Re: UID validity problems with INBOX.INBOX

[John Goerzen <jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Thu, Sep 26, 2002 at 11:28:20PM -0700, Michael de Beer wrote:

> I a am a recent, happy user of offlineimap
> I do get this warning --

Has this happened ever since you started using OfflineIMAP?

> WARNING: UID validity problem for folder INBOX.INBOX; skipping it

> I looked in ~/.offlineimap/Fastmail
> There is no file called INBOX.INBOX

The UID validity is going to be stored in a file in your Maildir itself, so
to really rid yourself of the problem, you need to rm -r both the Maildir
for that folder *AND* the ~/.offlineimap file for it (looks like you already
got that one, or it took care of itself.)

> I probably have done something wierd in my testing out various
> imapoffline sync programs.  

You'll want to be sure that the OfflineIMAP folders are NOT shared with any
other sync program.  Any number of mail readers may share them, however.

> Any ideas?

Yes; take a look at the "UID validity problem for folder" in the manual or
manpage.  Here is a cut-and-paste of it to help you out:

   UID validity problem for folder
       IMAP  servers  use  a  unique  ID (UID) to refer to a specific message.
       This number is guaranteed to be unique to a particular message FOREVER.
       No  other  message in the same folder will ever get the same UID.  UIDs
       are an integral part of OfflineIMAP's synchronization scheme; they  are
       used to match up messages on your computer to messages on the server.

       Sometimes,  the  UIDs on the server might get reset.  Usually this will
       happen if you delete and then recreate a folder.   When  you  create  a
       folder,  the  server  will  often  start  the  UID  back  from  1.  But
       OfflineIMAP might still have the UIDs from the previous folder  by  the
       same  name stored.  OfflineIMAP will detect this condition and skip the
       folder.  This is GOOD, because it prevents data loss.

       You can fix it by removing your  local  folder  and  cache  data.   For
       instance,  if  your folders are under ~/Folders and the folder with the
       problem is INBOX, you'd type this:

       rm -r ~/Folders/INBOX
       rm ~/.offlineimap/AccountName/INBOX

       (replacing  AccountName  with  the  account  name   as   specified   in
       ~/.offlineimaprc)

       Next  time you run OfflineIMAP, it will re-download the folder with the
       new UIDs.  Note that the procedure specified above will lose any  local
       changes made to the folder.

       Some  IMAP servers are broken and do not support UIDs properly.  If you
       continue to get this error for all your folders even  after  performing
       the above procedure, it is likely that your IMAP server falls into this
       category.   OfflineIMAP  is  incompatible  with  such  servers.   Using
       OfflineIMAP  with them will not destroy any mail, but at the same time,
       it will not actually synchronize it either.  (OfflineIMAP  will  detect
       this condition and abort prior to synchronization)