Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

local mail on Evolution

New to Debian (Or Linux in general)? Ask your questions here!
Post Reply
Message
Author
parcontre
Posts: 2
Joined: 2017-10-29 22:55

local mail on Evolution

#1 Post by parcontre »

I just did a clean install of Debian on a Dell Latitude E5430. Evolution works fine with my Google & Apple email accounts. But I'd like to view my local mail in Evolution as well. Evolution has a hardwired account "On This Computer" which can't be edited or deleted, and it seems logical that my local mail would end up there. The last line of the /etc/aliases file, as installed, is "root : david" (my user name is david), so I assume all the various system generated mails to root should be forwarded to me.

After exhaustive searches, I'm suspicious that the problem may have something to do with the local domain name. The installation process said I could just make something up, so I put in "parcontre.net". I think what I need to do is change that name to "localhost". Here is the key info:
root@debian:/etc# cat /proc/version
Linux version 3.16.0-4-amd64 (debian-kernel@lists.debian.org) (gcc version 4.8.4 (Debian 4.8.4-1) ) #1 SMP Debian 3.16.43-2+deb8u5 (2017-09-19)
root@debian:/etc# hostname -s
debian
root@debian:/etc# hostname -d
parcontre.net
root@debian:/etc#
It looks like I need to edit the file /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf and /etc/mailname, and then execute /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.

But I'm a little unsure because I don't see where "parcontre.net" stands alone by itself and can presumably be changed to "localhost". Here's the current contents of the /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf file:
dc_eximconfig_configtype='local'
dc_other_hostnames='debian.parcontre.net'
dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1 ; ::1'
dc_readhost=''
dc_relay_domains=''
dc_minimaldns='false'
dc_relay_nets=''
dc_smarthost=''
CFILEMODE='644'
dc_use_split_config='false'
dc_hide_mailname=''
dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'
To summarize, I just want to read local mail from the system in Evolution. Any thoughts or links to specific documentation would be greatly appreciated.

User avatar
dilberts_left_nut
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 5346
Joined: 2009-10-05 07:54
Location: enzed
Has thanked: 12 times
Been thanked: 66 times

Re: local mail on Evolution

#2 Post by dilberts_left_nut »

Check out the "stage 2" section here
http://dotancohen.com/howto/root_email.html
AdrianTM wrote:There's no hacker in my grandma...

parcontre
Posts: 2
Joined: 2017-10-29 22:55

Re: local mail on Evolution

#3 Post by parcontre »

Thanks much for that link. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to address my problem. I played around with various selections, and Evolution can't link with my local mail. There's obviously a failure to communicate here somewhere, and my suspicions focus on the following:

(1) Evolution has a hardwired account "On This Computer" that I can enable or disable, but I can't delete or edit.
(2) In my ignorance, I gave my laptop a domain name of "parcontre.net" when I probably should have used a default (localhost ??)

In general I followed all the default suggestions/guidelines, so maybe the installation guru should be a little more aggressive in its suggestions. In any case, the /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf file (above or below) indicated mail is going to "mail_spool". I did a search and couldn't find it.
root@debian:/# ls -R mail_spool
ls: cannot access mail_spool: No such file or directory
root@debian:/#
I forgot to mention info below:
Gnome 3.14.0
Evolution 3:12:9

Post Reply