856502 - Show nsIMsgFolder.filePath.path(or persistentDescriptor) value as "Path:" in Folder Properties/General of message folder for user's convenience

Status: NEW

(MailNews Core :: Backend, enhancement)

Description

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

Show nsIMsgFolder.filePath.path(or persistentDescriptor) value as "Path:" in Folder Properties/General of message folder for user's convenience. 

Following is dump data of nsIMsgFolder.filePath object(nsIFile), by for(xx in nsIMsgFolder.filePath){xx+"="+nsIMsgFolder.filePath[xx];}.
Because path name doesn't have ".msf" part, file/directory in the path property doesn't actually exist on HDD if IMAP Offline-Use=Off folder. But user can surely get there by the string.
 
> nsIMsgFolder.filePath : [xpconnect wrapped nsIFile]
> non-function property only
>   DELETE_ON_CLOSE = 2147483648
>   DIRECTORY_TYPE = 1
>   NORMAL_FILE_TYPE = 0
>   OS_READAHEAD = 1073741824
>   diskSpaceAvailable = 0
>   followLinks = false
>   leafName = Offline-Use-Offline
>   parent = [xpconnect wrapped nsIFile]
>   path = C:\Documents and Settings\ ... \Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\jpcepyvi.XXX\ImapMail\imap.gmail.com\Offline-Use-Offline
>   persistentDescriptor = C:\Documents and Settings\  ... \Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\jpcepyvi.XXX\ImapMail\imap.gmail.com\Offline-Use-Offline
>   target = C:\Documents and Settings\ ... \Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\jpcepyvi.XXX\ImapMail\imap.gmail.com\Offline-Use-Offline

Comment 1

[:aceman]

There already is the "Location" field, but that is not a local path in case of IMAP.

I think this could be added easily (like the size and number of messages were). It just needs acceptance of UI people :)
And also a good name for the field. If we keep Location, do we call the new path "Local storage" or "Local directory"?

Comment 2

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

What's the use case for a normal user ever needing to know this? The reason the location is there at all is probably because on IMAP you need some way to get the URL so you can share a folder with someone (though that too is probably rare).

Comment 3

[:aceman]

Magnus, e.g. backing up the folder file before attempting repair as we often propose when diagnosing bugs.

Comment 4

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Well, for pop it's already pretty obvious where things are. But i guess the location could be just the file path and not mailbox:// -- iirc there's a bug for that. 
Backing up your imap folder locally for repair seems futile... you can always get the messages from the server if needed.

Comment 5

[:aceman]

OK, let's see what use case WADA has.
We could expose the new field only in case of IMAP (or actually non-local folders).

Magnus, can you find the bug about stripping mailbox:// ?

Comment 6

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

(In reply to Magnus Melin from comment #4)
> Backing up your imap folder locally for repair seems futile...
> you can always get the messages from the server if needed.

Following is string for URL, Location, or Path for Local Mbox=Inbox of Server=pop3.b.b.b and IMAP Mbox=XYZ of Server=imap.mail.yahoo.com.

(A) Internal URL (in action of msFilterRules.dat, in image location in composing mail, ...)
> mailbox://b1%40b.b.b@pop3.b.b.b/Inbox
> imap://[e-mail]/XYZ

(B) Current Folder Properties, Location:.
> mailbox:///C:/Documents and Settings/wada/Application Data/Thunderbird/Profiles/jpcepyvi.XXX/Mail/pop3.b.b.b/Inbox
> imap://[e-mail]/XYZ

(C) msgFolder.filePath.path value.
> filePath = C:\Documents and Settings\wada\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\jpcepyvi.XXX\ImapMail\imap.mail.yahoo.com\XYZ-1
> filePath = C:\Documents and Settings\wada\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\jpcepyvi.XXX\Mail\pop3.b.b.b\Inbox

Current "Location:" in Folder Properties is port of "Copy Folder Location" contex menu in Netscape Mail&News, Mozilla Mail&News, Mozilla App's Mail&News, SeaMnkey V1, to Thunderbird.
I don't know which of (A) or (B) was spec of "Copy Folder Location" of local mailbox: case. 

If IMAP server's Mbox name is case sensitive, and if client side file system is case inseisitive, following occurs in IMAP.
- file/directory of abc   and abc.msf   for Mbox named abc at server.
- file/directory of Abc-1 and Abc-1.msf for Mbox named Abc at server.
- file/directory of ABC-2 and ABC-2.msf for Mbox named ABC at server.
In this case, because abc==Abc==ABC in client side file system, if existent file/directory is re-used by Tb(this actually happens), following can occur.
- file/directory of abc   and abc.msf   for Mbox named ABC at server.
- file/directory of Abc-1 and Abc-1.msf for Mbox named abc at server.
- file/directory of ABC-2 and ABC-2.msf for Mbox named Abc at server.

If msgstore/maildirstore will be officially supported and will be enabled by default, user can back up each "downloaded mail data file from IMAP server" far easier than current, because "one file per one mail" will be achieved by msgstore/maildirstore.
In msgstore/maildirstore, file for mail is MailboxName/cur/xxxxxxxx.
(i)  Actual file/directory path of MailboxName part is known by msgFolder.filePath.path, even when suffixed file/directory name is used for Mbox by Tb.
(ii) xxxxxxxx part(file name) is known by StringProperty/storeToken value of msDBHdr, and UID of mail, subject: Message-ID: etc. can be obtained from msgDBHdr.

Further, some users want to use "mail data in Offline-store file of IMAP" as "local mail folder file" in case of "deactivation/disabling/cancel of IMAP account". 

This bug is request for enhancement in (i), and for improvements in trouble shooting by user and improvements in bug reporting.

Comment 7

[Magnus Melin [:mkmelin]]

Can't find the bug. But I think we should do it (show the file path instead, for local folders).

I don't think it's very justified to add imap path UI just for the very few users that are tb testers and developers. In fact it may give someone the wrong impression you can back things up by copying those folders. That may not be the case at all for imap if the folder isn't marked for offline use. (I'd certainly like for profile and imap backup to be supported throgh real UI, but that's another story.)