Sylpheed FAQ: Sylpheed FAQ - Installation and Configuration

Chapter 2. Sylpheed FAQ - Installation and Configuration
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Chapter 2. Sylpheed FAQ - Installation and Configuration +

2.1. What does it take to compile Sylpheed? +
2.2. How do I set up Sylpheed? +
2.3. Why did the creation of the mailbox fail? +
2.4. How do I set up an account? +
2.5. How many accounts can I set up in Sylpheed? +
2.6. Can I set up an account for sending mail only?
2.7. Why does Sylpheed not delete my mails when I press "Delete"? I set a filter, and Sylpheed does not filter. I moved a mail + to a different mailbox and it did not move. +
2.8. Can I set up special addresses/ports for my mailserver/newsserver? +
2.9. Does Sylpheed have options for threading messages? +
2.10. Can I create multiple levels of subfolders to store mail? +
2.11. Why isn't Sylpheed sending my mail out? +
2.12. How do I apply a patch after downloading it? +
2.13. How do I compile in support for compface pictures? +
2.14. How do I make my own compface image? +
2.15. How can I tell my browser/newsclient/other program to use Sylpheed as email program? +
2.16. How do I enable GPG support in Sylpheed? +
2.17. Mutt does not recognize Sylpheed's MH structure +
2.18. Viewing a GIF file within Sylpheed causes a segmentation fault. +
2.19. How can I make Sylpheed notify me when new mail arrives? +
2.20. Can I use a spell checker with Sylpheed? +
2.21. How can I make Sylpheed send my compface image in the mails? +
2.22. How can I get the newest source code from the Sylpheed Subversion (SVN) repository?
2.23. I checked out the sources using SVN and can't find any configure script. +
2.24. Running "autogen.sh" gives error messages that "AM_PATH_GDK_PIXBUF" or + "AM_PATH_(whatever)" is not found. +
2.25. I don't want to compile in support for (...) any longer, but after running + "configure", those libraries are still used. +
2.26. How can I select different applications to open with specific MIME types? +
2.27. How can I change the suggested mimetype for attachments? +
2.28. The folder list is not updated after I manually moved/copied folders. +
2.29. How can I revert original settings, e.g. for fonts, key bindings, etc.? +
2.30. What environment variables have effect on Sylpheed? +
2.31. Special characters (e.g. umlauts) are not displayed correctly. +
2.32. How can I convert my old mailbox/adress book from (some mail client). +
2.33. What config files are there, and what are they used for? +
2.34. How do I change the location of user profile directory under Windows?
2.35. What to do when printing an email prints off the paper? +

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2.1.	+ What does it take to compile Sylpheed? + + +
	+ Any POSIX compliant UNIX or similar OS, e.g. Linux, + FreeBSD, Solaris. + GTK+ 2.4.0 or later (GTK+ 2.6.0 or later + is recommended). + A recent ANSI C compiler (gcc 2.7.2.3 should also + work). + + + Note + It is reported that Sun C will not compile + Sylpheed. + + + Optionally: + + + + compface (for X-Face) + + + GPGME (for GnuPG) + + + OpenSSL for SSL support + + + GtkSpell for a spell checking feature + + + JPilot + + + LDAP + + + the equivalent of GTK+-devel and Xfree86-devel + + + you may also require flex (lex) and bison + (yacc). + + + + + Otherwise ./configure will fail. + See also the `INSTALL` file that is being distributed with the Sylpheed tarball. + + Note that as Sylpheed now supports the Windows platform, you can also compile it using MinGW. + +
2.2.	+ How do I set up Sylpheed? + + +
	+ When you run Sylpheed for the first time, it will + ask you where you want to store your mailboxes. The + default is `$HOME/Mail` (or `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed\Mailboxes\Mail` under Windows). You can change this to + anything you like as long as it is a valid directory + name. + + + Note + When Sylpheed is executed for the first time, it automatically creates the configuration files under `$HOME/.sylpheed-2.0/` (or `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed\` under Windows), and asks you the location of mailbox. As stated above, the default is `$HOME/Mail`, or `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed\Mailboxes\Mail` under Windows. If some files, which are non-MH format, already exist on the directory, you will have to specify another location. + + + +
