well over a year.

Last week though we updated my home computer, but my work computer was not updated (with the regular Updates function). My evolution mail now at home restores the backup from work BUT displays “no messages”. If I click out another folder than back in, I get all the messages along with an error notice on top that says “( table folders has 13 columns but 12 values were supplied). I cansend email but I cannot move any email to another folder. I’m hesitant to download my gmail until I solve this problem at home.

Even after I updated my work computer and did a new Backup of Evolution mail - it’s still doing the same thing on my home computer. Both are now fully updated.

Any suggestions? Would it make most sense uninstall - reinstall Evolution at home (where the issue is) or at home where the issue seems have generated.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[mcrha]

I am running Fedora 42, Evolution 3.56.2 (3.56.2-2.fc42app3)

Hi,

it’s a Flatpak version. Do you use it intentionally? It does not have
any impact on this restore thing, you only get the same version when
you install it from a package, with less disk space use (no need for a
runtime installation) and smoother integration with the system (because
it does not run in an isolated sandbox like the Flatpak version).

Last week though we updated my home computer, but my work computer
was not updated (with the regular Updates function).

Could you check in the Help->About what precise versions the two
machines have, please? Regular updates within the same stable series,
like 3.56.x, do not change the underlying tables. The new 3.58.x series
does change it a lot, in a backward incompatible way, thus when you
restore a backup from a newer version to an older version then it’ll
misbehave, possibly like this. As long as both the versions are exactly
the same (or at least their series) it’ll work fine.

Would it make most sense uninstall - reinstall Evolution at home
(where the issue is) or at home where the issue seems have generated.

Reinstall on its own not, that removes only the application, but keeps
the application data. Try to ensure you use the same version series on
both computers (for example 3.56.x or 3.58.x). As the Flatpak runs also
background evolution-data-server processes the sandbox is left opened
also when you close the Evolution itself. To ensure you run the new
bits after you updated the Evolution app run:

   flatpak kill org.gnome.Evolution

You can try to run Evolution from a terminal:

   flatpak run org.gnome.Evolution

and when you’ll restore from the backup file you will see on the
terminal what the backup/restore tool did. It may or may not print some
additional information (like error messages) there.

As you run a Flatpak version, you can move away the current data and
restore from scratch. That can be done as:

   flatpak kill org.gnome.Evolution
   mv ~/.var/app/org.gnome.Evolution ~/.var/app/org.gnome.Evolution.bak

then run Evolution and restore from a backup there. The rule about the
same version series apply here as well.

Bye,
Milan

[PeaNut (H!A!)]

Hi! Sorry for the long delay in responding. Thanks so much!! That was exactly the problem - had 3.58 on campus and 3.56 at home. I reinstalled at home from a different version and voila!! Back in business. Thanks SO much!!! This not only helped solve the issue, i now understand what happened. Really appreciate your help.