What is the correct way to configure the mail_location option for Mailidr format?

[Steffen Kaiser]

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On Tue, 21 Oct 2014, deoren wrote:

> What is the correct way to configure the mail_location option for Mailidr 
> format?

mail_location = maildir:<path>

> I've long had it setup this way:
>
>    mail_location = maildir:/var/vmail/%d/%n
>
> Is that correct?

any path is OK, as long:

1) it identifies the mail storage uniquely for the user,
2) does not store any other information in it.

> Here is an example error message I ran into:
>
>    stat(/var/vmail/example.com/username/.dovecot.lda-dupes/tmp) failed: Not 
> a directory

That's because you use $HOME == Maildir root.

> Looking at some other guides/tutorials shows something more like:
>
>    mail_location = maildir:/var/vmail/%d/%n/Maildir

"Maildir" is the default name for "Maildir"-type mail storeage root. No 
more, no less. If Dovecot is automatically detecting the type of storage, 
it probes for this directory name in $HOME.

> I assume the latter is how it's supposed to be done? If so, that would

No, you are not "supposed" to do so.

> I did review the official docs here:
>
>    http://wiki2.dovecot.org/MailLocation/Maildir
>
> but I didn't find where it explicitly warns against setting home == maildir 
> root. It should probably be apparent, but it wasn't to me when I first

it applies to all mail storages.

- -- 
Steffen Kaiser
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