Re: [Evolution] Can Evolution use a Maildir formatted inbox?

[Pete Biggs <pete biggs org uk>]

In answer to your subject line: yes.

> I set up the incoming mail spool as a user-owned directory such as
> /var/spool/mail/ged which contains the three subdirectories new, cur
> and tmp, and incoming messages are delivered to the spool by procmail
> as MDA for sendmail.  The user's .procmailrc points procmail to the
> appropriate spool.
>
> But when I attempt to read the mail, Evolution either insists that
> there are no messages in the inbox (when there demonstrably are), or
> that it isn't a valid inbox (if I move the inbox somewhere else, or
> change its structure as far as I can tell in any way at all).

You need to create a new account of type "Maildir-format mail
directories" and point the "Mail Directory" to where the Maildir mail is
located.

3.4.4 is old now (yes, I know it's what is in the repositories), and I
think it says something like "Incoming mail spool" for a mail account -
that uses mbox format because that's what the standard incoming spool
directory uses.

> Evolution reads mbox-formatted inboxes without problems of course.

The spool directory in /var/spool/mail SHOULD be mbox format - lots of
things could well write there expecting it to be mbox format and that
may corrupt you Maildir folders.  If you are using Maildir for incoming
mail, which is perfectly acceptable, then don't put them
in /var/spool/mail.

P.