2.3.	+ Why did the creation of the mailbox fail? + + +
	+ Sylpheed reports such an error if it can't create the default + mailboxes (inbox, outbox, etc.). This can be because `$HOME/Mail` + (or `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed\Mailboxes\Mail` under Windows) already contains files with the same names. This occurs when switching from + Kmail to Sylpheed, in this case backup and remove the existing Mail + directory or use another name for the Sylpheed mail directory. + + +
2.4.	+ How do I set up an account? + + +
	+ After loading Sylpheed for the first time, you can + add an email account by clicking the Configuration menu. Select the option Create new account and fill in the appropriate fields. + + +
2.5.	+ How many accounts can I set up in Sylpheed? + + +
	+ The number is unlimited. The limit is reached when + your computer stops responding. + + +
2.6.	+ Can I set up an account for sending mail only? +
	+ Yes, set up a new account using Configuration->Create new Account... and set the Protocol to None (local). + +
2.7.	+ Why does Sylpheed not delete my mails when I press "Delete"? I set a filter, and Sylpheed does not filter. I moved a mail + to a different mailbox and it did not move. + + +
	+ You have to click the Execute button. + The other solution: in the configuration settings + (Common preferences...->Details->Interface), you have to + check the Execute immediately when moving or deleting messages box. + + +
2.8.	+ Can I set up special addresses/ports for my mailserver/newsserver? + + +
	+ Yes, you can. Under Configuration->Preferences for current account...->Advanced, you + can specify the exact port addresses you want to use. + + +
2.9.	+ Does Sylpheed have options for threading messages? + + +
	+ Yes. You can switch it on and off in the View + menu, just select Thread view or press Ctrl-T. + + +
2.10.	+ Can I create multiple levels of subfolders to store mail? + + +
	+ Absolutely. This is no problem. + + +
2.11.	+ Why isn't Sylpheed sending my mail out? + + +
	+ You need to create at least one account in order to + send. (This is a wonderful gotcha on LAN installs + with only a local mailbox feed). + + +
2.12.	+ How do I apply a patch after downloading it? + + +
	+ Copy patch to sylpheed directory. + Apply the patch as follows: + + + % patch -p0 < some.patch + + Or, if it's gzipped: + + + % gzip -dc some.patch.gz \| patch -p0 + + Run `./autogen.sh`, remove the generated `/config.cache` + file (unless you want to install in prefix + `/usr/local`). + Run `./configure` with the appropriate options and + then `make`. + (Text as found on the former Sylpheed patches page.) + + +
2.13.	+ How do I compile in support for compface pictures? + + +
	+ You have to have a package called `libcompface` + installed, so this is available for compiling into + Sylpheed. Note that the exact name of the package depends on OS or distribution you use. + + +
2.14.	+ How do I make my own compface image? + + +
	+ The faces package contains a program called xbm2ikon script, + which converts a 48x48 xbm to the format suitable for + compface. Thanks to Jeff Dairiki, you can have a complete online course in this. Visit this page for the details. + + +
2.15.	+ How can I tell my browser/newsclient/other program to use Sylpheed as email program? + + +
	+ In the settings part of the program, write + sylpheed --compose + + Specific options for typical browsers: + + + + + Opera: sylpheed --compose [mailto:%t][?subject=%s] + + + Galeon: sylpheed --compose "mailto:%t?subject=%s" + + + +
2.16.	+ How do I enable GPG support in Sylpheed? + + +
	+ When compiling Sylpheed, make sure you add `--enable-gpgme` in the ./configure command. + When that completes successfully, there is a Privacy section in the Common Preferences. + + +
2.17.	+ Mutt does not recognize Sylpheed's MH structure + + +
	+ For this to work you need to use the touch command in every MH folder. "touch" the file `.xmhcache` and Mutt should do just fine. + + +
