[Evolution-hackers] [Fwd: Re: [evolution-patches] [PATCH] IMAP preauth and subcommand connection.]

[Not Zed <notzed ximian com>]

On Fri, 2003-07-18 at 05:33, David Woodhouse wrote:
> On Mon, 2003-06-30 at 12:29, Not Zed wrote:
> > Its common enough that it should be supported.  Almost all imapd's can
> > be run in 'shell mode' like this.
> 
> Ping... is it worth me checking this still applies and resubmitting it
> before OLS or do I just give up?

Well i think Ettore's main objection to this patch was the UI ...

I see a couple of possibilities for it that he might accept, that i've
listed below.  Perhaps this can be discussed and something acceptable
worked out.  I think the feature is useful and is a security
enhancement (for server maintainers, since they don't need to run an
imap port).

 *- could add another 'server type' to the server type thing, with a new
pseudo-url-protocol, implemented using the same imap objects (you just
need to add another provider in the imap module init).

e.g. IMAP via command, "imapc://"

Then change the 'Configuration' area to include a command box, and a
CAMEL_PROVIDER_SUPPORTS_COMMAND thing or something to tell the ui how to
manage it.  Although the coded logic might get a big ugly with the
host/user part, but it means you don't have redundant information on
screen or in the url's, which don't really make sense (since
host/username will basically be ignored?).

 *- change the 'user secure connection (ssl): ...' line of that page to be
something like

'Connect using' [remote host]
                [always ssl]
                [ssl when possible]
                [command]     [ command entry box shows up ]

This is probably simpler to code, doesn't add another server type, but
it will end up with a redundant host and username entry.  And it will
look a little funny if ssl isn't compiled in.

 *-  Actually, the 'connect using' line could perhaps be above the
host/username fields, and change them according to its setting.  Or the
host/username fields could be available as '%h' '%u' in the command
string ...

e.g.

'Connect using ' [remote host]
                 [always ssl]         (these two optional if ssl not built)
                 [ssl when possible]
                 [command]
(Then show either)
Host:     [ hostname entry ]
Username: [ username entry ]
(or)
Command:  [ command entry ]

(it still has the url problem i guess - i'm not sure how the rest of
the imap and mailer code would handle not having a hostname on a 'remote'
server).

This last is probably the cleanest, ui-wise.

 Michael