[gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[thelma]

When I try to select /var/spool/mail I get an error:

The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
different directory.

drwxrwsr-t  2 root  mail 4096 Dec 10 10:56 mail

Why Thunderbird can not read that directory?

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[Jack]

On 2020.12.10 13:11, thelma@sys-concept.com wrote:
> When I try to select /var/spool/mail I get an error:
> 
> The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
> different directory.
> 
> drwxrwsr-t  2 root  mail 4096 Dec 10 10:56 mail
> 
> Why Thunderbird can not read that directory?
Are you running TBird as root?  Are you sure you don't want one lower  
level directory, such as /var/spool/mail/root or something like that?

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[thelma]

On 12/10/2020 11:21 AM, Jack wrote:
> On 2020.12.10 13:11, thelma@sys-concept.com wrote:
>> When I try to select /var/spool/mail I get an error:
>>
>> The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
>> different directory.
>>
>> drwxrwsr-t  2 root  mail 4096 Dec 10 10:56 mail
>>
>> Why Thunderbird can not read that directory?
> Are you running TBird as root?  Are you sure you don't want one lower
> level directory, such as /var/spool/mail/root or something like that?

No, I run TBird as user.
On my other system the running TBird, as user, I can access
/var/spool/mail dir.
But on my main system I get an error:

The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
different directory.

I check directory permission and they look OK.

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[J. Roeleveld]

On 10 December 2020 19:48:41 CET, thelma@sys-concept.com wrote:
>On 12/10/2020 11:21 AM, Jack wrote:
>> On 2020.12.10 13:11, thelma@sys-concept.com wrote:
>>> When I try to select /var/spool/mail I get an error:
>>>
>>> The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
>>> different directory.
>>>
>>> drwxrwsr-t  2 root  mail 4096 Dec 10 10:56 mail
>>>
>>> Why Thunderbird can not read that directory?
>> Are you running TBird as root?  Are you sure you don't want one lower
>> level directory, such as /var/spool/mail/root or something like that?
>
>No, I run TBird as user.
>On my other system the running TBird, as user, I can access
>/var/spool/mail dir.
>But on my main system I get an error:
>
>The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
>different directory.
>
>I check directory permission and they look OK.

Are you in the "mail" group?

--
Joost
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[thelma]

On 12/10/2020 11:58 AM, J. Roeleveld wrote:
> On 10 December 2020 19:48:41 CET, thelma@sys-concept.com wrote:
>> On 12/10/2020 11:21 AM, Jack wrote:
>>> On 2020.12.10 13:11, thelma@sys-concept.com wrote:
>>>> When I try to select /var/spool/mail I get an error:
>>>>
>>>> The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
>>>> different directory.
>>>>
>>>> drwxrwsr-t  2 root  mail 4096 Dec 10 10:56 mail
>>>>
>>>> Why Thunderbird can not read that directory?
>>> Are you running TBird as root?  Are you sure you don't want one lower
>>> level directory, such as /var/spool/mail/root or something like that?
>>
>> No, I run TBird as user.
>> On my other system the running TBird, as user, I can access
>> /var/spool/mail dir.
>> But on my main system I get an error:
>>
>> The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid. Please pick a
>> different directory.
>>
>> I check directory permission and they look OK.
> 
> Are you in the "mail" group?
> 
> --
> Joost

That was it. Now I can access the /var/spool/mail from TBird
I'm running Posfix and in main.cf I left as default:
home_mailbox = .maildir/

So all the local mail (from emerge would go to this folder), I tired as
root send myself and email: "mailto root" the mail went to my home
folder .maildir
but TBird can not read it.  It complains:

"Unable to locate mail spool file"

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[Rich Freeman]

On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 3:29 PM <thelma@sys-concept.com> wrote:
>
> On 12/10/2020 11:58 AM, J. Roeleveld wrote:
> > Are you in the "mail" group?
> >
>
> That was it. Now I can access the /var/spool/mail from TBird
> I'm running Posfix and in main.cf I left as default:
> home_mailbox = .maildir/
>
> So all the local mail (from emerge would go to this folder), I tired as
> root send myself and email: "mailto root" the mail went to my home
> folder .maildir
> but TBird can not read it.  It complains:
>
> "Unable to locate mail spool file"
>

So, two things:

1.  Normal users should NOT be in the mail group.  This can read/write
mail to all users and should be used by your mail delivery daemon.
2.  If you're using maildir for email, why are you configuring
Thunderbird for mbox?

Background: there are two conventions for delivering mail on unix-like
systems.  mbox uses one file per user in /var/spool/mail/$username.
maildir uses one file per message in a directory in ~user/.maildir/new
(for new messages).

Generally you need to pick which format you're using in the MUA (the
thing you use to read your mail) and then the path is set
automatically 99% of the time.

