[Davmail-users] Problem with synchronization of Exchange / Imap / Thunderbird

[Christopher Stark]

Hi,

thanks for DavMail - it's a very nice peace of software in order to be able to avoid the use of M$-Outlook...

Nevertheless I have a problem with IMAP-synchronization. The company I work for runs MS Exchange with Outlook clients. Me and another tech guy from the company would like to test, if we can replace outlook on about 50 computers with Thunderbird - which is much more performant in many regards.

The problem we are facing with DavMail:
The inbox, outbox and IMAP-Folders seem to be synchronized correctly at first. BUT when I use Outlook this happens: When I move a file from one folder to another folder or when I delete an email, in Thunderbird this is not synchronized. The other way around it's the same: When I use Thunderbird and move or delete an Email. It is not happening in Outlook at the same time (I have both clients running on the same computer). In other words: I delete an email in Thunderbird - it is still there in Outlook. I delete an email in Outlook, it is still there in Thunderbird and so on.
When I restart Thunderbird, the moved or deleted files are up to date - so exactly the same as in Outlook.

Is this a known bug or a configuration problem. Could anyone of you help me with this problem? This would be great!

Best regards
Christopher


PS: my system information:

Server Settings in Thunderbird: IMAP / Port 143 / Check Emails every 1 Minute / Update right away if Emails are coming in....
DavMail Current version: 4.7.2-2427 / Exchange Protocoll AUTO / Imap Port 143 / IDLE folder monitor delay (Imap): no entry
Operating system: Windows 7 / x64
Exchange Version: I'm not sure but there was an update about 2 Months ago

[Mickaël Guessant]

thanks for DavMail – it’s a very nice peace of software in order to be
able to avoid the use of M$-Outlook…
Nevertheless I have a problem with IMAP-synchronization. The company I
work for runs MS Exchange with Outlook clients. Me and another tech
guy from the company would like to test, if we can replace outlook on
about 50 computers with Thunderbird – which is much more performant in
many regards.
The inbox, outbox and IMAP-Folders seem to be synchronized correctly
at first. BUT when I use Outlook this happens: When I move a file from
one folder to another folder or when I delete an email, in Thunderbird
this is not synchronized. The other way around it’s the same: When I
use Thunderbird and move or delete an Email. It is not happening in
Outlook at the same time (I have both clients running on the same
computer). In other words: I delete an email in Thunderbird – it is
still there in Outlook. I delete an email in Outlook, it is still
there in Thunderbird and so on.
When I restart Thunderbird, the moved or deleted files are up to date
– so exactly the same as in Outlook.
Is this a known bug or a configuration problem. Could anyone of you
help me with this problem? This would be great!

=> Well, I assume you use Thunderbird with an IMAP account ? Over IMAP
sync is not event based so it's not really surprising that Thunderbird
does not mirror changes instantly. You can enable pseudo IDLE mode
support in DavMail to improve this: DavMail will check opened folder for
changes every x minutes.

Anyway on Outlook side this is the same: it will not always send changes
to the server instantly, you may have to press send/receive to force a
sync...

Usually this is not an issue as most users don't use both at the same time.

Regards,

[Christopher Stark]

Hi Mickaë,

thanks for the answer!

I tested your suggestion and filled in the value 1 under "IDLE folder
monitor delay (IMAP)". Is that the function you are referring to?
(Can I also type in 0 minutes?)

But it doesn't seem to be working with the value 1:
Many Emails that have been moved to subfolders or deleted from the inbox
in Outlook, are still visible in the inbox of Thunderbird. Even an hour
later.
Also when I delete an Email from the inbox in Thunderbird, it stays in
the inbox of Outlook - even after restart of Outlook the email has not
been deleted there.
So the synchronization (IDLE folder monitor delay) doesn't seem to be
working...

Do you have any other suggestion? We are currently running an Exchange
Server (that will probably not change :( ). Our perspective would be
only to work with Thunderbird in our department. So if there are issues
between Outlook and Thunderbird that shouldn't matter too much.

