[Dovecot] deleted-to-trash plugin problems

[J E Lyon]

On 24 Jul 2012, at 15:51, Steve Platt wrote:

> We have a user who wants to use Outlook with our Dovecot IMAP server but doesn't like the way Outlook handles deletion with IMAP.
> 
> Ironically she would like Outlook to move the message to her Trash folder, just like Outlook does with "local" folders, I guess.
> 
> So I enabled the "deleted-to-trash" plugin (v0.3) on our Dovecot 1.2.17 server (built for SPARC, solaris 10, btw).
> 
> The problem is that it doesn't seem to work; the message doesn't even appear to get marked for delete.
> 
> The imap log says: "opening Trash succeeded" and then nothing else!
> 
> I have found that there is a copy of the message in .Trash/tmp/ suggesting that the plugin may be bailing out part way through.
> 
> Has anyone any idea what's wrong please?


You've built from source, I take it?

I wanted to use the deleted_to_trash plugin for *exactly* the same reasons as you've cited, but I'm using RPMs on CentOS where most plugins are included as standard, but frustratingly the deleted_to_trash is missing . . I got no response from the list on the subject . .

Maybe the plugin isn't bundled in the RPMs that I've seen because it isn't sufficiently "production standard" as it stands, which would fit with your finding it bails part way through the Maildir movement... How very frustrating...

And as Scott pointed out, Outlook 2010 has added this functionality -- Microsoft have a bulletin explaining the many IMAP improvements in Outlook 2010, but I have many clients that use older Outlooks and many who find Outlook handling of most things across anything less than a 100% reliable LAN connection to be flaky at times. Which has led me to not push too hard to upgrade to 2010 even if the clients were willing/able.

I used to do a lot of C++ coding and the like... but never looked at a project like Dovecot... I wonder how big and/or complicated the plugin is and whether I could debug it and build it for inclusion in the RPMs... How hard could it be, I wonder... Hmmm.....

~ James.