Even if you use it standalone, having a small dovecot.conf file, configured, might work. Anyways, -o mail_driver=maildir (as it suggests) would help. mail_location was split into multiple settings in 2.4.
Aki > On 11/07/2026 10:15 EEST Michael Merz via dovecot <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hello Aki, > > Good news: after installing Dovecot 2.4.4 from repo.dovecot.org, the (?i) > regex errors are gone. PCRE appears to be working correctly now. > However, sieve-test now fails with a different error: > > sieve-test: Fatal: mail_driver not set and autodetection failed: > Mail storage autodetection failed (home=/home/micha, mail_path=) > - Set mail_driver explicitly > > I am invoking sieve-test as follows: > > sieve-test \ > -x "fileinto regex copy body variables imap4flags editheader" \ > -e \ > -t /tmp/trace.txt \ > ~/sieve-test/rules/v4_1_7.sieve \ > <mail.eml> > > I have also tried -o mail_location=maildir:~/sieve-test/mailbox and -o > plugin/mail_location=maildir:~/sieve-test/mailbox, both of which > produce "Unknown setting" errors. > > I am not running a Dovecot mail server — I am using sieve-test purely as an > offline testing tool without any Dovecot server configuration. > > Could you advise on the correct way to set mail_driver (or mail_location) for > sieve-test 2.4.4 in a standalone/serverless context? > > Thank you very much. > > Best regards, > Michael Merz > [email protected] > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: Aki Tuomi via dovecot <[email protected]> > Gesendet: Freitag, 10. Juli 2026 19:44 > An: [email protected]; Michael Merz via dovecot <[email protected]> > Cc: Stephan Bosch <[email protected]> > Betreff: Re: AW: AW: sieve-test (Pigeonhole) on Ubuntu: PCRE support and > address test restrictions on Return-Path > > Although I did test this: > > MATCH_CASE("(?i)hello", "HELLO"), > MATCH_CASE("^(?i)\\[(.*)\\] (.*)$", "[acme-users] [fwd]: > hello, world"), > > > and did not get any complaints from the library itself. So there is some > other reason for it to fail. > > Aki > > > On 10/07/2026 20:40 EEST Aki Tuomi <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > A sieve style of doing (?i) is > > > > if header :regex :comparator "i;ascii-casemap" "from" "<regex>" { } > > > > you can also use unicode-casemap for unicode. > > > > Aki > > > > > On 10/07/2026 20:24 EEST Michael Merz via dovecot <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hello Aki, > > > > > > Thank you for the clarification — that is very encouraging news. > > > Here are concrete examples of the regular expressions used in my ruleset, > > > along with the sieve-test error messages they produce: > > > > > > Example 1 — header :regex test: > > > > > > if header :regex "X-Spam-Status" "(?i)score=[1-9]" { > > > > > > Error: invalid regular expression '(?i)score=[1-9]' for regex match: > > > invalid preceding regular expression > > > > > > Example 2 — header :regex test: > > > > > > if header :regex "from" "(?i)groups\.google\.com" { > > > > > > Error: invalid regular expression '(?i)groups\.google\.com' for regex > > > match: > > > invalid preceding regular expression > > > > > > Example 3 — header :regex test with anchoring: > > > > > > if header :regex "subject" "^(?i)(re|fwd):" { > > > > > > Error: invalid regular expression '^(?i)(re|fwd):' for regex match: > > > invalid preceding regular expression > > > > > > All errors follow the same pattern: the (?i) inline flag for > > > case-insensitive matching is rejected regardless of its position in the > > > expression or the header being tested. > > > > > > The full require statement at the top of the script is: > > > > > > require ["fileinto", "reject", "vacation", "regex", "copy", > > > "body", "variables", "imap4flags", "editheader"]; > > > > > > sieve-test is invoked as follows: > > > > > > sieve-test \ > > > -x "fileinto regex copy body variables imap4flags editheader" \ > > > -t /tmp/trace.txt \ > > > ~/sieve-test/rules/v4_0_13.sieve \ > > > <mail.eml> > > > > > > Dovecot version: 2:2.4.4-5+ubuntu24.04 (from repo.dovecot.org) > > > Ubuntu: 24.04.3 LTS (Noble), WSL2 > > > > > > Thank you very much for looking into this. > > > > > > Best regards, > > > Michael Merz > > > [email protected] > > > > > > Michael Merz > > > Bargkoppel 15, 22844 Norderstedt > > > Mobil 0172 4049171 > > > > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > > > Von: Aki Tuomi via dovecot <[email protected]> > > > Gesendet: Freitag, 10. Juli 2026 19:16 > > > An: [email protected]; Michael Merz via dovecot > > > <[email protected]> > > > Cc: Stephan Bosch <[email protected]> > > > Betreff: Re: AW: sieve-test (Pigeonhole) on Ubuntu: PCRE support and > > > address test restrictions on Return-Path > > > > > > Build options does not include all build options, unfortunately. "invalid > > > preceding regular expression" means the PCRE is available, the error > > > would