Configuring Kontact

To start Kontact, choose Internet->Mail->Kontact from the main menu. The first time you start Kontact, a configuration window will pop up (see Figure 10.1, “The Kontact groupware Window”).

Initial configuration

Figure 10.1. The Kontact groupware Window

The Kontact groupware Window

There are two possible type of configuration:

Enable groupware functions

Check this if you plan on using a Kolab groupware server. We will detail that configuration in the section called “Configuring Kontact to Work with Kolab”.

Disable groupware functions

If you plan on using Kontact standalone with standard mail servers, choose this option. We will detail that configuration in the section called “Configuring Kontact to Work Standalone”.

Configuring Kontact to Work with Kolab

The first dialog asks for some personal information. This is the information which will be shown to your contacts when sending email.

Figure 10.2. Kontact's Kolab configuration

Kontact's Kolab configuration

The next one asks for the authentication information to contact the Kolab server. Ask your network administrator for this information.

Figure 10.3. The Kontact Configuration Window

The Kontact Configuration Window

Finally the full mail configuration dialog will appear.

Enter your name, organization and e-mail address. This information constitutes your public profile. If you wish e-mail replies to be sent to a different address, fill in the Reply-to address field with the alternative e-mail address. If you want copies of your messages to be sent to another e-mail address automatically, fill the Mail-copies-to field with that address.

You can specify a signature to be added to the messages you send either from a file or as a text message. To add a text signature, select the Specify signature below option and write your signature in the input field.

To add a signature file, select the Use a signature from file option and enter the name of the file in the Signature file field or click on the Choose button to browse to the desired signature file.

You have now filled in the basic configuration information necessary for running Kontact. Using this configuration window it's also possible to set:

  • news and SMTP servers (Accounts section);

  • the visual appearance of Kontact (Appearance section);

  • configuration information for reading and posting news (Reading News and Posting News sections);

  • privacy settings for signing and encrypting messages (Signing/Verifying section);

  • article expiration settings, for example in order to save disk space (Cleanup section).

Set the options as required, and click on OK once you're satisfied with your settings. The main Kontact window will now be shown (Figure 10.5, “The Kontact Summary Component”).

Configuring Kontact to Work Standalone

The first dialog asks for some personal details. This is what will be shown to your contacts when sending email.

Figure 10.4. Kontact's Kolab configuration

Kontact's Kolab configuration

You will need to define one outgoing account, and at least one incoming account. Your Internet service provider should have provided you with the required information.

Kontact Interface

Figure 10.5. The Kontact Summary Component

The Kontact Summary Component

By default Kontact opens to the Summary component. In the right hand panel you see a list of new messages, birthdays and anniversaries, pending appointments and notes. In the left hand panel are some icons which allow you to open Kontact's components.

Importing Kolab IMAP Resources

To take full advantage of Kolab, you should now direct KMail –– Kontact's mail component –– to import:

  1. Click the Mail icon in the left hand panel

  2. Click Configure Kmail in the Settings menu.

  3. Click the Misc icon in the configure Kontact window.

  4. Click the Groupware tab.

    Figure 10.6. Enable Kontact Groupware Settings

    Enable Kontact Groupware Settings
  5. Select the Enable IMAP resource functionality check-box.

  6. Select a resource folder for the IMAP folders.

  7. Select the Enable groupware functionality check-box.

KMail is now configured to synchronize with a Kolab installation.

Configuring the Kontact Calendar

The groupware functions of the Kontact Calendar permit you to synchronize free or busy information with other users. This allows you to take into account calendar information of other users when organizing events. The configuration to communicate with a Kolab server has already been done during initial configuration.

To ensure that calendar and to-do events are synchronized via the Kolab server. In the Kontact interface:

  1. Click the Calendar icon in the left hand panel of the Kontact window.

  2. Click the Add button at the bottom of the right hand panel.

  3. In the Resource Configuration dialog, select, Calendar on IMAP-server via Kmail.

  4. Click OK.

Kontact is now configured to work with the Kolab Server.