Accessing IMSS Email Via Pine

Pine is a UNIX-based, IMAP-compatible email program which you may use on the IMSS UNIX Cluster to access your IMSS email.

Please see our Choices for Accessing IMSS Email page for more information about using multiple email programs or multiple computers to access your IMSS email.

Here are the three-part Pine-specific steps one needs to take if you wish to use Pine in conjunction with any POP- or IMAP-compatible email programs, including IMSS Webmail.

Part A: Configure Pine to use the new IMAP server

1. First, go to (S)etup, then (C)onfig. Change the following settings:

inbox-path = {imap-server.its.caltech.edu/ssl}INBOX
[X] enable-lame-list-mode
[X] quell-empty-directories
[X] separate-folder-and-directory-entries
[X] try-alternative-authentication-driver-first



2. (E)xit Setup and say (Y)es.


3. Go to (S)etup, then collection (L)ists, then (A)dd collection.


4. Fill in the new collection screen as follows:
   

   Nickname: IMAP Folders
   Server: imap-server.its.caltech.edu/ssl
   smtp-server: smtp-server.its.caltech.edu/ssl
   Path: Mail.
   View: (see below)

5. "View" should be left blank. Also, please note that there is a period after "Mail" in the "Path" setting. The period is extremely important; please make sure it is there.

   Once this is done, use control-X to chose "exit/save", and choose (Y)es.



6. Use the $ command to Shuffle the folders so "IMAP folders" is the first folder listed.

   Once the above is done, when one starts Pine one will be prompted for one's password. Pine will the connect to the IMAP server, and (I) will show the initial folder (the inbox) and selecting the folder list and then "IMAP folders" will show all folders on the server, including the INBOX.

   On the new server, the folder hierarchy separator character is "." (instead of "/"). In the folder list, pine will show a folder that has messages in it as a name with no period after it and a folder that has other folders in it as a name with a period after it. If a folder has both messages and folders in it, both forms of the name will be show.

   Example: If I have a folder "foo" that has messages as well as subfolders "foo.bar" and "foo.baz", then the message list will show "foo" and "foo.". Selecting "foo" will show me the messages, selecting "foo." will show me the folders "bar" and "baz".

Part B: Transition your account to use the new mail system

If you were identified as either a POP user or an IMAP user (you would have gotten emailed notices from the IMSS System Administrators to that effect), we may have transitioned your account to use the new upgraded mail system for you. If you elected for us not to do that, or were not identified as either a POP or an IMAP user, then you will need to transition your account yourself.

1. Go to https://utils.its.caltech.edu/ and log in.


2. Go to "Change email settings".


3. Under "Use of legacy mail server", change the Yes to No.


4. Submit the change. Do not log out.

Part C: Copy your stored email to the new mail system format and storage location.

1. While you are still logged in to https://utils.its.caltech.edu/ on the "Change email settings page", click on the "Migrate mailboxes from ITS Unix cluster" link.


2. Follow the instructions on the ensuing pages to migrate your inbox or mailboxes to the new system. Note that this does not delete the files from their previous location; it simply copies them, transitions them to the new format, and places them in their new location on the upgraded mail server system.


3. When you have finished, log out of https://utils.its.caltech.edu/.