# Potential Contract Development Work **URL:** \ **Category:** NGINX\ **Created:** [November 23, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519 "2010-11-23T06:38:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![okkezSS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/85f322/32.png) [@okkezSS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/okkezSS)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519/1 "2010-11-23T06:38:32Z")
After reading through the NGINX MAIL module code, I emailed Evan M. ([http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html](http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html)), George M. ([http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/](http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/)), Joshua Z. ([ZhuZhaoyuan.com is for sale | HugeDomains](http://blog.zhuzhaoyuan.com/tag/nginx/)) and the mailing list ([NGINX and IMAP](http://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,5651,5651#msg-5651)) as well as a few other module developers for some clarity on how to extend the MAIL modules. Based on the feedback I have received, I see that there isn’t a clear model for easily extending the MAIL modules like there is for the HTTP modules. I want to be able to create a module to extend the MAIL functionality to include regex rewrite-like functionality like there is in the HTTP modules. I realize that Igor is a busy man but eventually I wrote to him to ask if he has plans to add chain output buffers or similar structure to the MAIL module API to allow for more easily extending the functionality. He has yet to respond. With the state of things in the MAIL API, there are two routes to address modifying the requests and responses proxied by NGINX: 1. add a chained out buffers and a structure to allow for registering additional modules of functionality, to which additional modules could be written to handle desired outcomes; or 2. modify the existing source code to scan line by line through the requests and responses (like NGINX does today for the NOOP, LOGIN, AUTHENTICATE commands) and handle each case individually. I would prefer to see the option #1 taken so as to open up a whole new front for NGINX development but I am not certain there is community support for this. I would like to hear from you if you have interest in extending the MAIL API to handle Modules like the HTTP API does. Given the lack of interest thus far I am sceptical of community interest in extending the MAIL API to handle additional processing via modules like the HTTP API. If you have an interest in helping with this model, please speak up. Short of community support for extending the MAIL API materializing, I would be interested in knowing if there are any developers willing/interested in modifying the source in ngx\_mail\_parse.c (and other locations as needed) to accommodate additional proxied commands. In particular, I need to at least handle intercepting the following IMAP commands: (IMAP commands listed in order of priority) [list] [_] list \<4\> - response - substitute text during response from upstream servers [_] select \<6\> - request - substitute text during request examine \<7\> - request - substitute text during request [_] status \<6\> - request & response - substitute text during request and response [_] copy \<4\> - request - substitute text during request [/list] example: ```auto switch (p - c) { case 4: vif ((c[0] == 'N' || c[0] == 'n') && (c[1] == 'O'|| c[1] == 'o') && (c[2] == 'O'|| c[2] == 'o') && (c[3] == 'P'|| c[3] == 'p')) { s->command = NGX_IMAP_NOOP; } else if ((c[0] == 'C' || c[0] == 'c') && (c[1] == 'O'|| c[1] == 'o') && (c[2] == 'P'|| c[2] == 'p') && (c[3] == 'Y'|| c[3] == 'y')) { .... } ``` Any takers? Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Potential Contract Development Work](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,152559,152559#msg-152559)** > > After reading through the NGINX MAIL module code, I emailed Evan Miller (http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html), George Malamidis (http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/), Joshua Zhu (http://blog.zhuzhaoyuan.com/tag/nginx/) and... ---
**Author:** ![brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brainjuice)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519/2 "2010-11-23T14:00:51Z")
Hello! On Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 12:37:01AM -0500, brainjuice wrote: > there is in the HTTP modules. > Mail module currently supports extension via adding new protocols > (and this is how pop3, imap and smtp are implemented as of nginx > 0.6.12+). This is clear, though somewhat limited model. Individual protocol modules currently aren’t extendable and designed to handle exactly one task (i.e. similar to http handler modules). Handling some other task (e.g. dummy smtp service which will return “450 Try again later” to all commands) may be done via registering additional protocol. > be written to handle desired outcomes; or > extending the MAIL API to handle additional processing via modules like > > (IMAP commands listed in order of priority) > [list] > [_] list \<4\> - response - substitute text during response