Topic: Email Settings

[Amin]

Hello there,

Let me start off by saying that my understanding of Linux and Unix systems is limited to say the least.

I am replacing my home server with e-smith in attempt to get a better solution than what I currently have and to ease myself into the Linux mindset. And things have gone very well so far……….however I do have one problem.

I currently use an email server called Vpop3 (a great software it is too) running on W2K to take care of email. One of the options it gives me is to “Leave messages on the server” for a user definable length of time.

Domain forwarding for my email is set so that and emails for ‘mydomain.com’ get sent to my pop3 box hosted by my ISP. Vpop3 is therefore set to recover the emails from this account. The advantage is that if my server or connection is down because I am messing with something or something is messing with me, emails simply continue to flow as before. In addition since Vpop3 is set to leave messages on the Pop3 ISP server for 3 days, there is an additional layer of back up for the emails. The question is how the heck do I get e-smith to leave messages on the server for X number of days?

While I’m at it, is there a tool that allows the user to control the various programs for SMTP, POP, IMAP ext. running on Linux vie a graphical user interface rather than get hot and heavy with text files? Something that turns Linux email services into something that resembles Vpop3? ;D

Many thanks in advance.

[schotty]

Wel to reasure you somewhat, if you install the e.smith server you will not ouch one text file!!!

The install goes quite smoothly -as long as the hardware is supported that is!

You configure the server including all services from the server-manager in a internet browser.

Im sure that is is not like like Vpop but im sure that that counts as a plus!
I dont believe you can leave the mails on the server and I dont believe its really neccassy.
Get a pc, install e-smith and try it out.
Im sure you will not have any problems!!!

schotty

[Amin]

Thanks for the reply schotty,

I have actually installed e-smith and am very happy with it. The question occurred when I wanted to configure the email services a bit more deeply than the e-smith interface would allow. It certainly doesn’t allow me to leave emails on the server now, but I was wondering if by hacking away on some txt configuration file it would be possible to do what I want.

Cheers.

PS. what’s wrong with Vpop3

[Dan Brown]

Not so, Amin; it's entirely possible to leave messages on the server--it's a matter of client configuration, though, not server configuration.  The SME server doesn't delete the messages unless and until the client tells it to.

[Amin]

Hi Dan,

I think you have misunderstood my meaning. I will be using e-smith as an IMAP server so in fact I have every intention of leaving the emails on the server. But when e-smith is downloading emails from my ISPs POP3 account, then e-smith is the client, so I want to be able to configure e-smith to leave email on the server *it* is downloading emails from (My ISPs mail server, preferable for 3 days).

Once the emails are on e-smith, then as you say I am free to handle them how I chose depending on the way I configure my clients.
 
Dos that make sense?

PS. I really appreciated your instructions on “how to upgrade IMP” on your website. Thanks very much.

[schotty]

So when your e-smith server collects the messages you want them stilll to be on the isp server.

I dont believe that this will be possible, or even needed!
The extra work of sorting/deleting mails on the isp server well, I wouldnt like to do it!
A good backup procedure will limit the damage if something did happen to a days worth of emails!

Well I didnt say that VPOP is bad, but if its that good, and has the function that you need then stick with it! Why bother looking for other products when you have one that suits you?

Also the IMP upgrades are just super. I have installed them and well thats one of the best "addons" that Ive seen.


Amin, are you sure you need to leave the mails on your ISP server?

[Amin]

Well I don’t think I really *need* to, but it is a nice little security blanket thing. If for example I delete an email (from my spam box for example) and realise that it wasn’t spam, its kind of helpful to know that there is a copy of it on the ISPs server for 3 days.

“The extra work of sorting/deleting mails on the isp server well, I wouldn’t like to do it!”

It’s not very complicated. All e-smith, Vpop3 or whatever dos is download emails and delete emails older than 3 days or whatever you set it too. I’m almost 90% sure that somewhere deep in bowls of some configuration txt file there is a little flag for sorting this. But anyway………..as you said its not a critical thing.

[Bob Todd]

If you're looking to specific mail server files to play around with and alter it might be easier to find the answers on qmail.org or some of the qmail discussion forums. Once you find the answer you can create a nice panel for the server manager and share it with us

[Jestar]

In /etc/fetchmail, add 'keep' onto the end of the fetchmail line (near 'forcecr') in the poll POP section. Obviously this needs to be in a custom template, and you'll still have the likelyhood of duplicate messages popping up. I've run a setup like this before and it was not pretty.

Wayne