be clear that there is no PCRE support if it was missing. > > > > > > Can you provide the exact regular expression, and how you are using it? > > > > > > Aki > > > > > > > On 10/07/2026 20:06 EEST Michael Merz via dovecot <[email protected]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Hello Aki, > > > > > > > > Thank you for the pointer to https://repo.dovecot.org. > > > > I have now installed Dovecot 2.4.4 from the official repository on > > > > Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble) and can confirm that the packages are > > > > available and install correctly. > > > > However, checking the build options shows that PCRE support is not > > > > included: > > > > > > > > $ dovecot --build-options > > > > Build options: ioloop=epoll notify=inotify experimental-imap4rev2 > > > > openssl io_block_size=8192 > > > > SQL driver plugins: mysql postgresql sqlite > > > > Passdb: ldap pam passwd passwd-file sql > > > > Userdb: ldap(plugin) passwd prefetch passwd-file sql > > > > > > > > There is no PCRE entry, and sieve-test still rejects all (?i) inline > > > > flags in regex expressions with "invalid preceding regular expression". > > > > May I ask: is PCRE support intentionally not included in the official > > > > Dovecot/Pigeonhole packages, or is this an oversight in the build > > > > configuration? > > > > If PCRE is not planned to be included, is there a recommended > > > > alternative approach for achieving case-insensitive regex matching in > > > > Pigeonhole's sieve-test that would be compatible with Cyrus IMAPd's > > > > PCRE-based regex syntax? > > > > > > > > Thank you again for your help. > > > > Best regards, > > > > Michael Merz > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > > > > Von: Aki Tuomi via dovecot <[email protected]> > > > > Gesendet: Freitag, 10. Juli 2026 06:51 > > > > An: Michael Merz <[email protected]>; Michael Merz via dovecot > > > > <[email protected]>; Stephan Bosch <[email protected]> > > > > Betreff: Re: sieve-test (Pigeonhole) on Ubuntu: PCRE support and > > > > address test restrictions on Return-Path > > > > > > > > You can get 2.4.4 packages for ubuntu 24.04 from > > > > https://repo.dovecot.org > > > > > > > > Aki > > > > > > > > > On 09/07/2026 22:21 EEST Michael Merz via dovecot > > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dear Stephan, > > > > > > > > > > Thank you very much for your quick and helpful response. > > > > > > > > > > Regarding point 1 (PCRE support), your comment that Ubuntu 24.04 is > > > > > "likely stuck at a quite old version of Pigeonhole" raises a > > > > > follow-up question: > > > > > > > > > > From which version of Pigeonhole onwards is PCRE support included by > > > > > default (i.e. compiled in without requiring an explicit --with-pcre > > > > > flag)? And is there an official repository, PPA, or recommended way > > > > > to obtain a more recent Pigeonhole/dovecot-sieve binary for Ubuntu > > > > > 24.04 LTS that would include PCRE support out of the box? > > > > > > > > > > Regarding point 2 (Return-Path / envelope test): thank you for the > > > > > pointer. I understand that the envelope test would be the > > > > > RFC-compliant alternative within Pigeonhole. However, since my > > > > > ruleset runs on a Cyrus backend where the address test on Return-Path > > > > > works fine, this would mean maintaining two different versions of the > > > > > ruleset — one for production (Cyrus) and one for offline testing > > > > > (Pigeonhole). That somewhat defeats the purpose of offline testing, > > > > > so I mention it only for completeness. > > > > > > > > > > The key question therefore remains whether a PCRE-enabled Pigeonhole > > > > > binary is realistically obtainable for Ubuntu 24.04, as that would > > > > > resolve the main blocker. > > > > > > > > > > Thank you again for your time. > > > > > > > > > > Best regards, > > > > > Michael Merz > > > > > > > > > > von meinem iPad Pro 4Gen gesendet > > > > > > > > > > > Am 09.07.2026 um 18:39 schrieb Stephan Bosch <[email protected]>: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Op 29-6-2026 om 09:56 schreef michael.merz--- via dovecot: > > > > > >> Hello, > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> I've been evaluating sieve-test (Pigeonhole, dovecot-sieve > > > > > >> package, > > > > > >> version 2.3.21, as shipped with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS) as an offline > > > > > >> testing > > > > > >> tool for a personal Sieve ruleset that currently runs on a > > > > > >> Cyrus IMAPd/CMU > > > > > >> Sieve 3.0 backend. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Different implementation and design choices will mean that Dovecot > > > > > > has a different opinion what is a valid Sieve script and how it is > > > > > > to be evaluated than Cyrus, making this problematic. