Logging in twice

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-26-2004, 08:47 PM

Why do I have to login twice when I am checking webmail? I have to login once to get to the place where I choose which webmail program to use. Then I have to login again. Is there anyway to make it so I don't have to login twice?

**Vin DSL** · 02-26-2004, 10:21 PM

Install your own webmail program. I suggest SquirrelMail...

**Bindiya** · 02-26-2004, 10:50 PM

Hello,

Webmail provides three different mail clients - Horde, Squirrelmail and Neomail. Are you using Horde to access mail account? Horde prompts for two logins. It is not an error. It is its feature. If you are annoyed with it, squirrel mail would be a better option.

**Vin DSL** · 02-26-2004, 10:59 PM

Originally posted by Bindiya
If you are annoyed with it, squirrel mail would be a better option.

Exactly! And, when you run your own install of Squirrelmail, you can add custom features up the ying yang!

Squirrelmail rocks!

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-27-2004, 10:27 AM

Squirrelmail is already installed. That is what I am using, and it does prompt for two logins. If I were to do my own installation, how would I do it, and what kind of things could I cusotmize?

**Vin DSL** · 02-27-2004, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by Joshua Clinard
Squirrelmail is already installed. That is what I am using, and it does prompt for two logins. If I were to do my own installation, how would I do it, and what kind of things could I cusotmize?

First of all, I don't know what you can customize on the 'canned' JagPC version, and what you can't, but I sincerely doubt you can do much. That's the nature of these things. However, there are MANY, MANY options available to you when you 'roll your own', in both the user interface area, as well as the configuration of the program itself. That's why Squirrelmail is so popular! There is NOTHING better, IMHO!

Download it here (I run the latest STABLE version): http://www.squirrelmail.org/download.php

Plugins are here (Squirrelspell is must-have): http://www.squirrelmail.org/plugins.php

Create a directory in your webspace. Call it whatever you want. I use '/mail'.

Download the Squirrelmail distro to your PC. 'unzip' the files maintaining the directory structure. Then upload these files to the directory you just created, once again, maintaining the directory structure.

All you need to do at this point is configure Squirrelmail for your particular installation. Squirrelmail includes a script that supposedly 'steps' you through the config process, but I like to config things manually.

Copy '/config/config_default.php' to a file called 'config.php' and edit it. When you are done, upload it to your server, e.g. '/config/config.php'.

The changes should be pretty self-explanatory. 'They' comment everything quite nicely! Even a n00b should be able to install it. Basically, all you have to edit is: $domain and $default_folder_prefix, and specify any custom plugins you wish to run. I also change $org_name and $org_title so you can tell it's my own install. And, I place the squirrelmail data files outside the webpath via $data_dir, for security purposes. This last step is NOT absolutely necessary, but if YOU are security conscience too, make sure the directory is writeable - octal 733 should be fine.

That's it!

When you want to use Squirrelmail, point your browser to the directory you created; in my case: http://www.lenon.com/mail. Login using your email address as the user name, and your password, just like you do with the 'canned' JagPC version (you should only have to do this once, not twice).

Simple pimple, huh? Having done it more than a few times, I can install Squirrelmail from scratch in less than 5 minutes, all total.

Give it a try! If you have any problems, let me know...

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-28-2004, 01:26 PM

I uploaded all the files, but I am having trouble with the config process. When I run the conf.pl file, it gives me an appache error.

Also, there are instructions on how to setup the directories, but I have no idea what it's talking about. I don't know how to chown, or setup users. Is there another way to do it? I do know how to chmod, if that's the same thing.

**randyriegel** · 02-28-2004, 05:20 PM

You have to run conf.pl from SSH. Just make is executable by chmod +x conf.pl and then run it.

Randy

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-28-2004, 06:04 PM

Huh? I don't know how to do that. I have used SSH before, but only to transfer files, not to run programs.

**Vin DSL** · 02-28-2004, 09:54 PM

You don't need to run that .PL file. Just edit the config file and upload it to your web server...

Copy '/config/config_default.php' to a file called 'config.php' and edit it. When you are done, upload it to your server, e.g. '/config/config.php'.

In the /config/ directory, inside the Squirrelmail directory, you will see a file called config_default.php. Just make a copy of it on your PC and call it config.php. Use a text editor to change the things I mentioned above, save it, and upload it to the /config/ directory (inside the Squirrelmail directory, of course) on your web server. You only have to make a couple of simple changes. That .PL file is a crutch...

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-29-2004, 02:10 PM

I manually configured the script. When I attempted to login it gave me the following error.

Error opening ../data/default_pref
Could not create initial preference file!
../data/ should be writable by user nobody.

So as a workaround, I chmod the /data folder to 777. Is that the correct way to do this?

By the way, the mail works great. I can login just once, and not have to go back to the control panel each time I want to change users. Squirrel Mail is great.

**Vin DSL** · 02-29-2004, 03:32 PM

Originally posted by Joshua Clinard
...I chmod the /data folder to 777. Is that the correct way to do this?

Yeah, that will work fine.

The file you are talking about is the default settings for someone the first time they log into Squirrelmail. As soon as they login for the first time, Squirrelmail will make a custom settings file for them, so the folder needs to be writeable.

I move my /data folder outside the web tree, and chmod it to 733, but that's just a matter of personal preference.

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-29-2004, 03:40 PM

Cool. So there I have this all setup correctly now. I'm happy. Do I need to delete any of the tmp files that were made with the default JagPC squirrelmail logins?

**Vin DSL** · 02-29-2004, 03:57 PM

Originally posted by Joshua Clinard
Cool. So there I have this all setup correctly now. I'm happy. Do I need to delete any of the tmp files that were made with the default JagPC squirrelmail logins?

Nope! I don't delete anything. You can play around with it. That's they whole idea of running your own install, but you don't 'need' to delete anything IMHO.

Oh, BTW, I was just thinking...

Towards the bottom of the config.php file, you will see an area called:

Code:

/*** Tweaks ***/

Right below that is:

Code:

/**
 * Use experimental DHTML folder listing
 */
$advanced_tree = false;
/**

Changing this to 'true' makes the left panel look a LOT nicer. That's the good news...

The bad news is this doesn't work with some themes like my favorite, 'Penguins'.

Also, if you look in the 'plugin section' over at the Squirrelmail site, you will see a VERY popular 'plugin' called 'Flags, Icons and Buttons' or something like that. This makes Squirrelmail look really nice, but the latest version is for 1.4.2. That's the bad news...

The good news is... this GUI 'plugin' will be integrated into all future versions of Squirrelmail starting with 1.5.1, so hang in there!

**Joshua Clinard** · 02-29-2004, 04:34 PM

Thanks VinDSL. I got the squirrelspell and abook_take plugins running. They are pretty cool. The DHTML feature does make it look much better. I am running the ice theme, and I like that one. Know of any other good ones that work with DHTML?

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