[Dovecot] Need help configuering Dovecot to support folders that contain sub-folders and messages

[Dan Roberts]

Hi -

Last year I set up a new CentOS 5 server and through the install  
process permitted it to set up dovecot as my IMAP server.
./dovecote --version returns "1.0.rc15"

With the system up and running I moved the tar files of my old email  
accounts over and everything seemed to be just fine.

Recently I have upgraded my primary workstation to a Mac Pro - and  
that of course has it's Mail application.

Let me summarize briefly to be sure that I don't omit some minor  
detail that makes all the difference in the world.  Previously I used  
Netscape 7.2 as my mail client and then went over to Thunderbird on  
the PC - in either application, under Server Settings / Advanced I had  
to uncheck the box "Server supports folders that contain sub-folders  
and messages".   Then whenever I attempted to add a new subfolder I  
would be given a choice -  "This server restricts folders to two  
special kinds.  Allow your new folder to contain:  [] Folders Only [x]  
Messages Only".

Though perhaps not ideal, this has worked ok up till now.   The  
Leopard Mail application doesn't seem to have this sort of support -  
it assumes that every folder or subfolder can and should contain both,  
so all I get are folders that can hold messages.   This is a problem  
as I can't create any new folders to reorganize mail.

Though I had thought about resolving this, or at least trying to when  
I first encountered it - life got busy.  So my skills have become a  
bit rusty and I have not done anything about it.  But now I would like  
to.

I ported over my email and my wife's - so perhaps there is some legacy  
setting in those folders that prevents the bliss of folders and mail  
in the same subfile.   But I created a new email account for my  
daughter and that has the same limitation.   In Leopard mail, folders  
to hold folders look White, whereas folders to hole mail look blue.

In Thunderbird Folders to hold Folders are in Italics whereas Folders  
to hold mail are normal font.

I am also using Webmin to simplify access to the server, but I don't  
see anything obvious under the dovecot tool for this.

The installation was the basic default, so far as I can remember.  I  
have run Yum to update the files and at last review there was nothing  
outstanding.

Regarding my configuration, dovecot -n reports as follows:

[root at trailrunner sbin]# ./dovecot --version
1.0.rc15
[root at trailrunner sbin]# ./dovecot -n
# /etc/dovecot.conf
base_dir: /var/run/dovecot/
protocols: imap imaps
listen:
disable_plaintext_auth: yes
login_dir: /var/run/dovecot//login
login_executable: /usr/libexec/dovecot/imap-login
mail_extra_groups: mail
mail_location: mbox:~/mail:INBOX=/var/mail/%u
auth default:
   passdb:
     driver: pam
   userdb:
     driver: passwd
[root at trailrunner sbin]#

Truly hoping that someone can help me resolve this.  While I can use  
Thunderbird, I do like the Apple Mail feature of seeing the summary of  
email at the top of the list.

Appreciate the help and insights -
Cheers
Dan