2.18.	+ Viewing a GIF file within Sylpheed causes a segmentation fault. + + +
	+ In case this happens, you can easily fix that by adding the following to `/etc/mime.types`: + image/gif gif
2.19.	+ How can I make Sylpheed notify me when new mail arrives? + + +
	+ Download Gkrellm or a similar program that is able to notify you of new incoming mail. Gkrellm is available at the Gkrellm page. + +
2.20.	+ Can I use a spell checker with Sylpheed? + + +
	+ Yes. You need to have GtkSpell installed prior to Sylpheed compilation. The support for GtkSpell is enabled by default in + configure. (If you want to disable it, make sure you add `--disable-gtkspell` in the ./configure command.) + + The GtkSpell option is not supported in Sylpheed for Windows (yet), so you will have no spell checking under this OS. +
2.21.	+ How can I make Sylpheed send my compface image in the mails? + + +
	+ In the Configuration->Preferences for current account...->Send check Add user-defined header and press Edit button. A dialog appears, add a header named "X-Face" and fill the value field with your face data. Note that if you paste + the data from a terminal into the field, some spurious newlines can be added, and these can mangle your face, be careful. + +
2.22.	+ How can I get the newest source code from the Sylpheed Subversion (SVN) repository? +
	+ Move to an appropriate directory, and after you run the command specified below, a source tree named `trunk` will be created under that directory: + + svn checkout svn://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/sylpheed/trunk + The subdirectories under the `sylpheed` directory are as follows: + + + + + `trunk/` - main tree + + + + `branches/` - miscellaneous experimental branches + + + + `tags/` - release-tagged branches + + + + + To update to the newest source tree, run the following command in the target directory: + svn update +
2.23.	+ I checked out the sources using SVN and can't find any configure script. + + +
	+ The SVN versions are meant to be used by developers rather than "normal" + users, so the source (or binary) distributions are easier to use. + + + + Yeah, but the latest features from SVN really look sexy... + + + You need to generate the configure script by running `autogen.sh`. + Be sure to have autoconf and automake packages installed for this. + + +
2.24.	+ Running "autogen.sh" gives error messages that "AM_PATH_GDK_PIXBUF" or + "AM_PATH_(whatever)" is not found. + + +
	+ There are some `.m4` files in the `ac/missing` directory. Try to copy + them into the `ac` directory and run `autogen.sh` again. + + + If there are still some `.m4` files not found (e.g. those from GTK+), try + to run % locate m4 \| less* or % locate aclocal \| less to find additional directories containing those macros. If you find e.g. a + `gtk.m4` in `/opt/gnome/share/aclocal`, change following line in + `autogen.sh` from + aclocal -I ac \ to aclocal -I ac -I /opt/gnome/share/aclocal \ and run it again. + + +
2.25.	+ I don't want to compile in support for (...) any longer, but after running + "configure", those libraries are still used. + + +
	+ Remove the `config.cache` file and run ./configure again. You should + also use make clean to avoid undefined references. + + +
2.26.	+ How can I select different applications to open with specific MIME types? + + +
	+ The MIME-type to application associations are kept in `/etc/mailcap`. + + +
2.27.	+ How can I change the suggested mimetype for attachments? + + +
	+ The extension to MIME-type associations are kept in `/etc/mime.types` + + +
2.28.	+ The folder list is not updated after I manually moved/copied folders. + + +
	+ You need to update Sylpheed cache. Right click on the mailbox and choose + Rebuild folder tree. + + +
2.29.	+ How can I revert original settings, e.g. for fonts, key bindings, etc.? + + +
	+ Sylpheed keeps its configuration files in `$HOME/.sylpheed-2.0/sylpheedrc` (or `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed\sylpheedrc` under Windows) and creates default + entries, if none are found. So the easiest way is to quit Sylpheed, + temporarily renaming your `$HOME/.sylpheed-2.0` (or `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed\sylpheedrc`) e.g. to `*.bak` and restarting + Sylpheed in order to get default entries. + + +
