nnimap: How do I work with the "folders" on the IMAP server?

nnimap: How do I work with the "folders" on the IMAP server?

[N. Jackson]

I seem to be making quite good progress with getting my Gnus set up to
do email as well as news. However, one place I am still stuck is
manipulating folders on the IMAP server.

I can create a folder, but only indirectly, by copying or moving an
article to the corresponding Gnus group from the *Summary* or *Article*
buffer, using B c and B m. Is there a direct way to create one?

I can delete a folder using DEL in the *Gnus Browse Server*
buffer. (This appears to fail because it results in a "Wrong type
argument: symbolp" error message, and the buffer doesn't refresh itself,
but the deletion does actually "take" as one can see by reopening the
*Gnus Browse Server* buffer.)

I cannot see how to rename a folder.

I cannot see how to move a folder (and the folders it "contains") "into"
another folder.

Can anyone provide any pointers on how to do these operations?

Thanks,
N.

Re: nnimap: How do I work with the "folders" on the IMAP server?

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

nljlistbox2@gmail.com (N. Jackson) writes:

> I can create a folder, but only indirectly, by copying or moving an
> article to the corresponding Gnus group from the *Summary* or *Article*
> buffer, using B c and B m. Is there a direct way to create one?

`G m' in the group buffer.

> I cannot see how to rename a folder.

`G r'.

> I cannot see how to move a folder (and the folders it "contains") "into"
> another folder.

Mailboxes aren't really recursive, so that's not possible.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/

Re: nnimap: How do I work with the "folders" on the IMAP server?

[N. Jackson]

At 09:08 -0400 on Wednesday 2014-03-05, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:

> nljlistbox2@gmail.com (N. Jackson) writes:
>
>> I can create a folder, but only indirectly, by copying or moving an
>> article to the corresponding Gnus group from the *Summary* or *Article*
>> buffer, using B c and B m. Is there a direct way to create one?
>
> `G m' in the group buffer.

Thank you Lars. That does the trick, although I was initially taken
aback by the prompt for a "From method".

Initially I decided that since I didn't know what this was, perhaps I
didn't need it, and just hit RET, which of course created me a local
group unrelated to my IMAP server.

Then I looked for the "From method" of an existing "folder" on my IMAP
server in the Gnus Customize buffer (`G c') but found nothing, nor did I
with a search in the index of the Gnus info file. It wasn't until I did
a web search that it dawned upon me that in asking for the "From method"
this was really asking for the Select method for the new group. From
there it was smooth sailing.

I would suggest that it wouuld be better if the prompt asked for the
Select Method explicitly, perhaps with an example, or a note that tab
completion works. E.g. "Select method for new group (use tab for
completion): "

Also, if `G m' prompted for the Select Method _before_ the name of the
new group, then completion could be available for the name as well,
which would be a Very Great Improvement. It's not reasonable to have to
memorise an entire folder hierarchy!

>> I cannot see how to rename a folder.
>
> `G r'.

Thank you. And sorry. I ought to have found that by myself. (Actually
looking back at my earliest notes, I did, but then forgot about it
later.)

>> I cannot see how to move a folder (and the folders it "contains") "into"
>> another folder.
>
> Mailboxes aren't really recursive, so that's not possible.

IMAP implements the semantics of a folder hierarchy, if not the reality
of it.

For me this heirarchical arrangement of saved emails is
essential. Without it is like living with a file system that only
supports directories one level deep; it's barely useable.

It seems to me that to truly support IMAP, a mail client should be able
to take advantage of this feature.

If Gnus knew of the seperator character used, for example

    (nnimap-server-hierarchy-separator-character ".")

then surely Gnus could support this functionality too?

Regards,
N.

Re: nnimap: How do I work with the "folders" on the IMAP server?

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

nljlistbox2@gmail.com (N. Jackson) writes:

> I would suggest that it wouuld be better if the prompt asked for the
> Select Method explicitly, perhaps with an example, or a note that tab
> completion works. E.g. "Select method for new group (use tab for
> completion): "

Yeah, makes sense.  I've now updated the prompt.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/

Re: nnimap: How do I work with the "folders" on the IMAP server?

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

nljlistbox2@gmail.com (N. Jackson) writes:

> IMAP implements the semantics of a folder hierarchy, if not the reality
> of it.
>
> For me this heirarchical arrangement of saved emails is
> essential. Without it is like living with a file system that only
> supports directories one level deep; it's barely useable.
>
> It seems to me that to truly support IMAP, a mail client should be able
> to take advantage of this feature.

Well, IMAP group names are just...  group names, really.  If you wish to
consider the "." character to have some meaning, you're free to do that.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/