[Dovecot] FOLDER INTERNAL DATA (uw pine header)
Hello!
I run Dovecot on CentOS 4 (dovecot-1.1.4-0_81.el4), and I *also* run the "Alpine" mail system that comes with that OS. Alpine still writes out the 'FOLDER INTERNAL DATA' pseudo-message at the beginning of each user's mbox, but dovecot does not. I make use of that record as a simle/quick way to verify when a user actually last read their e-mail (for administrative purposes, identifying stale/unused accounts), so is there any way to configure/command dovecot to write (or update) these hidden messages?
(Note: I tried looking in the archives, but most references seemed to be about this message being a 'side effect' of transferring *from* UW IMAP, and how to get 'rid' of it. Not what I need. :) Apologies if this was covered before in a different thread.)
- Charles
On Fri, 2009-01-23 at 12:48 -0500, Charles Gregory wrote:
Hello!
I run Dovecot on CentOS 4 (dovecot-1.1.4-0_81.el4), and I *also* run the "Alpine" mail system that comes with that OS. Alpine still writes out the 'FOLDER INTERNAL DATA' pseudo-message at the beginning of each user's mbox, but dovecot does not. I make use of that record as a simle/quick way to verify when a user actually last read their e-mail (for administrative purposes, identifying stale/unused accounts), so is there any way to configure/command dovecot to write (or update) these hidden messages?
Dovecot writes the pseudo message when the mailbox is emptied (all messages are expunged). Maybe the difference is that Alpine writes the pseudo message also when creating the mailbox (or when selecting the created empty mailbox). I guess Dovecot could do that too then.. but I don't really want to waste time on writing that code.
On Fri, 23 Jan 2009, Timo Sirainen wrote:
I run Dovecot on CentOS 4 (dovecot-1.1.4-0_81.el4), and I *also* run the "Alpine" mail system... Dovecot writes the pseudo message when the mailbox is emptied (all messages are expunged).
Hmmmm. It looks like *some* of my users are having their *old* pseudo-message left in place even after they have read and expunged. If this is a concern to you, I will do some tests to verify....
But even if it works as described above, it would not be a consistent timestamp of when someone last read their mailbox. It looks like dovecot updates the ~/mail/.imap/INBOX/dovecot.index.log with each read, even via pop3, so I should be okay using that.... I can then just use a snip of code to check whether that file or the pseudo-message from Alpine is 'newer'.....
Maybe the difference is that Alpine writes the pseudo message also when creating the mailbox (or when selecting the created empty mailbox).
Alpine actually updates the message with each read. In particular, it updates the "X-IMAP:" line.....
I guess Dovecot could do that too then.. but I don't really want to waste time on writing that code.
Not a problem. I think that timestamp will do the trick.
Thanks!
- Charles
On Fri, 2009-01-23 at 15:35 -0500, Charles Gregory wrote:
But even if it works as described above, it would not be a consistent timestamp of when someone last read their mailbox. It looks like dovecot updates the ~/mail/.imap/INBOX/dovecot.index.log with each read, even via pop3, so I should be okay using that.... I can then just use a snip of code to check whether that file or the pseudo-message from Alpine is 'newer'.....
The dovecot.index.log isn't modified unless something has actually changed.
Maybe the difference is that Alpine writes the pseudo message also when creating the mailbox (or when selecting the created empty mailbox).
Alpine actually updates the message with each read. In particular, it updates the "X-IMAP:" line.....
Huh? What does it write there? It should update it only when there have been new messages, not on every read..
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009, Timo Sirainen wrote:
On Fri, 2009-01-23 at 15:35 -0500, Charles Gregory wrote: The dovecot.index.log isn't modified unless something has actually changed.
Which I am hoping is a true statement if someone reads mail. (In this case, things like 'new status' indicators and such).
Alpine actually updates the message with each read. In particular, it updates the "X-IMAP:" line..... Huh? What does it write there? It should update it only when there have been new messages, not on every read..
I stand corrected. I just tested it, and it's *not* updating the 'X-IMAP:' line all the time. The only thing it does consistently is re-write that internal message with a new 'From ... (date)' line..... (sigh)
....which still leaves me trying to figure the best method of determining when a user has been *reading* the mailbox..... I would really rather NOT be reading through mail logs to find a login....
Hmmmm. Can I 'trick up' dovecot to generate an extra log record to a *sepearate* file when someone logs-in? I suppose I could just have dovecot log to its own separate log file......
Thanks for the responses....
- Charles
On Mon, 2009-01-26 at 15:41 -0500, Charles Gregory wrote:
....which still leaves me trying to figure the best method of determining when a user has been *reading* the mailbox..... I would really rather NOT be reading through mail logs to find a login....
How about: http://wiki.dovecot.org/PostLoginScripting
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009, Timo Sirainen wrote:
On Mon, 2009-01-26 at 15:41 -0500, Charles Gregory wrote:
....which still leaves me trying to figure the best method of determining when a user has been *reading* the mailbox.....
How about: http://wiki.dovecot.org/PostLoginScripting
This does the trick! I'm presuming that having root be the owner of the touched file does not cause any problems.....
Thanks!
- Charles
participants (2)
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Charles Gregory
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Timo Sirainen