Re: Help setting up POP3 email (rmail)

[Robert Thorpe <rt@robertthorpeconsulting.com>]

<cptvlaze@tutamail.com> writes:

> Thanks for the quick response. Is wondering if it was strictly necessary to 
> enter my password inside my code, wouldn't it be a major security
> issue?

It can be a security issue, though most graphical mail clients store it
in a config file somewhere, which is just as bad.

As I said, if it's a problem then don't mention passwords anywhere.  If
I remember correctly, if you don't have an authinfo file then
Message-mode will ask you the password the first time you send an email.
You can also make an authinfo.gpg file which is the encrypted version of
authinfo, you can read about that on the web.

For rmail just don't include the password:
(setq rmail-primary-inbox-list
      (cons (concat "pop3://"
		    "your_username"
		    "@your_pop3_server.com") nil))

Rmail will prompt you for the password when you receive mail.

BR,
Robert Thorpe

> I also have a problem with my init file, as emacs can't detect it. I have 
> created one at ~/.emacs.d/init.el, but this folder is protected (only 
> accessible via su), which forces me to use emacs under sudo. Is there
> any way to solve these problems?   Thanks again.
>
> 24. Feb 2016 01:41 por rt@robertthorpeconsulting.com:
>
>
>> <> cptvlaze@tutamail.com> > writes:
>>
>>> Good afternoon. I've started using emacs today, so I'm a total newbie
>>> at this time.  I want to read my GMX email from emacs, using POP3 and
>>> rmail, but I just don't know where to start. I've read lots of wikis
>>> and manuals and I'm completely lost. Could somebody throw a bit of
>>> light over this?  Thank you.
>>
>> There are two parts to this.  Firstly, there's setting up outgoing
>> mail.  That uses the part of Emacs called "Message" (which is the same
>> for GNUs and Rmail).  The second step is to setup Rmail for receiving
>> mail.
>>
>> You need to find the names of the servers to communicate with.  You need
>> the SMTP server for outgoing mail and the POP3 server for incoming
>> mail.  If you're already using a mail program you can find that info in
>> it's settings.
>>
>> Your init file maybe init.el or .emacs.  Either way, put the following
>> into it:
>>
>> ;; Firstly setup SMTP.
>> (setq send-mail-function 'smtpmail-send-it)
>>       smtpmail-smtp-server "your_smtp_server.com"
>>       smtpmail-smtp-service 587
>>       user-mail-address "> your_email_address@domain.com> ")
>> ;; The line below puts sent items into an mbox file.
>> (setq mail-default-headers "FCC: ~/Mail/Sent")
>> ;; This puts my name correctly in email To/From lines.
>> (setq user-full-name "Your Name")
>>
>> ;; Setup Rmail
>> (setq rmail-primary-inbox-list
>>       (cons (concat "pop3://"
>> 		    "your_username"
>> 		    "your_password"
>> 		    "@your_pop3_server.com") nil))
>>
>> I only use the "concat" above so I can separate out the various
>> elements.  If you omit the password then Emacs will ask you the first
>> time you recieve mail.
>>
>> Finally, you can setup an ".authinfo" file.  This is for sending mail
>> with Message-mode.  It avoids entering the password.
>>
>> Create a file called .authinfo in your ~/ directory.  It only needs to
>> contain one line:
>> "machine your_smtp_server.com login your_username port 587 password
>> your_password"
>>
>> Many ISP prefer you to use port 587 for outgoing emails rather than port
>> 25, which was the traditional port.  That's why I used "587" above in
>> .authinfo and smtpmail-smtp-service.  If your ISP is a traditionalist
>> and prefers 25 then replace those numbers with 25.
>>
>> You can also setup encryption, see the manuals to Message and Rmail.
>> Evaluate the lines below with C-x C-e.
>> (info "(message) Top")
>> (info "(emacs) Rmail").
>>
>> If you have a username with a "@" symbol in it that will activate a bug
>> in Rmail.  I have a solution for that if it's a problem.
>>
>> BR,
>> Robert Thorpe