Storing complex data as folder annotations

[Gunnar Wrobel]

Hi,

as a follow up on the recent IMAP folder annotations discussions in  
kolab-devel@ I'd like to propose extending the format so that we avoid  
misusing the IMAP METADATA RFC. I did not invest much time into this  
proposal and I see it as a rough idea for starting the discussions.

I'd like to add a new Kolab format definition named "metadata". This  
would be the xml format:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata version="1.0">
   <!-- Common fields -->
   <uid>(string, no default)</uid>
   <creation-date>(datetime, no default)</creation-date>
   <last-modification-date>(datetime, no default)</last-modification-date>
   <product-id>(string, default empty)</product-id>

   <!-- Metadata specific fields -->
   {<element>
     <name>(string)</name>
     <value>(complex)</value>
     <client>(string, default empty)</client>
   </element>}
</metadata>

The "<value>" node could contain arbitrary complex XML. Clients would  
be free to store their specific data in this node. Any new value  
should however be documented in the Kolab wiki. If several clients  
need to store/access the same configuration value they are free to do  
so and they may ignore the "client" node (it must not be rewritten  
however). Any configurations of general use might be included into the  
Kolab format at some point and get "official" this way.

On IMAP servers that do not support the METADATA extension the  
"metadata" object can be used to store ALL annotations on a folder.

The mail with the "metadata" XML attachment always has the ID "METADATA".

Cheers,

Gunnar

-- 
______ http://kdab.com _______________ http://kolab-konsortium.com _

p at rdus Kolab work is funded in part by KDAB and the Kolab Konsortium

____ http://www.pardus.de _________________ http://gunnarwrobel.de _
E-mail : p at rdus.de                                 Dr. Gunnar Wrobel
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