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I'd like to ask for some clarification on two points, in case > > > > > >> I'm missing > > > > > >> a configuration option. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> 1) PCRE support > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> My ruleset makes extensive use of the `(?i)` inline > > > > > >> case-insensitivity > > > > > >> flag within :regex tests, which is valid under PCRE (as used by > > > > > >> Cyrus). > > > > > >> > > > > > >> When running sieve-test, I get: > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> error: invalid regular expression '(?i)...' for regex match: > > > > > >> > > > > > >> invalid preceding regular expression. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Checking `dovecot --build-options` shows no PCRE entry, which > > > > > >> suggests the > > > > > >> Ubuntu-packaged binary was compiled without --with-pcre and > > > > > >> falls back to > > > > > >> POSIX extended regex. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Question: Is PCRE support in Pigeonhole's regex extension > > > > > >> purely a > > > > > >> compile-time decision (i.e. something that would need to be > > > > > >> addressed at > > > > > >> the distribution packaging level, not via runtime > > > > > >> configuration), or is > > > > > >> there a runtime way to enable PCRE matching that I might have > > > > > >> missed (e.g. > > > > > >> via -o, sieve_extensions, or similar)? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It is strictly compile-time configured. I didn't implement the PCRE > > > > > > migration myself, but I don't think there is a POSIX regex fallback > > > > > > for it. This likely means your Ubuntu version is still stuck at a > > > > > > quite old version of Pigeonhole. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> 2) Return-Path in the `address` test > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Several of my rules use: > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> address :domain :is "return-path" "..." > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Cyrus accepts this. Pigeonhole's sieve-test rejects it with: > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> error: specified header 'return-path' is not allowed for > > > > > >> the > > > > > >> > > > > > >> address test. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> I understand this is likely an RFC 5228 strictness difference > > > > > >> (Cyrus being > > > > > >> more permissive than the RFC requires). > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Is there a recommended alternative within Sieve itself to > > > > > >> achieve the same > > > > > >> effect (testing the address portion of Return-Path) while > > > > > >> staying within > > > > > >> what Pigeonhole accepts -- e.g. via the `header` test combined > > > > > >> with some > > > > > >> address-parsing approach, or via the envelope test instead? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Envelope test is best if you want to use address matching. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> For context: I'm not running a Dovecot mail server myself. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> I'm using sieve-test purely as an offline syntax/behaviour > > > > > >> verification > > > > > >> tool before deploying ruleset changes to a separate Cyrus-based > > > > > >> production > > > > > >> system. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> I understand this is a bit of an unusual use case, so any > > > > > >> guidance on > > > > > >> whether Pigeonhole is well suited for this kind of > > > > > >> cross-implementation > > > > > >> testing at all would also be appreciated. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Thank you for your time and for maintaining Pigeonhole. > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Best regards, > > > > > >> > > > > > >> Michael Merz > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> _______________________________________________ > > > > > >> dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe > > > > > >> send an email to [email protected] > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send > > > > > an email to [email protected] > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an > > > > email to [email protected] > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an > > > > email to [email protected] > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an > > > email to [email protected] > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an > > > email to [email protected] > > _______________________________________________ > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to > [email protected] > > _______________________________________________ > dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] _______________________________________________ dovecot mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
