Topic: Outlook Express Folders

[Jason Judge]

Hi,

I am using Outlook Express 5 to connect to E-smith using the IMAP interface. It seems to work okay, except that folders created in Outlook do not appear on the Webmail interface and vice-versa.

Now outlook seems to use local folders (to cache messages before synchnising - not sure?) so I am not sure if this causing the problem. If I view the IMAP folders from within Outlook and fresh the display I get to see the folders created on Webmail - but I can't seem to get these folders to appear in Outlook's main window.

Other than that - it works a dream! (LDAP works well).

Any ideas how to get Outlook and E-smith to agree on IMAP folders?

Jason

[Jason Judge]

...do Outlook Express IMAP folders work correctly with E-smith 4? i.e. if I create an IMAP folder using Outlook Express, should I be able to see it in Imp and vice versa?

Am I -

a) wasting my time trying (which I doubt); or
b) setting something up wrong (which is probable); or
c) using an MS product that does not fully comply with IMAP as implemented on E-smith (possible)?

Any takers?

Regards,

Jason

[Darrell May]

Jason Judge wrote:
>
>
> ...do Outlook Express IMAP folders work correctly with
> E-smith 4? i.e. if I create an IMAP folder using Outlook
> Express, should I be able to see it in Imp and vice versa?

Try this HowTo:

http://netsourced.com/servers/docs/imp-folders-howto.html

Darrell

[Jason Judge]

Darrell,

Thanks for the link - I'll give it a try later this week. The explanation it gives (that the root directory for the IMAP folders on the server is under a 'mail' subdirectory) makes sense.

When I view the 'IMAP Folders...' option under Outlook Express it does list the folders I have created using IMP - but they are all listed under a 'Mail' folder which itself is not seen as a proper IMAP folder from Outlook. I'll try moving the folders up a level on the server and see if that solves the problem then post back here (probably in a week or so).

However - Outlook Express does have a 'root folder' option that can be set. I'm curious now: I'll just go and check...

Thanks,

Jason

[Jason Judge]

I have solved this problem now.

IMP by default uses a subdirectory - Mail - to place all its folders. This is a good thing as it keeps the mail together and separate from other files in the user's root directory. The Mail folder is located at /home/e-smith/files/users//Mail.

Now when Outlook Express 5 (don't know about other versions) attempts to connect to the e-smith IMAP server it cannot see the Mail directory nor its contents. This is the problem I was having.

To fix this: create a file named ".uidvalidity" in the Mail directory then - hey presto - Outlook Express can see this folder! What I don't understand is why IMP can see folders regardless of whether there is a .uidvalidity file there or not.

An option in the IMAP folder in Outlook Express will let you set the root directory o "Mail" so it behaves the same way as IMP. But this will only work after you have created the .uidvalidity file in the Mail directory. There is then no need to alter the default settings for IMP.

Hope this helps anyone else having Outlook IMAP problems. The IMAP folders work very well indeed once this has been done. It is useful to be able to send and recieve mail from several different machines without downloading the messages onto those machines (as you would have to do with POP3).

Regards,

Jason