Configuring Evolution

[Thomas Cameron]

On Sun, 2004-12-05 at 10:38 -0500, Bill Case wrote:
> Can anyone help with Evo configuration? I tried the manual and the
> Evolution mailing list. The manual doesn't tell me enough and the
> mailing list is apparently not for newbies. Google gives very few other
> choices.
> 
> I have been using Evolution through RH7.1, RH9, FC2 and now FC3, but I
> never paid much attention to its operation -- just used it.
> 
> 1) Is Evolution supposed to fetch mail when it is opened? (e.g.  Outlook
> Express and Thunderbird do). 

On my system it does, but I use Evolution with an IMAP server, not POP.
I just tested using POP and it does not seem to check at start.  I think
that's a problem, too.

> If not, does Evolution have a list of
> commands that I can use in a script? Example: Is there a command line
> equivalent to 'F9' or 'Send/Receive'. Using 'fetchmail' seems to defeat
> the purpose of having Evo. 

The best thing I can think of is to run it minimized and have it check
every X minutes.  You set the minutes from Tools/Settings/[your
account]/Receiving Options.

> In particular, I want to set up my panel launcher so that it checks that
> Evolution is not already open minimized, launches Evolution and then
> automatically fetches the latest email. i.e do the same thing as if I
> had looked at my Window List on my panel and if Evolution wasn't there,
> used 'launchmail' and then 'F9' or 'Send/Receive' or better still just
> 'receive'.

I am not sure that can be done - I suppose you could script it and then
have your launcher point to the script.

> 2) I would like to use Evolution as my personal organizer unless there
> is a PIM program that integrates with Evolution - not KOrganizer. In
> particular, I use calendar and tasklist print outs a lot. Is there a way
> to create new or personalized printed forms. I'm an old guy and still
> only feel secure with a printed or hand written form in my pocket 'a la
> Day Timer'.

I'm not sure what you;d need to personalize - the printouts from Evo's
calendar are pretty good.  Don't use tasks so I can't help you there.

> 3) The changes I want are mostly cosmetic. If the changes I want to make
> are at the source level, what programming manuals etc. are specifically
> for Evolution.
> 
> or,
> 
> 4) Is Evolution far too network driven for just small office needs and
> am I, therefore, better off just using Thunderbird and forgetting about
> Evolution altogether?

Nah, you can use Evolution, there are a few rough edges but you can help
knock 'em off by using the product and reporting bugs and feature
requests.

> Sorry for such a long help request, but no one seems to understand what
> I want 

Actually, I almost passed by your posting because it was so long.  I
don't know about others on this list but I have a pretty short attention
span.  :-)

Maybe in the future you might consider asking one question per post?
Just a suggestion, I don't know if there are any "rules" about it.  It
seems like people are getting their proverbial panties in a wad a lot
lately on this list.

> and simply dismisses my questions.  I suspect I am missing
> something really newbie or I am being really thick but I can't seem to
> find the answers in Evo setup, preferences, help or the Evolution
> mailing list.

I think you've found a legit bug.  I think the workaround is to simply
hist F9 when you start Evo and set your mail retrieval interval to
something reasonably short (like 5 minutes or so), but I might just not
understand what you need.

Cheers!
Thomas