Evolution email stuck in offline mode (Ubuntu 10.10)

[achim_59]

I recently did a fresh install of 10.10 (previously I had 10.04). I could not do an upgrade because the package manager had a problem with unresolved dependencies resulting from the installation of a Nokia package for my CS-15 usb modem.

Since it was a new install, I did fresh backups of everything I needed, including evolution. After the install I tried restoring my email from the backup. Then I noticed that the send/receive button was disabled and so was the option to work online in the file menu.

The version of evolution is 2.30.3.

I thought this thread:

ubuntuforums.org
showthread.php?t=1672315

had an answer to my problem but it appears to be something different. (still can't post URLs... not enough posts to date)

I tried deleting the .evolution folder in my home directory (as suggested in that other thread) and then re-installed evolution. That didn't work, however. I still have the same problem.

Oddly enough all my account details are still there! I tried checking the supported authentication and that seems to work.

I've trawled a number of forum posts in this and other forums but haven't seen this problem described anywhere.

Does anyone have an idea how I can get my email to function again?

Achim

P.S. I have installed Claws Mail and can now access my mail without recourse to a web portal. However, this is a very unsatisfying work-around and I'd really like to get Evolution working again. One very strange thing: shortly after installing Claws I tried Evolution again and for that one session everything was OK. Now it is stuck in offline mode again.

[achim_59]

I had the same problem with FireFox. Then I trawled some forums and found:

www DOT ghacks DOT net
2009/04/20
linux-solutions-why-does-firefox-start-in-offline-mode/

(Sorry, still can't post links)

I changed toolkit.networkmanager.disable to "true" and now FireFox works as expected when I'm using the CS-15 usb modem. The reason for the problem seems to lie in the fact that I'm using wvdial for my connection and it seems to bypass the network manager (or "network tools" as it's called in Ubuntu 10.10) entirely.

On the weekend I noticed that evolution does seem to receive mail when I'm connected to a land line. Now I'm wondering if it, too, checks the settings in network tools? To add to my suspicion, Claws Mail also starts in offline mode (at least when I'm using the CS-15 for my connection... haven't checked it on the land line, yet).

So now what I'd like to know is how to keep Evolution from checking the network connection via network tools/network manager? Or if that is not the problem, what else can I try?

Achim

P.S. A whole swag of updates for Evolution were made available through Ubuntu's update manager today. I installed them but it made no difference to the problem.

[rokytnji]

I use Iceape/Seamonkey Mail and Newsgroups for my Email client (built into browser).

Just in case. Novell has a search function for Evolution. Maybe your answer is there.

NOVELL: Search Results

[achim_59]

Thanks for the reply rokytnji.

I'm reluctant to change mail clients My experience with Thunderbird and now Claws have me thinking that I'd really like to keep using Evolution.

I've downloaded the documentation for Evolution from the site you recommended. If I find the solution to my problem, I will make sure to post it here and in the other forums where I described it.

Thanks again

Achim

[achim_59]

The documentation at the Novell site has not helped... it is no different to the stuff in the evolution help. After checking a number of config files i found the following entry in .gconf/apps/evolution/shell%25gconf.xml:

<entry name="start_offline" mtime="1297009343" schema="/schemas/apps/evolution/shell/start_offline" type="bool" value="false"/>

That is obviously what I want. So I checked evolution by starting it from the command line and tried to force online mode. Here's the result:

achim@achim-T43:~$ evolution --online
evolution-shell-Message: Network disconnected.  Forced offline.
EI: MAIL PREF

My suspicions are thereby confirmed. Anybody have any ideas on how to get Evolution to accept my UMTS connection?