Best regards
Christopher

Post by Mickaël Guessant

thanks for DavMail – it’s a very nice peace of software in order to
be able to avoid the use of M$-Outlook…
Nevertheless I have a problem with IMAP-synchronization. The company
I work for runs MS Exchange with Outlook clients. Me and another tech
guy from the company would like to test, if we can replace outlook on
about 50 computers with Thunderbird – which is much more performant
in many regards.
The inbox, outbox and IMAP-Folders seem to be synchronized correctly
at first. BUT when I use Outlook this happens: When I move a file
from one folder to another folder or when I delete an email, in
Thunderbird this is not synchronized. The other way around it’s the
same: When I use Thunderbird and move or delete an Email. It is not
happening in Outlook at the same time (I have both clients running on
the same computer). In other words: I delete an email in Thunderbird
– it is still there in Outlook. I delete an email in Outlook, it is
still there in Thunderbird and so on.
When I restart Thunderbird, the moved or deleted files are up to date
– so exactly the same as in Outlook.
Is this a known bug or a configuration problem. Could anyone of you
help me with this problem? This would be great!

=> Well, I assume you use Thunderbird with an IMAP account ? Over IMAP
sync is not event based so it's not really surprising that Thunderbird
does not mirror changes instantly. You can enable pseudo IDLE mode
support in DavMail to improve this: DavMail will check opened folder
for changes every x minutes.
Anyway on Outlook side this is the same: it will not always send
changes to the server instantly, you may have to press send/receive to
force a sync...
Usually this is not an issue as most users don't use both at the same time.
Regards,
--
Mickael Guessant

[Mickaël Guessant]

0 means disable IDLE mode, so 1 is the lowest value.

To better understand what's going on, you should probably connect to OWA
to check server side state :
Whenever you move / delete a message through DavMail, the change will be
immediately visible on the server
When you move / delete a message on the server, Thunderbird will detect
the change after IDLE delay (1 minute), if and only if it polls server
changes on folder (see Thunderbird sync settings), if it doesn't, just
press Get to force sync.
Between Outlook and Exchange this is a bit more complex, it may or may
not sync changes...

Regards,

Post by Christopher Stark
Hi Mickaë,
thanks for the answer!
I tested your suggestion and filled in the value 1 under "IDLE folder
monitor delay (IMAP)". Is that the function you are referring to?
(Can I also type in 0 minutes?)
Many Emails that have been moved to subfolders or deleted from the
inbox in Outlook, are still visible in the inbox of Thunderbird. Even
an hour later.
Also when I delete an Email from the inbox in Thunderbird, it stays in
the inbox of Outlook - even after restart of Outlook the email has not
been deleted there.
So the synchronization (IDLE folder monitor delay) doesn't seem to be
working...
Do you have any other suggestion? We are currently running an Exchange
Server (that will probably not change :( ). Our perspective would be
only to work with Thunderbird in our department. So if there are
issues between Outlook and Thunderbird that shouldn't matter too much.
Best regards
Christopher

Post by Mickaël Guessant

thanks for DavMail – it’s a very nice peace of software in order to
be able to avoid the use of M$-Outlook…
Nevertheless I have a problem with IMAP-synchronization. The company
I work for runs MS Exchange with Outlook clients. Me and another
tech guy from the company would like to test, if we can replace
outlook on about 50 computers with Thunderbird – which is much more
performant in many regards.
The inbox, outbox and IMAP-Folders seem to be synchronized correctly
at first. BUT when I use Outlook this happens: When I move a file
from one folder to another folder or when I delete an email, in
Thunderbird this is not synchronized. The other way around it’s the
same: When I use Thunderbird and move or delete an Email. It is not
happening in Outlook at the same time (I have both clients running
on the same computer). In other words: I delete an email in
Thunderbird – it is still there in Outlook. I delete an email in
Outlook, it is still there in Thunderbird and so on.
When I restart Thunderbird, the moved or deleted files are up to
date – so exactly the same as in Outlook.
Is this a known bug or a configuration problem. Could anyone of you
help me with this problem? This would be great!

=> Well, I assume you use Thunderbird with an IMAP account ? Over
IMAP sync is not event based so it's not really surprising that
Thunderbird does not mirror changes instantly. You can enable pseudo
IDLE mode support in DavMail to improve this: DavMail will check
opened folder for changes every x minutes.
Anyway on Outlook side this is the same: it will not always send
changes to the server instantly, you may have to press send/receive
to force a sync...
Usually this is not an issue as most users don't use both at the same time.
Regards,
--
Mickael Guessant