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doc/TUTORIAL_Unix.t2t
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@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
Imapsync tutorial
Gilles LAMIRAL gilles.lamiral@laposte.net
$Id: TUTORIAL_Unix.t2t,v 1.18 2016/02/04 03:27:01 gilles Exp gilles $
$Id: TUTORIAL_Unix.t2t,v 1.23 2017/09/07 12:09:15 gilles Exp gilles $
+ Good practices +
+ Good practices overview +
- Do the basic steps showing imapsync works by itself.
- Do the basic checks showing imapsync works by itself where you run it.
- Next, applying imapsync to your data,
continue with a **real user** account on the source imap server (host1)
@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ change to a real user account on host2 or just stop consider it a test one.
Open a terminal and go to the imapsync directory.
The imapsync directory is the directory created by extraction
of the tarball (.tgz), its name is ``imapsync-1.xxx`` where ``1.xxx``
is imapsync release number (1.675 or upper).
is imapsync release number (1.836 at the time of this writing).
```
cd imapsync-1.xxx/
@ -38,16 +38,16 @@ Verify imapsync runs on your system
```
./imapsync
```
It should outpout the help message. The help message is also at
http://imapsync.lamiral.info/OPTIONS but you don't have to read it now.
It should outpout the help message.
If the previous command fails then there is an installation issue.
Go back to http://imapsync.lamiral.info/#doc and read INSTALL file
or drop me an email.
Go back to https://imapsync.lamiral.info/#install then
and read and apply the installation file corresponding to your
system and drop me an email about your issue.
Next, verify imapsync runs live tests. This check needs internet
Next, verify imapsync runs live tests. This check needs an internet
access. It does a simple sync between two real dedicated
imap maiboxes located at test.lamiral.info.
imap maiboxes located at the host test.lamiral.info
```
./imapsync --testslive
```
@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ for your future own script.
You're still in the imapsync directory.
Copy the script ``examples/imapsync_example.sh``
Make a copy of the script ``examples/imapsync_example.sh``
```
cp examples/imapsync_example.sh mysync
```
@ -78,27 +78,28 @@ So far so good, now we're going to work with your data.
++ Prepare your credentials ++
An IMAP account is accessed with 3 parameters,
- the imap server **host**. It's a server name or an ip address.
- the **user** name.
- the **password**.
- the imap server **host**. It's a server name or an ip address
- the **user** name
- the **password**
Since imapsync job is to sync two imap accounts we need 3 + 3 = 6 parameters.
- Three parameters to read from the source account, **host1**, **user1** and **password1**.
- Three parameters to write to the destination account, **host2**, **user2** and **password2**.
Since imapsync job is to sync two imap accounts we need 3 + 3 = 6 parameters:
- Three parameters in order to read data from the source account: **host1**, **user1** and **password1**
- Three parameters in order to copy this data to the destination account: **host2**, **user2** and **password2**
++ Take a real user account as source ++
Even to learn and get familiar with imapsync, you can take a
real user account as a source. No problem if it's currently used
by a user.
real user account as a source. There is also no problem if this account is
currently used by a user. By default, this account will only be read, no change will
be made by imapsync on it.
Assuming that the imap source server name host1 is **imaphost1.mydomain.tld**,
Assuming that the imap source server name host1 is **origin.example.com**,
the user1 account name is **myuser1** and its password is **mysecret1**,
we now have the first three parameters.
- --host1 **imaphost1.mydomain.tld**
- --host1 **origin.example.com**
- --user1 **myuser1**
- --password1 **mysecret1**
@ -111,13 +112,14 @@ it is not a very good idea to use a real user imap account
the first times you play with imapsync.
If you really can't afford a test account on host2, it's ok,
imapsync is not that bad but you may have work to fix unwanted behaviour.
imapsync is not that bad but you may have some work to do to fix some unwanted behaviour.
Unwanted behaviour is mostly folders names that you don't want to be the same on both sides.
Assuming that the imap destination server name host2 is **imaphost2.mydomain.tld**,
Assuming that the imap destination server name host2 is **destiny.example.com**,
the user2 account name is **myuser2** and its password is **mysecret2**,
we now have the next three parameters.