from upstream > servers > [_] select \<6\> - request - substitute text during request > examine \<7\> - request - substitute text during request > [_] status \<6\> - request & response - substitute text during request and > response > [_] copy \<4\> - request - substitute text during request > [/list] Intercepting IMAP commands will require nginx to understand the whole IMAP protocol syntax and keep appropriate state when proxying to/from backend. This is not something impossible, but this is not something currently done. Right now nginx only tries to understand authentication and then establishes opaque pipe to backend. If you want to implement intercepting IMAP proxy I would recommend taking the following route: 1. Start writing additional protocol handler which will be able to do this. 2. Cleanup rough edges you’ll find during this work. This will certanly include extending ngx\_mail\_parse.c to understand more protocol details, and may include adding some extra callbacks. Maxim D. ---
**Author:** ![brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brainjuice)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519/3 "2010-11-24T00:06:18Z")
Maxim, Thanks for the clarification of the abstraction on protocol extensions within the MAIL module. For my specific purposes, I am seeking to be able to hide special folders (always labeled the same) that are used for administrative purposes in mailboxes. I don’t believe that this requires statefulness from connection to connection but rather the ability to watch for specific IMAP commands requests (as is already the case) and modify the behavior and/or intercept the results and manipulate them slightly before returning the modified upstream response. Regarding modifying NGINX code, I appreciate the concept of encapsulating the changes needed as much as possible. As I provided in my example (which originally contained no COPY command) I believe the desired construct exists for what I am wanting to do but I just don’t have the skills to effectively complete the task. So, my hope is to see if there are others that would be served by a more generalized abstraction model with the MAIL module and/or are there developers out there willing to help with this project. Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Re: Potential Contract Development Work](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,152559,152814#msg-152814)** > > After reading through the NGINX MAIL module code, I emailed Evan Miller (http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html), George Malamidis (http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/), Joshua Zhu (http://blog.zhuzhaoyuan.com/tag/nginx/) and... ---
**Author:** ![brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brainjuice)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519/4 "2011-02-08T00:27:39Z")
BUMP Seeing if there are any devs out there that interested in work related to extending IMAP functionality in NGINX. If so, check out the full thread > **[Potential Contract Development Work](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,152559)** > > After reading through the NGINX MAIL module code, I emailed Evan Miller (http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html), George Malamidis (http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/), Joshua Zhu (http://blog.zhuzhaoyuan.com/tag/nginx/) and... Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Re: Potential Contract Development Work](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,152559,173053#msg-173053)** > > After reading through the NGINX MAIL module code, I emailed Evan Miller (http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html), George Malamidis (http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/), Joshua Zhu (http://blog.zhuzhaoyuan.com/tag/nginx/) and... ---
**Author:** ![brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brainjuice)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519/5 "2010-11-24T02:28:10Z")
Hello! On Tue, Nov 23, 2010 at 06:04:54PM -0500, brainjuice wrote: > before returning the modified upstream response. > If you want to “watch for specific IMAP commands” you have to know > current state of protocol, else you won’t be able to distinguish > commands from e.g. message bodies. Maxim D. ---
**Author:** ![brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/a587f6/32.png) [@brainjuice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brainjuice)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 10:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/potential-contract-development-work/199519/6 "2011-02-08T10:05:20Z")
Dear brainjuice! Could you contact me per mail removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid regarding extending the IMAP functionality? Thanks in advance! Posted at Nginx Forum: > **[Re: Potential Contract Development Work](https://forum.nginx.org/read.php?2,152559,173119#msg-173119)** > > After reading through the NGINX MAIL module code, I emailed Evan Miller (http://evanmiller.org/nginx-modules-guide.html), George Malamidis (http://nutrun.com/weblog/hello-world-nginx-module/), Joshua Zhu (http://blog.zhuzhaoyuan.com/tag/nginx/) and...