I've set up a hmailserver (5.0 release version on W2k3 server) with some accounts for a small office. The emails are downloaded through external accounts and outgoing mail is sent through the mail server of the mail provider. Everything worked fine so far.

Several weeks ago I received a complaint from some users that mails didn't show up in Thunderbird. One of the more tech-savy users, who has access to the webmail system of the mail server provider found out that the missing mails were there in the webmail but didn't show up in Thunderbird. After a restart of Thunderbird all mails showed up.

At the time it happened of course all logs were disabled (enabling POP3 logging alone produces at least 200MB of logfile per day ). When I tried to reproduce the problem I couldn't find a thing (what would you expect?).

Several weeks later when I was testing a new fax-to-mail system I encountered exactly the same problem (except the fax-to-mail delivers directly to hmailserver per SMTP). The new mails didn't show up in the users Thunderbird (and of course, no logging again). After forcing Thunderbird to check for new mails the mails showed up.

Today I tried to recreate the issue with logging enabled. Thunderbird set only to check for new mails at startup (because I'd like to use IMAP IDLE). Everything worked until I didn't send a mail to the test account for more than 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes of no new mail in account (and the IDLE command had been received) the IMAP log shows:

"SENT: *BYE You will be disconnected because of timeout (30 minutes)."

Where can I set this timeout higher? I couldn't find it either in Thunderbird nor in hmailserver administrator.

Not a solution to your problem, but a workaround:
You can enable the "Check for email every... minute" option in Thunderbird and set the time to 30 minutes. This should result in a timeout after 30 minutes and then Thunderbird reconnecting checking for new messages.

I know. I already did this to keep Thunderbird on the office computers checking to prevent any more complaints (although I used a shorter time than the 30 minutes since I didn't know it's 30 minutes ) but I'd still like to use the IMAP IDLE so I don't hammer the server constantly (some of the users have up to 10 IMAP accounts on their Thunderbird).

Thanks for the suggestion anyway!

hMailServer timeout is hardcoded to 30 minutes.

From the IMAP IDLE RFC:
The server MAY consider a client inactive if it has an IDLE command
running, and if such a server has an inactivity timeout it MAY log
the client off implicitly at the end of its timeout period. Because
of that, clients using IDLE are advised to terminate the IDLE and
re-issue it at least every 29 minutes to avoid being logged off.
This still allows a client to receive immediate mailbox updates even
though it need only "poll" at half hour intervals.

Not sure, but it sounds like you've run into this bug:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=468490

Thanks for the clarification.

I'd guess you won't add a "Thunderbird bug workaround" in hmailserver?

I don't want to do that but you could always add a feature request and see if other people thinks its a good idea. But what would the workaround be? Close-to-infinite timeout? There's a reason the timeout is there in the first place. :-\

I like Thunderbird myself, but it almost looks like the development of it has stalled:
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/thunder ... admap.html

:-\

Good question hence the smiley.

Reading up a bit in the other bugs mentioned there there even is a chance that infinite timeout won't do in case the connection is dropped due to various reasons.

At least Thunderbird development is still in progress (seems the roadmap hasn't been updated for ages on the old website, new website to be found here) but there is at least a 3.0b3 available and I still have hope.

Until Thunderbird gets it's act together I'll set the "Check for new mail every" to 30 minutes like jly suggested.

Been checking email myself on imap with thunderbird and a reconnect every 25 minutes with no issues.

Yes, I've set up the users Thunderbirds this way.

It seems (at least it was some weeks ago) this problem is fixed in the nightly builds of Thunderbird. I tested it with Shredder and it reconnects properly 1 minute after the timeout occurs.

I'll continue testing as soon as Thunderbird gets released.

I guess the Admin has split your and my thread otherwise i used wrongly the "new topic" button ...

Would you check whether this settings solve your problems:



viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14993

Greetings

Michael

Yes I split your topic away. You should not post your own problems in someone elses thread.