293458 - IMAP subfolders below the 1st level can't be subscribed [with Merak Mail Server < 8.3.8]

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(MailNews Core :: Networking: IMAP, defect)

Description

[MP]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; de) Opera 8.0
Build Identifier: Thunderbird 1.0.2

We're using the Merak mailserver that works properly wiht Pegasus Mail, Opera 
and others. The server is used as IMAP with more than one level of subfolders. 
In Thunderbird only the 1st level is displayed snd subscribeable. Also the 
subscription-window displays only the first level except I subscribe other 
folders using Opera before. Folder subscribed with Opera are visible in 
Thunderbird afterwards.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Create a new IMAP account using a server that delivers shared folders with 
more than one sub-level
2. Try to subscibe some of the 2nd level folders (or above)
3.

Actual Results:  
Lower folders aren't visible except they have been subscribed with Opera before

Expected Results:  
Thunderbird should be able to subscibe these folders without the help of other 
mail clients

Comment 1

[David :Bienvenu]

Can you generate an imap protocol log of a thunderbird session where you try to
subscribe to the second level folders? Thx.

http://www.mozilla.org/quality/mailnews/mail-troubleshoot.html#imap

Comment 2

[MP]

Thats not possible because using TB without Operas support it is impossible to 
subscribe these folders - they are completely invisible.

Comment 3

[David :Bienvenu]

It's possible to bring up the subscribe UI, right? That's what I want a log of. Thx!

Comment 4

[MP]

Attachment: The desired logfile

Comment 5

[MP]

Attachment: The desired logfile

Comment 6

[David :Bienvenu]

nothing suspicious in that log. Could I possibly get your prefs.js, or even
better, access to a test account on that server that shows the problem.

Comment 7

[MP]

Attachment: The prefs file.

I'm really sorry but access to the mailserver isn't possible because it is a
internal mailsystem thats not accessible from the internet.

Btw: the logfile was a successful session because here the folders have been
subscribed by Opera before.

Comment 8

[David :Bienvenu]

a log file of a session that doesn't work would be more useful...

Comment 9

[MP]

Attachment: The desired logfile

Here I accessed the server without using Opera for the subscription before. I
could see the first and only some of the second level folders but not the
folders above them. I subscribed two in the second level - but of course I
wasn't able to see/subscribe all the folders below of this level, they aren't
visible within the subscription-window.

Comment 10

[Hans-Andreas Engel]

This problem arises due to a bug in the Merak Mailserver.

According to Attachment 183494 [details], for example the folder
   "others/laser-events/blz"
exists.

Mozilla/Thunderbird looks for sub-sub-folders as follows (see Attachment 184660 [details]).
  Send:      38 list "" "others/%/%"
  Receive:   38 OK LIST Completed

The server response is wrong, since the folder "others/laser-events/blz" matches the wildcarded expression "others/%/%"  ["%" matches zero or more characters, excluding a hierarchy delimiter; i.e., the server should have announced this folder by returning  * LIST () "/" "others/laser-events/blz"].

Thus, this is not a Thunderbird bug (except that Thunderbird should be more tolerant on servers with this problem).

Comment 11

[Hans-Andreas Engel]

It seems that this (or a similar) problem is fixed in Merak Mail Server 8.0.0.

In the changelog http://tr.icewarp.com/releasenotes.txt we find:

8.0.0 [2005-02-03]
(...)
[*] 2004-12-08: POP3 - IMAP - LIST and LSUB command response updated - Hiearchy delimiter response problem fixed

Comment 12

[Hans-Andreas Engel]

Actually, it was a different bug that was fixed in Merak's 8.0.0 release.
According to Attachment 183494 [details], "Merak 8.0.3" was used, i.e., Merak mailserver still has this problem.

Comment 13

[MP]

Meanwhile I tried to report it to Merak (again) but with no success. I'm discussing about a ticket that possibly already exists with their support for some days instead of the bug itself. Looks like they aren't willing or able to solve that problem ... bureaucracy seems to be more important.

Comment 14

[Hans-Andreas Engel]

I contacted IceWrap regarding this problem [ID-060221.3176] and received the following reply.
     This problem has already been fixed. Please download the
     latest version from our website.
     Best regards, 

Now, I asked for the version number, starting at which the problem is fixed.  If I receive it, I will post it here.  (I wonder what entry this would be on their release notes.)

Comment 15

[Hans-Andreas Engel]

This problem is fixed in Merak Mail server >= 8.3.8
   [*] 2005-12-16: IMAP - Completely changed LIST and LSUB command support,
   parsing and directory matching, tested, LIST "" "%/%" supported and more,
   subdirectory queries support for shared IMAP accounts, any *% is supported
   "inbox*" or "inbox/*"
   http://www.merakmailserver.com/Products/Merak_Mail_Server/Release_Notes.asp

Thanks to Petr from IceWarp technical support for this information.