View source for Converting Mbox mailboxes to Maildir format

== Overview ==
'''Maildir''' is a structure for directories of incoming mail messages that solves the reliability problems that plague '''mbox''' files. A directory in maildir format has three subdirectories, '''all on the same filesystem''': '''tmp''', '''new''', and '''cur'''.

Each file in '''new''' is a newly delivered mail message. Files in '''cur''' are just like files in new. The big difference is that files in cur are no longer new mail: they have been seen by the user's mail-reading program. 
The '''tmp''' directory is used to ensure reliable delivery. For a new user who does not have existing mail messages in mbox format, all that is required is to create the '''~/Maildir''' directory and its tmp, new, and cur subdirectories all owned by the user.

== The mb2md conversion script ==

For an existing user who has mail messages in mbox format, the '''mb2md''' script is useful for converting the messages to maildir format.

=== Download ===

Download from http://www.akadia.com.
Version: [http://www.akadia.com/download/documents/mb2md-3.10.pl.gz mb2md-3.10]
(requires [http://www.akadia.com/download/documents/TimeDate-1.16.tar.gz TimeDate]!)

Download from mirror at https://petech.com.
Version: [https://download.petech.com/linux/mb2md-3.10.pl.gz mb2md-3.10]
(requires [https://download.petech.com/linux/TimeDate-1.16.tar.gz TimeDate]!)

=== Installation ===

Extract the mb2md script and copy it to the file '''mb2md''' somewhere in your path. Set the mb2md file permissions '''+x'''.

To install the TimeDate perl library, extract the files from the archive to a temporary location. Change the current directory to the extracted folder and run the following commands:
 perl Makefile.PL
 make
 make test
 make install

=== Example Usage ===

For detailed usage and examples, see the comments at the beginning of the mb2md script. For usage summary type <code>mb2md -h</code>.

We have a bunch of directories of Mbox mailboxes located at: <code>/home/blah/oldmail/</code>.
We also have the mailspool Inbox at: <code>/var/spool/mail/blah</code>.

To convert these, as user blah, we give the first command:
 mb2md -m
The main Maildir directory will be created if it does not exist.
(This is true of any argument options, not just "-m".)
 /home/blah/Maildir/
It has the following subdirectories:
 /home/blah/Maildir/tmp/
 /home/blah/Maildir/new/
 /home/blah/Maildir/cur/
Then /var/spool/blah file is read, split into individual files and written into <code>/home/blah/Maildir/new/</code>.

Now we give the second command:
 mb2md  -s oldmail -R
This reads recursively all Mbox mailboxes and writes folders and files in Maildir format into <code>/home/blah/Maildir</code>.

Reference: [http://www.akadia.com/services/converting_mbox_mdir.html Converting Mbox mailboxes to Maildir format]

== Configuring mail servers for Maildir delivery ==

=== Configuring procmail for Maildir ===
Create the configuration file <code>/etc/procmailrc</code> for global implementation or you may create per user basis file in <code>$HOME/.procmailrc</code>.

Add the following contents to it:
 PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
 MAILDIR=$HOME/Maildir
 DEFAULT=$MAILDIR/new   #completely optional
 # LOGFILE=$MAILDIR/log   #recommended
 LOGFILE=/var/log/procmail   #or this

Reference: [http://www.mylinuxtips.info/sendmail-with-maildir-format-delivery/linuxtipstutorials/16/ Sendmail with MAILDIR format delivery]

=== Configuring sendmail to use procmail ===

To setup sendmail to handle mail delivery by procmail, in <code>/etc/mail/sendmail.mc</code> file edit the following line:<br>
Existing settings:
 dnl # FEATURE(local_procmail, `', `procmail -t -Y -a $h -d $u')dnl
Modified Settings:
 FEATURE(local_procmail)dnl
 MAILER(procmail)dnl

Make and restart sendmail.

Reference: [http://www.mylinuxtips.info/sendmail-with-maildir-format-delivery/linuxtipstutorials/16/ Sendmail with MAILDIR format delivery]

=== Configuring postfix  to use procmail ===

Edit the configuration file <code>/etc/postfix/main.cf</code> to contain the following line:
 mailbox_command = /usr/bin/procmail -a "$EXTENSION"

Restart postfix.

=== Configuring dovecot for Maildir ===

Edit the configuration file <code>/etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf</code> to contain the following line:
 mail_location = maildir:~/Maildir

Restart dovecot.

[[Category:Linux]]
[[Category:Internet]]