dovecot - Sep 2005 - virtual domain

we are currently using vm-pop3d to implement virtual domains. But due to some
locking problem in vm-pop3d,   we want to test the possibility to change to
dovecot.
Currently, in vm-pop3d, the passwd file is located in
/etc/virtual/domain1.com/passwd
/etc/virtual/domain2.com/passwd

and the passwd format is:
user: md5 encrpted password

and the email is store in 
/var/spool/virtual/domain1.com/user
/var/spool/virtual/domain2.com/user

and we login as user at domain1.com, user at domain2.com . 
We want to maintain this format as login id and the password format. 
What should be changed in dovecot.conf? Thanks.

Bonjour Barry Kwok,
> we are currently using vm-pop3d to implement virtual domains. But due to
some locking problem in vm-pop3d,   we want to test the possibility to change to
dovecot.
> Currently, in vm-pop3d, the passwd file is located in
[....]
> and we login as user at domain1.com, user at domain2.com . 
> We want to maintain this format as login id and the password format. 
> What should be changed in dovecot.conf? Thanks. 
	See mailling list last week exchange 
	Subject: "v1.0.alpha2, virtual domain authentication."
	

A bientot
--
=========================================================================Jean-Marc
Pigeon		      Internet:   Jean-Marc.Pigeon at safe.ca
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           Clement's Home base
<"http://www.clement.safe.ca">
==========================================================================

On Mon, 2005-09-26 at 21:33 +0800, Barry Kwok wrote:
> we are currently using vm-pop3d to implement virtual domains. But due to
some locking problem in vm-pop3d,   we want to test the possibility to change to
dovecot.
> Currently, in vm-pop3d, the passwd file is located in
> /etc/virtual/domain1.com/passwd
> /etc/virtual/domain2.com/passwd
passdb passwd-file {
  args = /etc/virtual/%d/passwd
}

This requires Dovecot 1.0.alpha2 or later.
> and the passwd format is:
> user: md5 encrpted password
In MD5crypt format? ie. $1$something? Then it should work directly.
> and the email is store in 
> /var/spool/virtual/domain1.com/user
> /var/spool/virtual/domain2.com/user
As mboxes? For IMAP you'll need also some directory where non-INBOXes
are stored, and with POP3 Dovecot also wants a directory where it can
store index files.

If you don't want either, you could do something like:

default_mail_env = mbox:/tmp:INBOX=/var/spool/virtual/%d/%u:INDEX=MEMORY

>On Mon, 2005-09-26 at 21:33 +0800, Barry Kwok wrote:
>> we are currently using vm-pop3d to implement virtual domains. But due
to some locking problem in vm-pop3d,   we want to test the possibility to change
to dovecot.
>> Currently, in vm-pop3d, the passwd file is located in
>> /etc/virtual/domain1.com/passwd
>> /etc/virtual/domain2.com/passwd
>
>passdb passwd-file {
>  args = /etc/virtual/%d/passwd
>}
>
>This requires Dovecot 1.0.alpha2 or later.
>
>> and the passwd format is:
>> user: md5 encrpted password
>
>In MD5crypt format? ie. $1$something? Then it should work directly.
>
>> and the email is store in 
>> /var/spool/virtual/domain1.com/user
>> /var/spool/virtual/domain2.com/user
>
>As mboxes? For IMAP you'll need also some directory where non-INBOXes
>are stored, and with POP3 Dovecot also wants a directory where it can
>store index files.
>
>If you don't want either, you could do something like:
>
>default_mail_env = mbox:/tmp:INBOX=/var/spool/virtual/%d/%u:INDEX=MEMORY

Thank you. Timo.
I have installed Dovecot 1.0 alpha3 and tested. It is a mbox POP3 only server.
The relevent part of dovecot.conf I have changed:

default_mail_env = mbox:/tmp:INBOX:/var/spool/virutal/%d/%u:INDEX=MEMORY

 passdb passwd-file {
    # Path for passwd-file
    args = /etc/virtual/%d/passwd
  }

  userdb static {
    args = uid=503 gid=503 mail=mbox:/var/spool/virtual/%d/%n
  }

I can login with user at domain1.com but there is error in logfile:
Sep 27 13:15:16 ns2 dovecot: pop3(user at domain1.com): mbox: Can't create
root IMAP folder /mail: Permission denied
Sep 27 13:15:16 ns2 dovecot: pop3(user at domain1.com): Failed to create storage
with data: mbox:/var/spool/virtual/domain1.com/user
Sep 27 13:15:16 ns2 dovecot: pop3-login: Login: user=<user at
domain1.com>, method=PLAIN, rip=127.0.0.1, lip=127.0.0.1, secured
Sep 27 13:15:16 ns2 dovecot: child 19147 (pop3) returned error 89

I then created a /mail directory with file mode 777, then it is OK.

Why I need a IMAP folder in a POP3 only server and can I change that folder to
/tmp directory.

>On Tue, 2005-09-27 at 13:29 +0800, Barry Kwok wrote:
>>   userdb static {
>>     args = uid=503 gid=503 mail=mbox:/var/spool/virtual/%d/%n
>>   }
>
>Drop the "mail" part from here. You already have it in
default_mail_env,
>and it's correct there. Here you're saying that the .../%d/%n is the
>mail directory, not file. If it refuses to start up without the
mail>part, replace it with home=/tmp instead.
>
>> Why I need a IMAP folder in a POP3 only server 
>
>Dovecot is mostly an IMAP server, POP3 was just an afterthought.
>
>> and can I change that folder to /tmp directory.
>
>Yes, as long as nothing actually gets written there (and with
>INDEX=MEMORY and POP3 nothing should get written there).
>
>
Thank you Timo, I have just tried. But I found that I must add the
mail=mbox:/var/spool/virtual/%d/%n part. Without this part, the dovecot seems
not checking the right location of mail spool and simply say that "no new
email". Now I added this part together with  "home=/tmp" part
into userdb config and It works now with IMAP folder in /tmp directory.
But I want to ask if there is any file locking problem as I am running virtual
email with vmail as owner for all mbox accounts.
And it seems that they are all share the same IMAP folder located in /tmp
directory.