Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!tmsoft!compugen!beaudin!john
From: john@beaudin.UUCP (John Beaudin)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.elm
Subject: Re: permission problems
Message-ID: <1027@beaudin.UUCP>
Date: 8 Apr 90 16:47:06 GMT
References: <1348@dynsim1.UUCP> <1990Apr6.000112.11573@DSI.COM>
Lines: 35

syd@DSI.COM (Syd Weinstein) writes:

>vlr@dynsim1.UUCP (Vic Rice) writes:

>>Also,  Elm  is  complaining  it  can  not  read  my current mail files
>>because  they  are  corrupted. Examining these files with vi shows the
>>following  string  encasing  each  msg:  "^A^A^A^A".  If I remove this
>>string  from  the  first  line of each mail file, Elm will load it. My
>>question is where is this string of ^A's coming from ?
>Once again, folks, MMDF is a MTA that uses a different mailbox format.
>Elm will support MMDF in 2.3, but not in 2.2.  All you can do is wait
>for 2.3.
>-- 
>=====================================================================
>Sydney S. Weinstein, CDP, CCP                   Elm Coordinator
>Datacomp Systems, Inc.                          Voice: (215) 947-9900
>syd@DSI.COM or bpa!dsinc!syd                    FAX:   (215) 938-0235


here is what I use in the meantime (I personally call this script 'm' (csh)):

------ cut here -----
#
if -z /usr/spool/mail/$LOGNAME then
	elm
else
	cd /usr/spool/mail
	sed <$LOGNAME 's///g' >sedmail$LOGNAME
	mv sedmail$LOGNAME $LOGNAME
	elm -z
	endif
----- end of cutting ----

The only inconvenience I experience is when elm does a resynchronization. 
No problem, just restart the above script. It's worth it to use elm.