- --host2 **imaphost2.mydomain.tld**
- --host2 **destiny.example.com**
- --user2 **myuser2**
- --password2 **mysecret2**
@ -132,19 +134,22 @@ You're ready for a dry test on your accounts.
sh mysync
```
Since mysync script is a copy of examples/imapsync_example.sh,
Since the ``mysync`` script is a copy of ``examples/imapsync_example.sh``,
your first run with your data should include three other options
--automap --justfolders --dry.
With --dry option, nothing will really be done on host2
but you will test whether the credentials are ok on both sides
``--automap`` ``--justfolders`` ``--dry``.
With ``--dry`` option, nothing will really be done on host2
but yet it will test whether the credentials are ok on both sides
or not, by a successful login or a failure. You will also observe
if the folders mapping is ok.
if the folders mapping is ok.
If a login fails then double-check all three values that identify
the account, which are the host, the login name, and the password.
If the folders mapping proposed is not ok then you can fix it with
option --f1f2, like this example:
option ``--f1f2``, like the following example mapping source folder
"Sent Messages" to the destination folder "Sent". The double-quotes
are not part of the folders names but they should be used when special
characters like blanks are in the folders names:
```
@ -157,8 +162,7 @@ As explained in the inline help or in the README:
```
You're ready for a real test on your accounts, resticted to
folders. Remove --dry from mysync and rerun it:
folders. Remove ``--dry`` from the ``mysync`` script and rerun ``mysync``:
```
sh mysync
@ -171,40 +175,48 @@ sh mysync
Three Internet protocols are used to access almost all email accounts:
POP3, IMAP, HTTP.
The oldest one still used is POP3, Post Office Protocol. POP3 allows only
one main box called INBOX. With POP3 messages have no flags, no Seen/UnSeen
Forwarded Flagged labels. Messages are often
removed from the POP3 server each time a software client looks into it,
so messages only appear on the client host that fetched them, they are
unavailable from any other system located elsewhere.
The oldest protocol still used to access mailboxes is POP3, the Post Office Protocol.
POP3 gives access to only one main box called INBOX.
With POP3, messages have no flags at all, no Seen/UnSeen, Forwarded, or Flagged labels.
It's not systematic but messages are often removed from the POP3 server
each time a software client looks into it,
so messages only appear on the client host that fetched them,
then they are unavailable from any other system located elsewhere.
The second protocol to deal with email messages is IMAP, Internet Message Access Protocol.
IMAP allows a hierarchy of mailboxes also called folders, also concurrent accesses,
tagging with flags, search by many criterium like date, subject, size etc.
IMAP gives access to a hierarchy of mailboxes also called folders. Other IMAP features are
concurrent accesses, tagging with flags, search by many criterium like date, subject, size etc.
The IMAP protocol presents most of the features POP lacks.
Messages stay on the imap server so any client on the network can access them
at any time from anywhere, the same messages with the same flags.
The third protocol to access email messages is HTTP, HyperText Transfer Protocol.
HTTP is the protocol to browse the web.
Web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari,
are HTTP client softwares.
Webmails often offer the same features than imap servers because
webmails underlying storage systems are often imap servers.
So webmail mailboxes like Gmail, Yahoo, Exchange, Zimbra or Office365 are also accessible via imap.
Web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari
are HTTP client softwares. You already know that so what's the point with HTTP mailboxes?
HTTP mailboxes are called webmails.
Webmails often offer the same features as imap servers do
because webmails underlying storage systems are often imap servers.
So webmails systems like Gmail, Yahoo, Exchange, Zimbra or Office365 are also accessible via imap.
The conclusion of this protocol review is that IMAP can be used
to access mailboxes most of the time. Here comes imapsync.
The conclusion of this protocol review is that mailboxes can be
accessed using the IMAP protocol, most of the time.
Here comes imapsync.
In case the source mailbox is only accessible by the POP protocol,
you can use the tool ``pop2imap`` located at http://www.linux-france.org/prj/pop2imap/
+ Imapsync presentation +
Software imapsync is a command line tool to
copy, migrate, backup or synchronize IMAP mailboxes.
Command line means imapsync is not graphical, it is textual.
Usually with command line tools you have to type characters
on your keyboard. But your fingers won't suffer much pain
typing on the keyboard because working script examples are available,
typing on the keyboard because script examples are given,
nearly ready to run. Most of the time you only have to change
the main values in those files and adapt them to your context.
@ -215,7 +227,7 @@ and run the little script with a doubleclick.
