SquirrelMail can be downloaded from the SquirrelMail website or provided by your OS
packager. It is configured with the conf.pl utility, that is stored in
the config directory. You must configure SquirrelMail before using it.
SquirrelMail can be used by accessing it in web browser just like any other files
and scripts stored on your web server.
If you want to install SquirrelMail, check the chapters about SquirrelMail
installation.
class directory stores various classes used with mime messages, email
delivery, localizations and other interface functions.
config directory stores SquirrelMail configuration files and configuration
utility. conf.pl script is a perl based utility used to manage SquirrelMail
configuration. The config_default.php file stores default configuration
values. The config.php file stores current configuration. The file
config_local.php can store local site configuration overrides and
configuration options that are not supported by configuration utility.
default_pref stores
default user preferences that are used when a new
user logs in for the first time. default_pref file was stored in the
data directory before SquirrelMail 1.5.1.
The contrib directory stores files that provide extra features to SquirrelMail
package, but are not used directly in the webmail interface.
The data directory is default location for SquirrelMail users' preference
files. You should move that directory outside of web tree or make sure that it
can't be accessed by external users. This directory is not packaged anymore
since SquirrelMail 1.5.1.
The doc directory stores some documentation about SquirrelMail.
functions directory stores SquirrelMail function files. The decode
subdirectory stores charset decoding functions that are used to read emails
encoded in different charsets. The encode directory stores charset encoding
functions that are used to convert emails to charset used in interface when
user replies or forwards email written in different charset.
Under help are SquirrelMail help files. Information from these files
is displayed when a user clicks on Help link in SquirrelMail menu line. Help files
use XML formating. They can be translated into different languages.
The images directory stores various image files that can be used in interface.
The locale directory stores SquirrelMail translations. A user can select
their preferred translation in SquirrelMail Display Options.
The plugins directory stores plugins that can be used to extend
SquirrelMail functionality. Activation of plugins is controlled
through the SquirrelMail configuration utility. Some plugins might
also use their own configuration files or functions provided by other
plugins. See README and INSTALL files in each plugin's directory.
The po directory stores scripts that are used to work with SquirrelMail
translation files. xgetpo script extracts translatable strings from
SquirrelMail script. mergepo script combines default strings with selected
translation. compilepo script compiles selected translation. These scripts
are usually used only by SquirrelMail translators.
The src directory stores scripts that are used when user accesses the
webmail interface.
The templates directory stores template files that can be used in
SquirrelMail 1.5.1 and later versions.
The themes directory stores SquirrelMail
colour themes, and the css subdirectory stores style
sheet files available to end user.
SquirrelMail stores users' preferences and address books in simple text
files. The location of these files is set with the data directory setting
in the SquirrelMail configuration. SquirrelMail can also use a
database or some other storage facility (if the required backend
is provided by a plugin) for managing user preferences.
Users' preferences are stored in .pref files. Address books are stored in
.abook files. .sig and .si<somenumber> files store users'
signatures. Some plugins might use other files to store users' data.
When the number of files in the data directory becomes somewhat large, directory
access time can be affected. In such cases, the administrator can split
preference files into subdirectories by enabling directory hashing in
the SquirrelMail configuration.
SquirrelMail can be configured with conf.pl, a Perl script that is stored in
the config/ directory. You can start it by running the configure
script in the SquirrelMail base directory or by running the conf.pl script in
the config directory.
# cd /path/to/squirrelmail
# cd config
# ./conf.pl
This configuration utility provides menu based configuration options:
SquirrelMail Configuration : Read: config_default.php (1.4.0)
---------------------------------------------------------
Main Menu --
1. Organization Preferences
2. Server Settings
3. Folder Defaults
4. General Options
5. Themes
6. Address Books
7. Message of the Day (MOTD)
8. Plugins
9. Database
10. Languages
D. Set pre-defined settings for specific IMAP servers
C Turn color on
S Save data
Q Quit
Command >>
Menu is controlled by entering numbers or letters that are listed on the left
side.
By default SquirrelMail stores address books in files, one per address book,
named [user account name].abook. These address book files are kept in the
data directory. Address books can also be stored in a
database or, if the required functions are provided by a plugin, another
storage facility. SquirrelMail can also be configured to lookup addresses in
LDAP directories, if the PHP installation contains LDAP support.
An address book file contains five fields, which are delimited by the vertical
line (|): the first field stores nicknames, short names that are used to
identify address book entries; the second field stores names; the third field
stores surnames; the forth field stores mail addresses; and the fifth field
stores additional information.
Additional address book fields and functions can be provided by the experimental
vcard address book format and some address book plugins. You can find list of
address book plugins at the SquirrelMail site.