-- 
Rich

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[thelma]

On 12/10/2020 02:33 PM, Rich Freeman wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 3:29 PM <thelma@sys-concept.com> wrote:
>>
>> On 12/10/2020 11:58 AM, J. Roeleveld wrote:
>>> Are you in the "mail" group?
>>>
>>
>> That was it. Now I can access the /var/spool/mail from TBird
>> I'm running Posfix and in main.cf I left as default:
>> home_mailbox = .maildir/
>>
>> So all the local mail (from emerge would go to this folder), I tired as
>> root send myself and email: "mailto root" the mail went to my home
>> folder .maildir
>> but TBird can not read it.  It complains:
>>
>> "Unable to locate mail spool file"
>>
> 
> So, two things:
> 
> 1.  Normal users should NOT be in the mail group.  This can read/write
> mail to all users and should be used by your mail delivery daemon.
> 2.  If you're using maildir for email, why are you configuring
> Thunderbird for mbox?
> 
> Background: there are two conventions for delivering mail on unix-like
> systems.  mbox uses one file per user in /var/spool/mail/$username.
> maildir uses one file per message in a directory in ~user/.maildir/new
> (for new messages).
> 
> Generally you need to pick which format you're using in the MUA (the
> thing you use to read your mail) and then the path is set
> automatically 99% of the time.
> 
You are correct. I'm suing mbox with TBird.
I'm trying to do it correctly.  Normally I use TBird on one system and
do backup of the whole folder: .thunderbird/ from one system to another,
except the local mail that is stored in /var/smpool/mail

By default TBird is storing local mail in .thunderbird/ it means I would
be copying local mail from one box to another.
By default postifix default directory for local folder is
home_mailbox = .maildir/
If I comment out that line the mail will be stored in /var/smpool/mail
If I removde the "/" from .maildir it will be mbox type. (this is
according to my notes, am I correct)

So I tried with  setting:
home_mailbox = .maildir
(no forward "/", so it should be mbox type).
I've tired sending test email to root, the mail went out but I couldn't
find it in .maildir
 TBird was configured to look in home .maildir  (this would be ideal
solution, but it doesn't work) I'm doing something wrong.

When I set it for /var/spool/mail everything works.

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[Rich Freeman]

On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 5:08 PM <thelma@sys-concept.com> wrote:
>
> So I tried with  setting:
> home_mailbox = .maildir
> (no forward "/", so it should be mbox type).

Ok, your email is a bit confusing so I'm not quite sure what you're
trying to accomplish.  I'm not sure why you'd want to stick an mbox
mailbox in a maildir path.

Let's take this one step at a time and confirm everything is working
properly before going to the next step.

Step 1 - Which mailbox standard do you want to use - mbox or maildir?
The answer to this question should be just one word, but feel free to
google pros/cons of each.

Step 2 - We'll confirm postfix is configured appropriately for that
choice and that it is delivering mail to the right place using shell
commands (cat/etc) and not touch thunderbird.

Step 3 - We'll configure thunderbird to use the appropriate location.

So, step 1 - which of the two formats do you WANT to use?  mbox or
maildir?  I don't care how the old host worked.  I don't care how the
new host is working now.  Which way do you WANT it to work?

-- 
Rich

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[thelma]

On 12/10/2020 03:23 PM, Rich Freeman wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 5:08 PM <thelma@sys-concept.com> wrote:
>>
>> So I tried with  setting:
>> home_mailbox = .maildir
>> (no forward "/", so it should be mbox type).
> 
> Ok, your email is a bit confusing so I'm not quite sure what you're
> trying to accomplish.  I'm not sure why you'd want to stick an mbox
> mailbox in a maildir path.
> 
> Let's take this one step at a time and confirm everything is working
> properly before going to the next step.
> 
> Step 1 - Which mailbox standard do you want to use - mbox or maildir?
> The answer to this question should be just one word, but feel free to
> google pros/cons of each.

I'll stick with "mbox" type.

> Step 2 - We'll confirm postfix is configured appropriately for that
> choice and that it is delivering mail to the right place using shell
> commands (cat/etc) and not touch thunderbird.
>
> Step 3 - We'll configure thunderbird to use the appropriate location.
> 
> So, step 1 - which of the two formats do you WANT to use?  mbox or
> maildir?  I don't care how the old host worked.  I don't care how the
> new host is working now.  Which way do you WANT it to work?

I was under impression that dir name shouldn't be a problem as long as
it is the correct type "mbox"
Since postifx main.cf had already
home_mailbox = .maildir
so I use it, instead of defining my own.

Re: [gentoo-user] The Local Directory path "/var/spool/mail" is invalid.

[Rich Freeman]

On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 5:48 PM <thelma@sys-concept.com> wrote:
>
> I'll stick with "mbox" type.

Ok, we'll go with a traditional mbox mailbox in /var/spool/mail/$user

>
> > Step 2 - We'll confirm postfix is configured appropriately for that
> > choice and that it is delivering mail to the right place using shell
> > commands (cat/etc) and not touch thunderbird.
> >
> I was under impression that dir name shouldn't be a problem as long as
> it is the correct type "mbox"
> Since postifx main.cf had already
> home_mailbox = .maildir
> so I use it, instead of defining my own.

If you want a traditional mbox format then you should unset
home_mailbox, and set:
mail_spool_directory = /var/spool/mail

Then restart postfix.  If you send mail to your user you should see a
file created if it doesn't exist called /var/spool/mail/username,
readable by that user, and if you run cat on it you should see that it
contains your email.

-- 
Rich