Imapsync runs on Linux, Windows and OS X (Macintosh world).
Imapsync is written in the Perl language and thanks to the
Perl developpers, Perl runs everywhere, so does imapsync.
Perl developpers, Perl runs mostly everywhere, so does imapsync.
While operating systems have a lot in common, they sometimes differ,
especially within syntax. I won't blame anyone, historically Windows
@ -223,8 +235,8 @@ came after Unix. The marvelous designers in this old times
decided it would be very cool to not share exactly the same syntax
for doing the same things. Thanks guys, great thinking!
To avoid you to learn by headaches a system you do not master
I will give examples in both worlds, Unix and Windows.
To avoid you some headaches with systems no one masters
I will give examples in both worlds, Unix and Windows.
OS X users are in the Unix world nowadays so they must follow
the Unix examples.
@ -236,13 +248,12 @@ each imapsync command line is usually written in several lines
but it could be written in one single line.
If you prefer to use the whole command written in one single line then
just remove the last visible character of each line and
just remove the last visible character of each line ( \ or ^ ) and
also the carriage return character.
The last visible character meaning "command continues on next line"
is the backslash \ character on Unix examples
or the caret ^ character on Windows examples.
The last visible character means "command continues on next line";
it is the backslash \ character on Unix and the caret ^ character on Windows.
For example, on Unix
For example, on Unix, a command like the following
```
imapsync \
@ -274,8 +285,9 @@ is equivalent to
A little explanation about this hint.
Imapsync is safe with accounts on host1,
it doesn't change anything on them, it just read them.
The exception of this safe principle is when --delete option is used,
since --delete removes on host1 each message successfully copied to host2.
The exception of this safe principle is when ``--delete1`` option is used,
since ``--delete1`` removes on host1 each message successfully copied to host2,
messages that couldn't be transferred stay on host1.
It's not the same for destination accounts as imapsync writes on host2 accounts.
@ -286,29 +298,31 @@ to test imapsync. Learn to use it and see what it does on a test account at host
What can badly happen? The most common bad behaviour is
the folders mapping won't be what you expect because it is strictly
reproduced from host1 to host2. The second bad behaviour is
duplicates on second run and after, it's rare but it can happen,
depending on imap server software changing headers. Solutions
to avoid duplicates are often easy. It's also possible to remove
the duplicates on host2 but it's better to avoid them on user accounts,
users won't like you mess up their mailboxes.
duplicates on second run and after, it's rare but it can happen
when a imap server software changes headers "``Message-Id``" or "``Received``".
Solutions to avoid duplicates are often easy (There's a FAQ called ``FAQ.Duplicates.txt`` about that).
It's also possible to remove the duplicates on host2 but it's better to avoid them on user accounts at first,
users won't like that you mess up their mailboxes.
+ Imapsync default behaviour +
By default, so unless explicitely told to do something else:
- Imapsync syncs all folders of host1
- Imapsync syncs all messages from host1, except duplicates.
- Imapsync syncs all flags, at least all allowed by host2.
By default, unless explicitely told to do something else:
- Imapsync **goes ssl or tls** if possible
- Imapsync syncs **all folders** of host1
- Imapsync syncs **all messages** from host1, except duplicates.
- Imapsync syncs **all flags**, at least all allowed by host2.
+ To go further with imapsync +
Imapsync has many options but you can ignore most of them
and still make great transfers.
- Option names all begin with two minus characters ``--``, like ``--automap`` or ``--dry`` etc.
- Option names relative to the **source** account are ended with **1**, like ``--host1``
- Option names relative to the **destination** account are ended with **2**, like ``--host2``
- Some options need a **value**, like ``--host1`` **``source.server.tld``**
- Some options are standalone, like **``--ssl1``**
- Any order is possible but when an option needs a value then the value must follow its option name, of course.
- Option names all begin with two minus characters ``--``, like ``--automap`` or ``--dry`` etc. (using one minus, like ``-dry``, is ok)
- Option names relative to the **source** account are ended with the number one **``1``**, like in ``--host1``
- Option names relative to the **destination** account are ended with the number two **``2``**, like in ``--host2``
- Some options need a **value** just after them, like ``--host1`` **``source.example.com``**, (the value is ``source.example.com``)
- Some options are standalone, like **``--automap``**
- Any order is possible but when an option needs a value then the value must follow immediately its option name.