On 26/08/25, Daniel Botting via dovecot (dovecot@dovecot.org) wrote:
I'm configuring a public namespace for an existing Dovecot install, I have the public namespace configured and working in a basic manner (it can be subscribed to in an MUA and mail can be moved into it for a specified user named in the dovecot-acl file).
I would like the public folder to display with an empty prefix as below, but I understand you cannot have two 'prefix =' (empty prefixes) :
<snip>
namespace { list = no location = maildir:/srv/vmail/public:INDEXPVT=~/Maildir/public prefix = Public/ separator = / subscriptions = no type = public } namespace inbox { inbox = yes location = ... prefix = separator = / <--- I'd like this to be a . instead } namespace subscriptions { hidden = yes list = no location = prefix = subscriptions/ <--- had to put something here because inbox namespace was empty subscriptions = yes }
The examples at https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/configuration_manual/shared_mailboxes/public_sha... has the prefix for subscriptions set simply as 'prefix =', but with a specific 'location' defined together with an 'alias_for'. Do the defaults (once the location path is correct) not work for you?
Regarding separators the rules are set out here: https://doc.dovecot.org/2.3/configuration_manual/namespace/#hierarchy-separa..., although you've probably seen that. Note that "The ^ separator is troublesome with Thunderbird"...but I don't see why that might be causing the issue you've seen. Anyhow for Maildir the default separator appears to be "." (see the 'namespace/separator' config docs) -- perhaps comment out the separator settings and try another MUA?
Rory