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"Message no longer available on the server" error using IMAP in Outlook Express

It could happen while I am connected via LAN (3Com gigabit switch) or remotely (3Com ADSL router), therefore I do not think it's a connection problem.

It could happen while I am connected via LAN (3Com gigabit switch) or remotely (3Com ADSL router), therefore I do not think it's a connection problem.

Sometimes users using OE to read mails complain that when a new message is available, when they click on it to read it, Outlook is unable to read it and instead display a message "Message no longer available on the server" (hope it is the right translation, they get it in Italian). OE is configured to download headers only. Once a message displays that error, it can't be retrieved until the whole mailbox content (client side) is deleted and then the message reloaded. Is this an OE issue, or could be a server side one? Mercury 4.01 with all patches up to date.

Sometimes users using OE to read mails complain that when a new message is available, when they click on it to read it, Outlook is unable to read it and instead display a message "Message no longer available on the server" (hope it is the right translation, they get it in Italian). OE is configured to download headers only. Once a message displays that error, it can't be retrieved until the whole mailbox content (client side) is deleted and then the message reloaded. Is this an OE issue, or could be a server side one? Mercury 4.01 with all patches up to date.

[quote user="ldsandon"]Sometimes users using OE to read mails complain that when a new message is available, when they click on it to read it, Outlook is unable to read it and instead display a message "Message no longer available on the server" (hope it is the right translation, they get it in Italian). OE is configured to download headers only. Once a message displays that error, it can't be retrieved until the whole mailbox content (client side) is deleted and then the message reloaded. Is this an OE issue, or could be a server side one? Mercury 4.01 with all patches up to date.[/quote]

 

Looks to me like the caching is out of whack.  Have you tried simply using the "Reset list" to see what happens?

 

<p>[quote user="ldsandon"]Sometimes users using OE to read mails complain that when a new message is available, when they click on it to read it, Outlook is unable to read it and instead display a message "Message no longer available on the server" (hope it is the right translation, they get it in Italian). OE is configured to download headers only. Once a message displays that error, it can't be retrieved until the whole mailbox content (client side) is deleted and then the message reloaded. Is this an OE issue, or could be a server side one? Mercury 4.01 with all patches up to date.[/quote]</p><p> </p><p>Looks to me like the caching is out of whack.  Have you tried simply using the "Reset list" to see what happens?</p><p> </p>

[quote user="ldsandon"]Sometimes users using OE to read mails complain that when a new message is available, when they click on it to read it, Outlook is unable to read it and instead display a message "Message no longer available on the server"[/quote]

I'd never rule out the possibility that Mercury is doing something wrong here (I'm far too old a head to be that incautious)... But more likely what is happening is a difference of interpretation of the IMAP specification between it and Outlook. IMAP is very dense and complex, and there are subtleties of interpretation that can be very difficult to tie down. Unfortunately, without some kind of definitive information on what's happening, I can't really tell you more than that. The best thing of all would be a Mercury session log showing the error occurring, although I accept that this might be very difficult to generate. The next best thing would be the actual IMAP response that Mercury is returning to Outlook (what you've posted is essentially Outlook's gloss of the error - I need the actual text). I'm not familiar enough with Outlook to be able to tell you how, or even if you can obtain this, though.

If you can provide me with any more information, I'll gladly look into it though. I've put a lot of effort into the Mercury IMAP server, especially in v4.5 (which is now in the final stages of pre-release testing), and want to ensure that it's as good a product as I can make it.

Cheers!

-- David --

[quote user="ldsandon"]Sometimes users using OE to read mails complain that when a new message is available, when they click on it to read it, Outlook is unable to read it and instead display a message "Message no longer available on the server"[/quote] I'd never rule out the possibility that Mercury is doing something wrong here (I'm far too old a head to be that incautious)... But more likely what is happening is a difference of interpretation of the IMAP specification between it and Outlook. IMAP is very dense and complex, and there are subtleties of interpretation that can be very difficult to tie down. Unfortunately, without some kind of definitive information on what's happening, I can't really tell you more than that. The best thing of all would be a Mercury session log showing the error occurring, although I accept that this might be very difficult to generate. The next best thing would be the actual IMAP response that Mercury is returning to Outlook (what you've posted is essentially Outlook's gloss of the error - I need the actual text). I'm not familiar enough with Outlook to be able to tell you how, or even if you can obtain this, though. If you can provide me with any more information, I'll gladly look into it though. I've put a lot of effort into the Mercury IMAP server, especially in v4.5 (which is now in the final stages of pre-release testing), and want to ensure that it's as good a product as I can make it. Cheers! -- David --

AFAIK the only one that works is deleting all messages and reloading the mailbox

AFAIK the only one that works is deleting all messages and reloading the mailbox

As soon as I get another one I'll try to generate both a Mercury IMAP log and an OE one. It does not happen frequently.

As soon as I get another one I'll try to generate both a Mercury IMAP log and an OE one. It does not happen frequently.

If your folders are using non-english characters, you'd better wait for Merc/32 v4.5 since OE really conflicts with Merc on that.

If your folders are using non-english characters, you'd better wait for Merc/32 v4.5 since OE really conflicts with Merc on that.

I've got this error with 4.5 too, although it took some time to appear, while with 4.0 it was more frequent. It's hard to get a log, because if I start the log after the problem appear nothing strange appear in it, and because I can't tell in advance when the problem appear, I'd have to keep the logs active for a very long time - the y will get huge. As soon as I have some time to try this I'll do. Could be it related to a message beig processed by policies? Sometimes a policy may took a long time to finish (about one minute).

I've got this error with 4.5 too, although it took some time to appear, while with 4.0 it was more frequent. It's hard to get a log, because if I start the log after the problem appear nothing strange appear in it, and because I can't tell in advance when the problem appear, I'd have to keep the logs active for a very long time - the y will get huge. As soon as I have some time to try this I'll do. Could be it related to a message beig processed by policies? Sometimes a policy may took a long time to finish (about one minute).

I was having frequent IMAP problems until I replaced a cheepie Linksys router with a business class Netgear FVS338.

I was having frequent IMAP problems until I replaced a cheepie Linksys router with a business class Netgear FVS338.
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