[imp] smtphost parameter not working

[Jochen Roderburg]

Hello all,

Since ages we have the "smtphost" parameter in the server definitions in
imp/config/server.php with the explanation:

* smtphost: If specified, and $conf['mailer']['type'] is set to 'smtp',
* IMP will use this host for outbound SMTP connections.  This value
* overrides any existing $conf['mailer']['params']['host'] value at
* runtime.

Recently I wanted to change this parameter and found out that it actually
does *not* work in this way, it does *not* seem to override the parameter
set in config/horde.php. The system *always* uses the contents of
$conf['mailer']['params']['host'] as SMTP server name.

When I put something wrong there, I get an error message with this wrong
name, when I put an empty string there, I get an error message with no name.
When I do not specify the parameter at all, I get no error, but it silently
switches to "sendmail" mode.

This is in our production system here, which is still Horde 2.2 / IMP 3.2.
But I have also the latest version horde-webmail 1.2 in test, and this shows
the same behaviour.

I have searched the mail archives and general in Google and saw that this
issue has been discussed before, but as often there was no solution.
I have looked at the few places in the program where this parameter is
handled and at first look the code looks correct, but the practical end
results are not.

What puzzles me it that such an error seems to have stayed unooticed and
unchanged for many years now.  Are we the only IMP installation in the world
which uses SMTP for outgoing mail?

Jochen Roderburg
ZAIK/RRZK
University of Cologne
Robert-Koch-Str. 10             Tel.:   +49-221/478-7024
D-50931 Koeln                   E-Mail: Roderburg at Uni-Koeln.DE
Germany