Pending Publication [CPANEL-30314] Custom webmail app integration issues with cPanel 84 update

[igor-afterlogic]

Hello,

We develop webmail client and provide an installer that makes webmail available to email users.
As part of the installation process, we're placing /var/cpanel/webmail/webmail_alwebmail.yaml with the following content:

displayname => 'AfterLogic Webmail Pro',
url => '/3rdparty/afterlogic/cpanel/cpanel.php',
icon => '/3rdparty/afterlogic/cpanel/cpanelwmlogo.png'

This worked perfectly for years. With the latest cPanel update to 84, it appears that the name of .yaml file is now actually used for forming the navigation URL, users are sent to /3rdparty/alwebmail/ rather than /3rdparty/afterlogic/ - but that issue is easily resolved by renaming the file to webmail_afterlogic.yaml

The actual problem we have now is that url parameter is not honored. Unless "Open my inbox when I log in" option is checked, selecting email client directly will go to /3rdparty/afterlogic/ , not to /3rdparty/afterlogic/cpanel/cpanel.php which is responsible for logging user in. As a result, user is presented with login page of our webmail client, rather than being logged into the interface. We're not sure if anything can be done about it, and whether it's an intended behavior at all.

Smaller problem is, the interface no longer has a header showing quota, user options and logout button. Is it possible to force that header to be displayed, or at least to have a "Webmail Home" button?

--
Regards,
Igor

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hello,

I've reached out the team most familiar with this aspect of the product and the webmail integration with your concerns, I'll update you again once I hear back from them.

Thanks!

 

[igor-afterlogic]

Thank you so much. BTW, the integration tutorial is very helpful, and I believe we'll workaround the smaller issue by showing "Webmail Home" button in our interface directly.

 

[jigster]

We have the same issue with the top webmail bar not showing any more, we need this back urgently as our individual email users can't change password, forwarders etc. We can't allow individual email users access to cpanel where they can change other user's email passwords, so we need that top webmail header bar back with the menu to change password, view quota etc! This must be possible? Any ideas? Thanks

 

[cPanelLauren]

We have the same issue with the top webmail bar not showing any more, we need this back urgently as our individual email users can't change password, forwarders etc. We can't allow individual email users access to cpanel where they can change other user's email passwords, so we need that top webmail header bar back with the menu to change password, view quota etc! This must be possible? Any ideas? Thanks

As far as the webmail home issue is concerned this is addressed in the following documentation: Tutorial - Integrate Custom Webmail Applications - Developer Documentation - cPanel Documentation

Which is the tutorial that was referenced previously.


@igor-afterlogic - I should have an update/more information on your issues today.

 

[jigster]

Thanks. The tutorial you mentioned seems to list how to add a button back to the webmail home, but not how to bring back the top bar that has been at the top of webmail for a long time. We have based a lot around that top bar and need it back! Is that not possible? Thanks for any help or suggestions in getting the webmail top bar back!

 

[cPanelLauren]

Hi @igor-afterlogic

I spoke with one of the developers on the team for this and we ended up opening the internal case ID CPANEL-30314 The 'url' parameter for custom webmail apps is not respected in v84+ 'Open my Inbox' JS function - as a result of this.

it turns out what's occurring is it's no longer recognizing the cpanel.php file (as you discovered) but it will recognize index.php. So until the issue is resolved the only real option is to move cpanel.php to index.php (or symlink it to cpanel.php)

Can you let me know if that's a viable solution for you?

@jigster the removal of the button was intended and done purposely and 3rd party integrations such as what you're referencing would need to add their own. The documentation I shot you sends you information on how to add it as well.

 

[jigster]

We don't develop the third-party roundcube skin we use, so adding custom code is not really a viable option. And we don't want a button anyway, we want the entire webmail top bar back which shows the user's disk space usage and the menu with change password, forwarders etc so everything is on one page. Years ago we were forced to integrate the webmail top bar as part of our webmail because cpanel offered no way to remove it. Now you remove it and don't offer the option to turn it back on!! Having a button is a very poor work around for us and will require a lot of changes to our webmail, support, faqs etc. We don't want users to have yet another page full of information and links to setting up email clients, settings which they find confusting. So to confirm...there is no way to get the old top bar back in Webmail that shows the quota usage, menu, logout button etc? Not even with a hack or adding some code somewhere? Very dissapointed if this is the case. Or no way to downgrade back to an older cpanel version?

 

[cPanelLauren]

We don't develop the third-party roundcube skin we use, so adding custom code is not really a viable option. And we don't want a button anyway, we want the entire webmail top bar back which shows the user's disk space usage and the menu with change password, forwarders etc so everything is on one page. Years ago we were forced to integrate the webmail top bar as part of our webmail because cpanel offered no way to remove it. Now you remove it and don't offer the option to turn it back on!! Having a button is a very poor work around for us and will require a lot of changes to our webmail, support, faqs etc. We don't want users to have yet another page full of information and links to setting up email clients, settings which they find confusting. So to confirm...there is no way to get the old top bar back in Webmail that shows the quota usage, menu, logout button etc? Not even with a hack or adding some code somewhere? Very dissapointed if this is the case. Or no way to downgrade back to an older cpanel version?

I'd suggest opening feature request if this is something you'd like to see brought back, you can do this using the link in my signature. Our development team did indicate that it was intentionally removed and your sentiments have been relayed to them as well.

 

[igor-afterlogic]

First of all, thank you for all the help. We did end up adding "WEBMAIL HOME" button directly into the interface, per the tutorial.

it turns out what's occurring is it's no longer recognizing the cpanel.php file (as you discovered) but it will recognize index.php. So until the issue is resolved the only real option is to move cpanel.php to index.php (or symlink it to cpanel.php)
Can you let me know if that's a viable solution for you?

Well not exactly, in our case cpanel.php contains a special integration code that takes credentials from REMOTE_USER and REMOTE_PASSWORD variables and submits those via API into the application to log user in - while index.php is an actual application file.

What we did is putting our application into a subdirectory, and create index.php in main directory, that includes cpanel.php file. Worked like a charm. Had to play around with a filesystem location change affecting upgrades from older version, but that's not a concern.

Thanks again! Please feel free to close the call.

--
Regards, Igor
Afterlogic Team

 

[cPanelLauren]

What we did is putting our application into a subdirectory, and create index.php in main directory, that includes cpanel.php file. Worked like a charm. Had to play around with a filesystem location change affecting upgrades from older version, but that's not a concern.

I'm so glad you were able to find a suitable workaround. Thank you for updating here what you did to achieve this.

Thanks again! Please feel free to close the call.

You're most welcome, I'm really glad we could help.

I am going to leave this in its current status because it did result in the creation of a case. Once the case is resolved though I'll update here again and then mark this matter as resolved.