Re: [Ifile-discuss] Re: Maildir format

[Brett Nemeroff]

Ooops! That wasn't supposed to be off-list.

Ok, so my script is pretty much done. Use formail to add the header and
output it to a $messagename.new file of sorts. So I am creating a new
file, moveing the old one out of the way and then renaming the old file.
No quesiton about  it, it's an entirely different file.

I don't have too much of a hangup there. I understand that moving the
messages around can result in data loss, but I think chances are on my
side. The problem that I DO have is that the file date (of course) is
reset to when it gets refiled.. So in my message list (in my client) the
dates and times are all wrong. Does anyone know how to get around this?
Could I either: 1. edit the original file and somehow retain the edit
date, or 2. manually set the edit date of the new file to the original
message date/time. I'm writing this in perl, so any suggestions using that
would be great...

OKOK, I know I just asked a PERL question. I promise that's the last time! :)

Is there anyway to make formail just add the header and not modify the
date/time??

Thanks,
Brett



> * Brett Nemeroff <address@hidden> [030515 19:30]:
>> I'm a little curious about what I might damage. All I'm doing is reading
>> the headers and if necessary adding one. Besides that, I'm not really
>> doing anything.. Is there something I am overlooking?
>
> No...
>
> The problem is this.
>
> Unix commands generally don't modify files "in place" - instead you make
> a new copy which looks like you want, and rename it over the old one.
> This is what you're doing.  There are risks involved - if you don't
> properly check that the new file is correct, you lose the old one.
>
> Maildir is a mailbox format designed to avoid lost mail at all costs.
>
> The combination is slightly inconsistent.
>
> That's all!
>
> If you're happy with your script, then use it.
>
>> Hmm, so if there is no Hint, don't try to file it.. That sounds like a
>> good idea.. I'll toss that in.. thanks.. Does anyone else have an
>> interest
>> in this??
>
> You sent this to me off-list - not sure if you meant to or not.
>
> jack
>
>