[Users] Gmail OAuth2 Authorization Errors

[Dustin Miller]

On Sat, 9 Apr 2022 06:35:28 +0100
Rosemary Lockie via Users <users at lists.claws-mail.org> wrote:

> On Sat, 9 Apr 2022 09:27:47 +0600.
> Dustin Miller <dustbiz at gmail.com> wrote: 
> 
> > I have been using multiple Gmail accounts with POP and OAuth2.
> > Recently I switched three of these accounts from 'Testing' status
> > to 'In Production' status ...
> > 
> > Today when trying to get mail from one of these accounts with
> > Claws, it failed and the network log indicated that it hadn't been
> > able to get the access and/or refresh token it needed. ...
> > 
> > ... If I revert to 'Testing' status, it works as expected. ...
> > 
> > Based on the error above, am I right in thinking that this might be
> > something that Claws Mail developers would need to 'fix' within
> > Claws itself? Or would there be a way for me to 'fix' this via the
> > Claws settings or Google Cloud Platform?
> > 
> I experienced the same issue yesterday with status being "In
> Production", but had not tried to obtain a new authorization code, as
> I'm still on v3.18, and figured I should upgrade first before doing
> that. I haven't done so so far as I'm a Windows user, and I wasn't
> sure of the status of Windows version. Ah, so maybe if I switch back
> to Testing, it will be ok, for now at least, so thanks for that! :-)
> 
DM: Sure, no problem. :)
> 
> It would seem to me also that this is going to keep cropping up, so I
> have also wondered if it's something the Claws Mail developers would
> need to 'fix', or whether there's a way round it in Claws settings,
> or Google Cloud Platform?.
> 
DM: I don't know the details, but I'm guessing the issue may be able to
be resolved in one of the following ways (among others?):

* 1. It's possible that Google changed something on their end in
  relation to their requirements for an app in 'In Production' status,
  and this is now (only sometimes?) incompatible with the way the
  OAuth2-related code is written in Claws. In this case, the necessary
  change would need to be identified and then implemented in the code.
  If a developer thought this smelled like a bug, then I or someone
  else could take the time to submit it on the tracker.

* 2. One or more developers may be willing, able, and have the time to
  work with Google at getting Claws Mail 'verified' by Google. If at
  least one developer thought there was any chance this might be
  considered by someone in the future, then I or someone else could
  take the time to submit it as an enhancement request on the tracker.

* 3. I 'won't mention' the one that may seem obvious to some -- run
  far, far away from anything Google-related... ;)

DM: Thanks for your input and feedback. I'm really grateful for all the
OAuth2-related work that's been done so far, and perhaps there will
continue to be incremental improvement in regards to ease of use. Hope
you'll be able to figure things out on your end without too much time
and energy spent. :) Cheers, ---Dustin