[Dovecot] Thunderbird 0.8 - Inbox grayed out and does not update

[Ian R. Justman]

Curtis Maloney wrote:
> Sitapati das wrote:
> 
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I cannot get Thunderbird 0.8 to work with my dovecot IMAP server. It
>> works fine with my work IMAP account - I'm not sure what they are using.
>>
> 
> I guess for everyone's benefit I must ask : Which version of Dovecot are 
> you using?
> 
>> What happens is that folders that I create in Thunderbird or Evolution
>> can only contain subfolders or messages, not a combination of both.
>>
>> Folders which contain subfolders and not messages show up in Thunderbird
>> grayed out. I can expand them and view the subfolders and the messages
>> within those.
> 
> 
> You're using mbox storage, aren't you?  This whole "only subfolders or 
> messages, not both" is a limitation of mbox.

Though when I was playing with 1.0test46, I attempted to create a folder 
  in an mbox where only messages can be; it silently fails.  But I if go 
into the Maildir side (I was testing mixed mbox/Maildir stores with 
1.0test46), I can create folders within folder and stuff messags in 
there 'til I'm blue in the face.

So I don't think it hurts to have that checkbox checked which signifies 
that the server supports folders which can contain both types of data 
even though with mbox, they're mutually exclusive.  However, a 
"mutually-exclusive" setup more or less keeps you from usefully using a 
Maildir-centric setup. ;)

So I'm with you; it's a client settings issue.

--Ian.