[Dovecot] checking all folders for new mail (IMAP STATUS command)
Hello,
I use Thunderbird as IMAP client and do a lot of server-side filtering with Sieve scripts. To be notified of new mails, I want to check all folders (a lot of them...) at once for new mails, and not only the inbox.
According to http://kb.mozillazine.org/Checking_for_new_messages_in_other_folders_-_Thund... it should be sufficient to enable one setting -- given that the IMAP server returns the STATUS command correctly. I still run Dovecot 1.0 (from Debian 4.0), and it seems this version doesn't support the IMAP STATUS command, as I have to explictly query each folder with the second mentioned setting.
What is the recommended way of checking all folders for new mails? Is there any server-side setting I can activate? Do newer versions of Dovecot support the STATUS command in the way Thunderbird expects it? Or does Dovecot even offer an option like the mentioned IMAP_CHECK_ALL_FOLDERS=1 and IMAP_ENHANCEDIDLE=1 in Courier?
Sorry for my maybe dumb question... :-)
Thanks, Florian
On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:30:14 +0100, Florian Effenberger floeff@gmail.com wrote:
Hello,
I use Thunderbird as IMAP client and do a lot of server-side filtering with Sieve scripts. To be notified of new mails, I want to check all folders (a lot of them...) at once for new mails, and not only the inbox.
According to
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Checking_for_new_messages_in_other_folders_-_Thund...
it should be sufficient to enable one setting -- given that the IMAP server returns the STATUS command correctly. I still run Dovecot 1.0 (from Debian 4.0), and it seems this version doesn't support the IMAP STATUS command, as I have to explictly query each folder with the second mentioned setting.
What is the recommended way of checking all folders for new mails? Is there any server-side setting I can activate? Do newer versions of Dovecot support the STATUS command in the way Thunderbird expects it? Or does Dovecot even offer an option like the mentioned IMAP_CHECK_ALL_FOLDERS=1 and IMAP_ENHANCEDIDLE=1 in Courier?
Sorry for my maybe dumb question... :-)
Thanks, Florian This might be help you... **quote** If Thunderbird doesn't recognize that a folder contains unread messages try setting mail.imap.use_status_for_biff true. It causes Thunderbird to explicitly select each folder to update the message summaries, rather than using the STATUS command. It has more overhead, but some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly. **quote**
Hi Tobias,
This might be help you... **quote** If Thunderbird doesn't recognize that a folder contains unread messages try setting mail.imap.use_status_for_biff true. It causes Thunderbird to explicitly select each folder to update the message summaries, rather than using the STATUS command. It has more overhead, but some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly. **quote**
thanks, that's exactly what I am refering to. ;-) This paragraph talks about "some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly", and I'm interested to hear if this is true for recent Dovecot versions and whether a patch or a configuration directive is available to fix it... :)
Florian
Am 28.12.2009 um 16:14 schrieb Florian Effenberger:
Hi Tobias,
This might be help you... **quote** If Thunderbird doesn't recognize that a folder contains unread messages try setting mail.imap.use_status_for_biff true. It causes Thunderbird to explicitly select each folder to update the message summaries, rather than using the STATUS command. It has more overhead, but some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly. **quote**
thanks, that's exactly what I am refering to. ;-) This paragraph talks about "some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly", and I'm interested to hear if this is true for recent Dovecot versions and whether a patch or a configuration directive is available to fix it... :)
Florian
Locking at http://www.dovecot.org/ :
Overview
...
- "Dovecot is standards compliant. Dovecot v1.1 passes all IMAP server standard compliancy tests while most other servers fail many of them." ...
Hope, this answers your question. Maybe you should use a recent version of Dovecot (stable is 1.2.9) and not v1.0
Tobi (another one)
Hi Tobias,
- "Dovecot is standards compliant. Dovecot v1.1 passes all IMAP server standard compliancy tests while most other servers fail many of them." [..]
Hope, this answers your question. Maybe you should use a recent version of Dovecot (stable is 1.2.9) and not v1.0
indeed, I plan a migration to a newer system and thus Dovecot version soon. I just wanted to be sure it's no configuration failure on my side, so if anyone knows details... :)
Florian
Am 28.12.2009 16:14, schrieb Florian Effenberger:
Hi Tobias,
This might be help you... **quote** If Thunderbird doesn't recognize that a folder contains unread messages try setting mail.imap.use_status_for_biff true. It causes Thunderbird to explicitly select each folder to update the message summaries, rather than using the STATUS command. It has more overhead, but some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly. **quote**
thanks, that's exactly what I am refering to. ;-) This paragraph talks about "some IMAP servers don't return STATUS correctly", and I'm interested to hear if this is true for recent Dovecot versions and whether a patch or a configuration directive is available to fix it... :)
Florian
Hi Florian
I tested it with Dovecot 1.1.6 and Thunderbird 3. The STATUS command seems to be returned correctly.
