Latest 7.1 release causing Microsoft Authorization Requests.

I just updated one of my 3 licensed machines to the latest release 7.1.30794.0.

I was previously at the latest 7.0 release. The problem is now that for one of my email accounts, I keep getting message to sign into my Microsoft account (which I don’t have).  I don’t use Microsoft for email at all.

My calendar sync is now not working from this machine. I need to fallback right away until this error is fixed can you help me with this process?

The [email protected] is an account I have with my internet provider. They use a Zimbra server so I don’t see why Microsoft would be involved at all.

Zimbra servers use ActiveSync, which was the old protocol used by Outlook.com, Hotmail, etc. (all old Microsoft accounts).  Microsoft changed all of these accounts over to Exchange and eM Client no longer supports ActiveSync.

In order to connect to a Zimbra server, you will need to use an early version 7.0.

Thanks Jay. I would like to hear that from an Official Rep though. ActiveSync is still used by many email servers that are in wide use - not just Micrsoft. Since everything was working before, I don’t see why they changed it.

 I should also say that the AirSync tab is still on my email account with the same settings I had before so it looks to me like it is still supported since the TAB is still there.

But that is only one problem. I am now being asked to sign on to a Microsoft account by Microsoft. This seems like quite a security issue a well since Microsoft and I have nothing to do with each as far as email is concerned. Why is Em Client reaching out to Microsoft anyway for an account that has nothing to do with Microsoft?

I would like to fallback as this version of Em Client is near useless for me without Calendars and contacts syncing across devices. Would like to know how to do that.

Hopefully, a rep will respond.  You might try a pro support ticket as they generally respond quite quickly to that.

I’m not sure what there is a request to login to a Microsoft account, but since that was a protocol eM Client typically associated to Microsoft accounts, maybe the answer lies there.

I’m not sure that eM Client would ever restore the ActiveSync capabilities, but you never know.  Companies can’t be all things to everyone, so they may have made the business decision that that segment of the market is too small to continue to support.

Thanks Jay. I did post the problem on the Pro Support site but sometimes I get more help from the community and quicker I might add.

It’s an odd business decision to say the least. If I can not sync calendars an contacts across devices then Em Client is useless for me and I would suspect for any business person as well. If you require a Microsoft Outlook account, then why bother with Em Client?

To me, the usefulness of this product was that I could use a non-Microsoft product to do everything that Outlook could do across all of my devices. My internet provider probably has  millions of subscribers all using Zimbra email (they can’t be the only one in the world either). My Webhost service like many others  uses Horde. Every cell phone I have tried (Blackberry, Samsung, iPhone) uses ActiveSync in some form as I have been able to sync my calendar and contacts to these phones (all with different operating systems). Pretty big market I would say. 

Without ActiveSync which these services and devices all support, anyone wanting to sync calendars and contacts may as well just get an Outlook account and forget Em Client. Not a great business path I would say.

My only comment is that they do support more than just Microsoft, specifically IMAP and POP3 which, between those three probably make up 90% of the email server install base.  So, I’m not sure the ActiveSync market is as big as you might think.

That being said, it seems that if they had ActiveSync support, leaving it would not be a huge deal.

Hello Randy,

I would like to point out that ActiveSync was not supported by eM Client before the last update. There was a workaround that allowed using this service with eM Client with the older version but it is no more available after the update. I am sorry to say that but for Microsoft services you will have to use the Exchange protocol. 

Regards,
Russel

Russel,

First, I would like to say that you folks should have warned people before the update that you were discontinuing ActiveSync with the 7.1 release (although the ActiveSync tab is still there on my email account). Second, I don’t know why you would do this since using an Exchange server runs only on Microsoft Server systems. ActiveSync runs on numerous other email servers.

You are forcing anyone needing calendar and contact syncing to a Microsoft email system i.e. Outlook. This negates the need to have Em Client. Why on earth would you folks do that? All you had to do was leave the ActiveSync alone.

How can I fall back to the previous version I had which was 7.0.28822.0?

Randy-- the version you want is still on the website available for download (earlier ones too).  Go to:  http://www.emclient.com/release-history.  Simply uninstall the newer version and reinstall the old version.  Data should be totally left intact.  One thing, I really don’t understand this comment:

“You are forcing anyone needing calendar and contact syncing to a Microsoft email system i.e. Outlook. This negates the need to have Em Client. Why on earth would you folks do that? All you had to do was leave the ActiveSync alone”

I don’t know why you say you must sync to a Microsoft account for calendar and contacts.  I use IMAP with a non-Microsoft account and everything is good.  Also supports CALDAV/CARDAV.

