diff --git a/offlineimap/head/offlineimap.sgml b/offlineimap/head/offlineimap.sgml
index 236da91..9433d4f 100644
--- a/offlineimap/head/offlineimap.sgml
+++ b/offlineimap/head/offlineimap.sgml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
jgoerzen@complete.org
JohnGoerzen
- $Date: 2003-01-08 09:08:01 -0600 (Wed, 08 Jan 2003) $
+ $Date: 2003-01-08 09:13:21 -0600 (Wed, 08 Jan 2003) $
@@ -676,7 +676,64 @@ def test_mycmp():
+
+ Errors
+
+ If you get one of some frequently-encountered or confusing errors,
+ please check this section.
+
+
+
+ UID validity problem for folder
+ IMAP servers use a unique ID (UID) to refer to a specific message.
+ This number is guaranteed to be unique to a particular message
+ forever.
+ No other message in the same folder will ever get the same
+ UID. UIDs are an integral part of &OfflineIMAP;'s synchronization
+ scheme; they are used to match up messages on your computer to
+ messages on the server.
+
+
+ Sometimes, the UIDs on the server might get reset. Usually this will
+ happen if you delete and then recreate a folder. When you create a
+ folder, the server will often start the UID back from 1. But
+ &OfflineIMAP; might still have the UIDs from the previous folder by the
+ same name stored. &OfflineIMAP; will detect this condition and skip the
+ folder. This is GOOD, because it prevents data loss.
+
+
+
+ You can fix it by removing your local folder and cache data. For
+ instance, if your folders are under ~/Folders
+ and the folder with the problem is INBOX, you'd type this:
+
+
+ rm -r ~/Folders/INBOX
+rm -r ~/.offlineimap/AccountName/INBOX
+
+
+ (Of course, replace AccountName with the account name as specified
+ in ~/.offlineimaprc).
+
+
+ Next time you run &OfflineIMAP;, it will re-download
+ the folder with the
+ new UIDs. Note that the procedure specified above will lose any local
+ changes made to the folder.
+
+
+
+ Some IMAP servers are broken and do not support UIDs properly. If you
+ continue to get this error for all your folders even after performing
+ the above procedure, it is likely that your IMAP server falls into
+ this category. &OfflineIMAP; is incompatible with such servers.
+ Using &OfflineIMAP; with them will not destroy any mail, but at the same time,
+ it will not actually synchronize it either. (&OfflineIMAP; will detect
+ this condition and abort prior to synchronization.)
+
+
+
See Also