Question regarding "specialuse_protect"

[email protected] Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:34:47 -0400
Newsgroups gmane.mail.imap.cyrus
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:34:47 -0400
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Dear list,

I have a question regarding the proper usage of "specialuse_protect"


In /etc/imapd.conf I have set the following:


specialuse_protect: \Archive \Drafts \Important \Junk \Sent \Trash

... and restarted cyrus-imapd

Then I created an "Archive" mailbox under my user account and set the metad=
ata (the \Archive flag)

cm user/johndoe/Archive
setmetadata --private user/johndoe/Archive specialuse "\\Archive"

I am using cyrus 3.6.1-4 in Debian Bookworm.

As per my understanding of the docs, this option would prevent users from d=
eleting mailboxes with the respective flag(s) set, however I am still able =
to delete the "Archive" mailbox.

Am I missing something crucial here?

Thanks and best regards,

Alex
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Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:34:47 -0400
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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html><html><html><body><div>Dear list,<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I =
have a question regarding the proper usage of &quot;specialuse_protect&quot=
;<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In /etc/imapd.conf I ha=
ve set the following:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><co=
de style=3D"border-radius:3px;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:1px 3px;backgro=
und:#f6f6f6;font-family:menlo,consolas,monospace;font-size:90%;">specialuse=
_protect: \Archive \Drafts \Important \Junk \Sent \Trash</code><br /></div>=
<div><br /></div><div>... and restarted cyrus-imapd</div><div><br /></div><=
div>Then I created an &quot;Archive&quot; mailbox under my user account and=
 set the metadata (the \Archive flag)<br /></div><div><br /></div><pre styl=
e=3D"margin:7px 0;border-radius:3px;border:1px solid #ccc;padding:7px 10px;=
background:#f6f6f6;font-family:menlo,consolas,monospace;font-size:90%;white=
-space:pre-wrap;word-wrap:break-word;overflow-wrap:break-word;">cm user/joh=
ndoe/Archive
setmetadata --private user/johndoe/Archive specialuse &quot;\\Archive&quot;=
</pre><div><br /></div><div>I am using cyrus 3.6.1-4 in Debian Bookworm.<br=
 /></div><div><br /></div><div>As per my understanding of the docs, this op=
tion would prevent users from deleting mailboxes with the respective flag(s=
) set, however I am still able to delete the &quot;Archive&quot; mailbox.<b=
r /></div><div><br /></div><div>Am I missing something crucial here?<br /><=
/div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks and best regards,<br /></div><div><br /><=
/div><div>Alex</div><div id=3D"topicbox-footer" style=3D"margin:10px 0 0;bo=
rder-top:1px solid #ddd;border-color:rgba(0,0,0,.15);padding:7px 0;">

<strong><a href=3D"https://cyrus.topicbox.com/latest" style=3D"color:inheri=
t;text-decoration:none">Cyrus</a></strong>
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