SDB:Configuring Evolution for SuSE Linux

Version: 8.0

Situation:

You want to set up the e-mail program Ximian Evolution under SuSE Linux.

Ximian Evolution

In the following lines, single functions of this e-mail program, fundamental for the use of Evolution with POP3 and SMTP will be explained. Please note that such specific applications and their functionality exceed the scope of our free installation support. In case of problems, however, you can refer to our Advanced Support Service Hotline.

Package installation:

The current versions for SuSE Linux are available for download under www.suse.de -> Downloads -> Gnomes: SuSE Linux GNOME Service -> Version. As Evolution is based on Gnome, further components of Gnome are required for the installation of the package:

gnome-core
gnome-libs
gtkhtml
bonobo
bonobo-conf

Installation of evolution*.rpm

There are two ways of installing the rpm package:

• on the text console with the command: rpm -ivh evolution*.rpm
• with kpackage under KDE (Installing Applications under SuSE Linux 8.0 SDB:Installing Applications under SuSE Linux 8.0

We recommend you to use the first possibility. If not all package dependencies are resolved, a list of the missing files will be displayed. In this case, you can install the missing packages afterwards with YaST. Once the package has been installed, Evolution can be started with a command of identical name.

Receiving and sending e-mail messages:

To enable the reception of e-mail messages, you must go through the normal configuration process once Evolution is started:

• You are now in the step Identity. First, you are required to enter your name (user name or nickname) and your e-mail address. Here it is also possible to define the file where your signature is to be stored. For example, you can create a file called 'signature' in you home directory containing the text:

Cheers,
Sascha

Enter this file under signature file and this text will be inserted at the end of each e-mail message you write. Click on 'next' to pass to the next setting.

Receiving e-mails:

• Before being able to configure further settings, you have to select the service that will be responsible for the download of the e-mails. At this stage, Evolution shows you the supported services:
  • POP
  • IMAP
  • Standard Unix mbox spools
  • E-mail folders in mdir format
  • Local delivery
  • None

Select POP to enable the reception of e-mails over POP3. Then, several input fields will be activated to allow you the entry of your connection data. Enter the host name of the computer from which you will fetch your messages in the box 'configuration'. You should find this information in the connection data sent to you by your ISP. Enter your user name in the field 'User'. The password will be required every time you fetch your e-mail messages. If you trust your operating system :), you can save your password after a single entry with the button "Remember password". Continue by selecting 'Next'.

• The following two points enable you to define in which time interval the system should check for new e-mails. Those users with a flat rate can define here the minimum value, which is one minute. On the other hand, users with a dial up connection via modem or ISDN should select sensible values.

With the option 'let e-mails on server', e-mail messages are downloaded on your computer but the original ones remain on the server.

Sending e-mails

• First, select your MTA (SMTP or sendmail). If you choose SMTP, you have to enter your provider's SMTP server. You should also find this information in the connection data sent to you by your ISP. However, when choosing sendmail you do not require any other input (the sendmail settings will take over).

Connection management:

• -> Next

Time zone

• Select the time zone where you will be using Evolution. Click on 'finalize' to complete the e-mail configuration.

Scheduler:

Once the basis configuration for sending and receiving e-mails has been completed, Evolution starts with its main overview. In this menu, a set of further possibilities is available:

1. My Weather
2. On-line News
3. Mail summary
4. Appointments
5. Tasks

In order to get an overview of your mail folders, click on 'view' and select 'folderbar'.

For scheduling appointments, click either on 'calendar' or on the "link" 'appointments' in the main menu. You will then obtain the calendar. There, you have different possibilities to enter a new appointment:

1. Click on New appointment
2. Click on the time of the appointment

In both cases, a menu where you can enter your data is opened. Appointments can also be saved and deleted in this menu.

Weather information

You can display the weather data of your region by clicking on:

1. Tools
2. Summary settings
3. My Weather

and selecting the relevant entry:

• for example: -> Regions -> Europe -> Germany -> Bremen

It is also possible to display more than one place.

News overview over RDF

The news are transmitted through links with the extension .rdf. In order to integrate a news channel, proceed as follows:

1. Tools
2. Summary settings
3. Headlines

Here you can either select a news channel from the list or insert an URL. To insert an URL, click on Insert channel, enter a name for the channel (for example Heise Newsticker), and insert the URL:

http://www.heise.de/newsticker/heise.rdf

Finally, confirm your entry. The overview in the Evolution main menu will be updated and you will be able to display the article whenever you want by clicking its link on the main menu. You can display the article with a browser of your choice by defining this parameter in the Gnome control center: start the program gnomecc in a console, click on URL manager and set the parameters for your browser. For example, for an Opera browser (www.opera.com), proceed as described below:

1. Select default entry
2. Enter

opera -newpage "%s"

1. Confirm with OK

If you click now on a link in the news list, the page will be displayed in a new Opera window.

Task list management

The task list management works in the same way as the appointment scheduler. Click on 'tasks' in the shortcuts bar or in the Evolution main menu. You can now enter your task.

Help

For questions concerning Evolution, Ximian provides you with a FAQ page under:

[http://support.ximian.com/cgi-bin/ximian.cfg/php/enduser/faq.php?p_prod_lv l1=2 http://support.ximian.com/cgi-bin/ximian.cfg/php/enduser/faq.php?p_prod_lv l1=2]

This page can also be accessed directly through the menu with -> Help -> Ximian Evolution FAQ. The page will be displayed in the browser defined by you in the Gnome control center. <keyword>evolution,email,client,pop3,smtp</keyword>