IMAP / S connection can see folders, but no content

[dbiggins]

I have an Alfresco 5.0.2 that I upgraded from 5.0. 
I have IMAP and IMAPS configured so that I can see two sites via 2 mountpoint definitions.  When I connect to Alfresco via Outlook 2013, I see all the folders under the mountpoints, but no files.  I can create folders and subfolders via outlook.  I can copy files or emails into one of these folders through outlook, and while they show up in Alfresco (visible by Share, Webdav, aos), they disappear and don't reappear in outlook.  I am logged in as the same user in both Outlook / IMAP and Share, and the user is an administrator in Alfresco.

My alfresco-global.properties snippet contains:
<blockcode>
imap.server.enabled=true
imap.server.host=myserver.my.com
imap.server.port=1143
imap.server.attachments.extraction.enabled=false

imap.server.imaps.enabled=true
imap.server.imaps.port=1993

imap.config.server.mountPoints=my-rm,test-collab
imap.config.server.mountPoints.default.store=${spaces.store}
imap.config.server.mountPoints.default.modeName=MIXED
imap.config.server.mountPoints.default.rootPath=/${spaces.company_home.childname}

imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.my-rm.mountPointName=OIG RM
imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.my-rm.rootPath=/${spaces.company_home.childname}/${spaces.sites.childname}
imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.my-rm.folderPath=cm:rm/cm:documentLibrary
imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.my-rm.modeName=MIXED

imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.test-collab.mountPointName=Test Collaboration
imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.test-collab.rootPath=/${spaces.company_home.childname}/${spaces.sites.childname}
imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.test-collab.folderPath=cm:test-collaboration-site/cm:documentLibrary
imap.config.server.mountPoints.value.test-collab.modeName=MIXED
</blockcode>

When I set the logs for 'org.alfresco.repo.imap' to 'trace', I get the following when I click on one of the folders via outlook:
<blockcode>
2015-10-07 16:26:06,635  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,636  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,638  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,640  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,641  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,945  DEBUG [repo.imap.AlfrescoImapFolder] [Thread-272] [getMessageUidsInternal] org.alfresco.repo.imap.AlfrescoImapFolder@2b16fcae
2015-10-07 16:26:06,946  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,948  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,950  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,951  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
2015-10-07 16:26:06,952  DEBUG [repo.imap.AlfrescoImapFolder] [Thread-272] [getMessageInternal] org.alfresco.repo.imap.AlfrescoImapFolder@2b16fcae
2015-10-07 16:26:06,953  DEBUG [repo.imap.ImapServiceImpl] [Thread-272] getFolderStatus contextNodeRef=workspace://SpacesStore/d0df94e8-43fd-4180-8ee2-c5456a3821c3, viewMode=MIXED
</blockcode>

I don't get any synchronization errors from outlook, and nothing more useful from the tomcat logs.

Is there something with the viewMode that I am missing?  I have tried mounting the points with all three options (MIXED, ARCHIVE, VIRTUAL), and while I never get any errors trying to import content via outlook, it never shows up in outlook.

I'm sure I'm missing something simple, but I've run out of things to try…

Thanks all!

[dbiggins]

When I was originally posting my question, I was describing it as if I was viewing the repository through CIFs, Webdav or AOS, where the view that I have is a real-time view into the repository. 

The IMAP connection is going to be more of a constant synchronization between an imap (outlook  for me) client and a mounted folder in alfresco.  Alfresco content will show up in the IMAP mapping in outlook after Outlook polls the repository to see if anything needs to change.  And likewise, new content added through outlook won't show up in Alfresco until Outlook initiates a synchronize.

So the question I'm asking shouldn't be 'Why can't I 'see' the alfresco content in outlook', but rather 'Why is Outlook not synchronizing Alfresco content to my outlook client'.  The synchronization of folders is working as expected, but content, either copied into Alfresco via Outlook or Share, won't appear in my outlook client.

This may very well be an outlook setting that I need to track down, but has anybody seen anything like this?  Is my (re)thinking on this heading in the wrong direction?

Thanks all!

[dbiggins]

Things appear to work correctly if I use an Opera mail client as the IMAP client, so it looks as though I need to troubleshoot the Outlook 2013 client.

I looked around a little this morning, and tried to address some of the low hanging IMAP -> Outlook 2013 solutions out there (folder subscription, removing filters, etc), but nothing seems to work.  The local outlook .ost file that corresponds with the mapped alfresco mount points doesn't show anything in it.

Anyone else have any experience with getting Outlook 2013 connected to Alfresco via IMAP?

[dbiggins]

If I run wireshark, and look for activity between my workstation and my alfresco IMAP server, I see the kind of activity I would expect: login credentials passed, 'select' command sent for the imap-mapped folder i am on, a request for a fetch for the number of items in that alfresco folder sent, and response that the fetch completed.

Nothing appears in outlook, and nothing appears in the local '.oft' file for the alfresco server connection.

If I run mfcmapi to examine the oft file, I see the folder structure that is showing in outlook, and which maps to the alfresco folder structure, but there is no content listed in the oft.

In mfcmapi, i can see a folder called 'Sync Issues(This computer only)'  which contains a message for synchronization messages between Alfresco  and Outlook.  the messages look something like:

15:11:25 Synchronizer Version 15.0.4753.1003
15:11:25 Synchronizing Mailbox 'myname@my.com'
15:11:25 Synchronizing server changes in folder 'Test Collaboration'
15:11:31 Error synchronizing folder
15:11:31        [800CCC0F-0-0-560]
15:11:31 Done
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

The synch error '800CCC0F-0-0-560' shows up pretty frequently as an example of MS Office 2013 not playing well with external IMAP datasources.  I have tried every recommendation I have seen with no luck.

So while this seems like it is a Outlook 2013 issue vs an Alfresco issue, does anyone have this working with Outlook 2013?  I am ready to declare this connectivity non-operational…

Thanks!

[dbiggins]

Hello!

I am you from the fuuuuuture!

I have come back to this several times since I originally logged this question, and though IMAP to Outlook is still not working in 5.1.1, I am able to see a ticket for it  ([ALF-21637] IMAP server immediatly closes connection on IMAP SEARCH commands - Alfresco JIRA ).  The behavior is the same as I am seeing in my Outlook IMAP logs: connections occur, folders are added and deleted, and then a 'UID SEARCH SINCE [DD-MMM-YYYY]' command hangs for a minute and a half or so, and then alfresco disconnects.

Anyone get this working?

[polestar]

Hi Guys

We have this issue with Microsoft Office 365 as well.

We were working closely with Microsoft to come up with a solution. They have released a Knowledgebase article on this issue.

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3216722

Hope this helps!!

[dbiggins]

Thanks for replying!

As I understand it, the KB is saying that the IMAP server in question (greenmail) needs to be updated to accept the UID SEARCH command that outlook is sending.  Our options are:

- Use a pre-patched version of Outlook 2013

- Use an email client other then Outlook (Thunderbird and Opera seem like they work fine)

- Pursue updating / patching greenmail

This hasn't been working for us for a while, obviously, and since our client will be using Outlook, I'll keep tracking the Jira ticket.

[douglascrp]

Hello.

I am facing the same problem as you.

Outlook 2013 does not work, but Thunderbird works perfectly.

I will update here if I am able to find a solution.