tobi
Hi Tobi,
I tested it with Dovecot 1.1.6 and Thunderbird 3. The STATUS command seems to be returned correctly.
thanks a lot! Guess I'll give it a try on a new machine or with a backport. Currently in a "never touch a running system" mood, especially between the years when I have vacation :-)
Florian
On 28.12.2009, at 8.30, Florian Effenberger wrote:
According to http://kb.mozillazine.org/Checking_for_new_messages_in_other_folders_-_Thund... it should be sufficient to enable one setting -- given that the IMAP server returns the STATUS command correctly. I still run Dovecot 1.0 (from Debian 4.0), and it seems this version doesn't support the IMAP STATUS command, as I have to explictly query each folder with the second mentioned setting.
Which v1.0? (Which one's Debian 4.0? :) I wish Debian used Ubuntu-style year+month numbers as versions. The only Debian versions I remember are stable, testing and unstable..)
Anyway, I don't think there have been any actual STATUS command related bugs in Dovecot. If opening the mailbox shows that there are new mails, it's more likely that it's a Thunderbird bug/configuration issue.
Or does Dovecot even offer an option like the mentioned IMAP_CHECK_ALL_FOLDERS=1
A quick google lookup didn't really tell what this does. My best guess is that it sets \Marked flag for LIST replies, which Dovecot does by default and Thunderbird completely ignores.
and IMAP_ENHANCEDIDLE=1 in Courier?
This is done by default, if compiled with dnotify/inotify (dovecot --build-options shows). But it's not related to your problem anyway.
Hi Timo,
Which v1.0? (Which one's Debian 4.0? :) I wish Debian used Ubuntu-style year+month numbers as versions. The only Debian versions I remember are stable, testing and unstable..)
:-) It's pretty old, dovecot --version returns 1.0.rc15
Anyway, I don't think there have been any actual STATUS command related bugs in Dovecot. If opening the mailbox shows that there are new mails, it's more likely that it's a Thunderbird bug/configuration issue.
It works fine when I enable this per-folder-query setting in Thunderbird, but especially on a mobile connection, this causes a lot of overhead and takes quite a while with my about 50 folders. :-)
and IMAP_ENHANCEDIDLE=1 in Courier?
This is done by default, if compiled with dnotify/inotify (dovecot --build-options shows). But it's not related to your problem anyway.
Seems I am lucky then: Build options: ioloop=poll notify=dnotify ipv6 openssl
;-) I will try with a recent Dovecot version and follow-up if things don't work. Thanks for the fast and great help!
Florian
On 2009-12-29, Florian Effenberger (floeff@gmail.com) wrote:
Seems I am lucky then: Build options: ioloop=poll notify=dnotify
dnotify is deprecated (and buggy)... use inotify on the server instead.
--
Best regards,
Charles
On 2009-12-29 7:23 AM, Florian Effenberger wrote:
Seems I am lucky then: Build options: ioloop=poll notify=dnotify dnotify is deprecated (and buggy)... use inotify on the server instead.
I guess that requires recompilation of the package?
I don't think so, but maybe the old 1.0rc15 only supported dnotify?
Anyway, inotify/dnotify is not part of dovecot, it is part of the linux kernel (2.6.13+) - dovecot only makes USE of it, so it will work with either.
So, it depends on which is enabled on your kernel/system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inotify
--
Best regards,
Charles
Hi Charles,
I guess that requires recompilation of the package?
I don't think so, but maybe the old 1.0rc15 only supported dnotify?
Anyway, inotify/dnotify is not part of dovecot, it is part of the linux kernel (2.6.13+) - dovecot only makes USE of it, so it will work with either.
So, it depends on which is enabled on your kernel/system.
ok, thanks for the insight! I guess it's really the best choice to just update to a recent system and see if things work. ;-)
Thanks a lot, your help is really appreciated! Florian
On 2009-12-29, Florian Effenberger (floeff@gmail.com) wrote:
ok, thanks for the insight! I guess it's really the best choice to just update to a recent system and see if things work. ;-)
Just be sure to read the update notes on the wiki carefully:
http://wiki.dovecot.org/Upgrading
Thanks a lot, your help is really appreciated!
No problem, and good luck... :)
--
Best regards,
Charles
participants (6)
-
Charles Marcus
-
Florian Effenberger
-
Timo Sirainen
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tobi
-
Tobias
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Tobias Lang