2.30.	+ What environment variables have effect on Sylpheed? + + +
	+ Here are the most common variables: + + + + `HOME` + - location of `.sylpheed-2.0` (config directory) and default folder for Mailboxes. + + + + `LANG`, + + + + `LC_ALL`, + + + + `LC_CTYPE`, + + + + `LC_MESSAGES` - locale settings, e.g. language and date format. + + + + +
2.31.	+ Special characters (e.g. umlauts) are not displayed correctly. + + +
	+ In most cases, this is caused by fonts that use an unsuitable encoding on a not Unicode-based system. (On a Unicode-based + system, fonts should support all thinkable characters for the vast majority of languages.) + + Choose Configuration->Common preferences...->Display->General, and click the button right to Text font. Now, a special dialog appears that allows you to pick a desirable font family, style, and size. + + You should also make sure that your environment variables regarding locale + settings have sensible values. + +
2.32.	+ How can I convert my old mailbox/adress book from (some mail client). + + +
	+ You can try to + export your old mailbox to MH, MBOX or EML format. + + + Tip + Take a look at the Add sender to address book... item from the Tools + menu, it could be a useful alternative or addition, when importing your old + contacts. + + +
2.33.	+ What config files are there, and what are they used for? + + +
	+ Sylpheed config files can be found in `$HOME/.sylpheed-2.0` (under Windows, the path is `%APPDATA%\Sylpheed`). They are in plain + text format and quite easy to understand, so don't fear to take a look + into them using a text editor. + + + + + `sylpheedrc` - main configuration: nearly all options from the + settings window, e.g. mailbox location, font + entries, etc. + + + + `accountrc` - settings for POP/IMAP/NNTP accounts + + + + `actionsrc` - user-defined actions + + + + `addrbook-*.xml` - contents of your address book + + + + `customheaderrc` - contains user-defined header lines + + + + `dispheaderrc` - headers to display above the mail body + + + + `filter.xml` - filter settings + + + + `folderlist.xml` - folder specific settings, e.g. hiding + read messages, sort order, etc. + + + + `menurc` - key bindings + + + + +
2.34.	+ How do I change the location of user profile directory under Windows? +
	+ The configuration files and the mailboxes are saved under the following + location (`%APPDATA%\Sylpheed`) by default: + + + + + Windows 2000/XP: + `C:\Documents and Settings\(user name)\Application Data\Sylpheed` + + + Windows Vista: + `C:\Users\(user name)\AppData\Sylpheed` + + + + If you want to change the location of the configuration files, you can + specify it by the command line option `--configdir "directory name"`. + Create a shortcut of `sylpheed.exe`, and append the option to the link target + like the following: + + + "C:\Program Files\Sylpheed\sylpheed.exe" --configdir "D:\Sylpheed" If `sylpheed.ini` file exists at the same location as `sylpheed.exe`, it will be + loaded at startup. With this approach, you can make Sylpheed completely portable + independent of drive letters etc., and you can install it in removable media + such as USB memory. + + + + Note + The installer version, and GnuPG and GPGME use registry. + + The sample INI file is included in the Sylpheed for Windows installation package as `sample-sylpheed.ini`. + Please copy or rename it to use. + `ipcport` specifies the port number of socket for IPC (default is 50215). + `configdir` specifies the location of configuration files as a relative + path from the folder in which `sylpheed.exe` is located, or an absolute path. + + (The text above is a slightly modified excerpt from the `README-win32.txt` file, which you should find within the `C:\Program Files\Sylpheed` directory.) + +
2.35.	+ What to do when printing an email prints off the paper? + + +
	+ You can use enscript for this. Use enscript %s to print everything on one page, or enscript -U2 %s for printing two logical pages on one physical page. + + +

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Chapter 2. Sylpheed FAQ - Installation and Configuration +

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