[VM] virtual folder of imap folders

[Moritz]

I know that vm-create-virtual-folder works when called while viewing
an imap folder,
but how do I make a virutal folder I can visit with vm-visit-virtual-
folder, that uses imap folders?

e.g. I have a gmail account and the vm imap folder is "gmail:INBOX",
but none
of "gmail" "INBOX" or "gmail:INBOX" works when used with vm-virtual-
folder-alist.
It's always empty when visited (even with a correct "any" condition).
When I have the gmail:INBOX open (visited) and then open the virutal
folder (specified as gmail), it will
even open up a second buffer called gmail instead of using the
existing one.

Is is just not implemented, or am I doin something wrong?

Moritz

[Uday Reddy]

e.g. I have a gmail account and the vm imap folder is "gmail:INBOX", but
none of "gmail" "INBOX" or "gmail:INBOX" works when used with vm-virtual-
folder-alist.

You need to use the long "maildrop specifications" imap-ssl:...:... in the
vm-virtual-folder-alist.

The short names are only meant for interactive use in the minibuffer.

Cheers,
Uday

[m***@googlemail.com]

Post by Uday Reddy
You need to use the long "maildrop specifications" imap-ssl:...:... in the
vm-virtual-folder-alist.

Thank you, with this I finally got vm working the way I need it
(and thus could rid myself of thunderbird).

Post by Uday Reddy
The short names are only meant for interactive use in the minibuffer.

Is this mentioned somewhere (info/docstring) and I just didn't see it,
or is it missing?

Cheers,
Moritz

[Uday Reddy]

Post by m***@googlemail.com

Post by Uday Reddy
The short names are only meant for interactive use in the minibuffer.

Is this mentioned somewhere (info/docstring) and I just didn't see it,
or is it missing?

Well, manuals don't generally describe what is allowd, but not what is not
allowed :-)

If you look through the description of `vm-imap-account-alist' in the manual
and make any suggestions for wording, I will be glad to incorporate them.

Cheers,
Uday

P.S. I noticed yesterday that the manual didn't mention the use of IMAP
maildrop specs in `vm-virtual-folder-alist'. I will fix that for the next
release.

[m***@googlemail.com]

Post by Uday Reddy
If you look through the description of `vm-imap-account-alist' in the manual
and make any suggestions for wording, I will be glad to incorporate them.

Well, the thing that confused me is the fact that the docstring of
`vm-virtual-folder-alist' says FOLDER-NAME and
"FOLDER-NAME should be the name of a real folder."
while the docstring of `vm-imap-account-alist' calls an entry of the exact
same format a maildrop specification.

What I think would help if the docstring for `vm-virtual-folder-alist' would
not say "name" of a real folder, but "specification" of a real folder with a second
line like "For imap folders that means a maildrop specification like in
`vm-imap-account-alist'; so changing FOLDER-NAME to FOLDER-SPECIFICATION
should help newbies (like myself).

Granted, that may be a bit more than is usually provided by a docstring, but
personally I find the FOLDER-NAME very confusing, because in my eyes with it's
not a name, but a specification (even when using local folders and not imap).

The same way the first part of an account entry in `vm-imap-account-alist'
is a specification and the second one is a name for it.

Cheers,
Moritz