Jay,

Thanks for the help on falling back. I really appreciate it. I wonder if that will affect my licensing?

Regarding my comment. IMAP does not support calendar and contact syncing only email. I presume you don’t sync your calendar or contacts across several devices as I do.

I have a cell phone, a laptop and a desk top computer. The computers have Em Client installed. So when I make an update to a calendar on my phone, it updates my computers and vice versa. More importantly when a client sends me a meeting invite, I can accept the invite (can’t accept with IMAP) which updates my calendar on all of my devices.

Not all cell phones support CalDAV and CardDAV (my doesn’t). My internet/email provider does not support CalDAV or CardDAV either. I have checked with other major internet providers and my webhost provider and they don’t either.  So, CardDAV and CalDAV are not widely adopted although it seems to me to be a great solution to Microsoft’s dominance with these services using the Exchange server.

That means if I want - and who doesn’t - to use and sync my calendar and contacts across multiple devices, the easiest thing to do is to get Outlook at this point. No screwing around trying to get this and that working - it just does. Hence, I am being “forced” to a Microsoft solution.

It is just beyond me why they wouldn’t keep this function in Em Client. It was working just fine. Maybe some casual users don’t need these services but my guess is most do and for sure in the business world it is a must have.

I like Em Client but now I don’t see the point of it. My older neighbour just bought a new computer and ask me to help install some software. I told them that we need to get him a an Em Client license but that’s gone now. Super disappointing.

I should also add that I wrote the instructions for my internet/email provider on how to use Em Client with their Zimbra email server. I received a lot of positive feedback from email users. I will now have to update those instructions to say that Em Client no longer works with ActiveSync.

Your license should be fine-- it is for the 7.x version, not just 7.0 or 7.1. 

I use gmail and it supports the sync of calendars and contacts just fine.  I think gmail uses CALDAV/CARDAV, but it is transparent to the user.  Setting up the account as IMAP automatically sets up the sync for contacts and calendars.  Not sure how other email services work, but I rarely see issues with syncing these items.

I understand your frustration in your situation.

Jay,

Thanks again.

I believe Em Client has a specific set up for GMAIL accounts (look under Mail when setting up new accounts) so you are probably right.

I don’t use GMAIL because it is insecure to say the least which may be OK if you’re OK with the government and Google reading all your email.

I will see what the folks here at Em Client have to say. I am looking for a new client and looking at some possible workarounds in the meantime.

I don’t know, but if you look at this looks like CALDAV/CARDAV are pretty well supported (even by Zimbra!!).  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_CalDAV_and_CardDAV_implementations

Hello Randy,

What I tried to say with my last post was that ActiveSync was never supported by eM Client before. It was just possible to use it because of a simple workaround but it is no more possible with the new update, where we focused on other protocols that we officially support. 

To your questions: If you wish to downgrade to older version, you need to uninstall the app first and then install the version of your choice. Your database will be left at the place so you don’t need to be worried about your data.

If you own 7.x licence, all versions of version 7 will work fine for you.

Regards,
Russel

Zimbra supports it alright just like Horde and others but often these elements are not supported by all ISPs who use Zimbra (or other email servers). I have a webhosting service that uses Horde which supports both ActiveSync and CalDav and CardDav but they have not implemented the support for either of these protocols.

My cell doesn’t support CalDav and CardDAV. Solution? Just leave ActiveSync alone.

I have been checking out alternatives to eM Client.

Russel,

First, thank you for answering my questions about how to fall back. I very much appreciate it.

I understand what you said but it doesn’t seem to square with the releases of eM Client. If ActiveSync is not supported, then why is there a TAB for it in the Account set up? Wouldn’t it be gone? Why have it there if it isn’t supported?

Anyway, it’s too bad as I see quite a few people here are running into problems with the lack of ActiveSync support. Even the cheapest cell phone email clients support ActiveSync. It really blows me away that a sophisticated program like eM Client wouldn’t do so.

Just so you know. It is not as easy as falling back versions. The database changed with the newer version and the older version won’t work with it. You have to also fall back on the database.

Yeah, sometimes the database format changes and it is not possible to rollback to a much earlier version.

The best solution in that case is to export any local data before uninstalling.

Well Since I do not delete the email on my email server(s). It is really just easier to sync with the email server with a new installation. It will take a while to download all of the emails and attachments and such but it is pretty easy.

In any case, I no longer update emClient past version 7.0.28822.0. They broke the ActiveSync feature so you can no longer sync calendars and contacts among devices.