Newsgroups: comp.mail.mush
Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!dgbt!rick.doc.ca!calvin.doc.ca!andrew
From: andrew@calvin.doc.ca (Andrew Patrick)
Subject: Questions about folder locking
Message-ID: <1991Mar4.201901.1617@rick.doc.ca>
Sender: news@rick.doc.ca
Nntp-Posting-Host: calvin.doc.ca
Organization: Communications Research Centre, Ottawa
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 1991 20:19:01 GMT


First, I am running version 7.2.0 on a Sun (OS 4.0.3c) mostly using
tool mode.

I am looking at a script that automatically sorts my incoming mail from
various mailing lists and puts it into different folders.  This script
is called from my .forward file using:

"|~/bin/sortmail andrew"

The important parts of the script does the following:

- the body of the message is stored in the file $MSGTMP

- if a mailing list is recognized, the destination folder is stored in
   variable $box
- then the message is filed using:

   cat $MSGTMP >> $box
   echo Filed to $box >> $logfile

- if no mailing lists are found, then the variable $box is set to
   /usr/spool/mail/$user

  cat $MSGTMP >> $box
  echo Not classified, filed to $box >> $logfile

It seems to me that this script defeats all file locking and could be
very dangerous.  For example, if I am reading and updating a folder for
a mailing list while new messages are coming into that folder.

My questions are:
- is this method as dangerous as it appears?
- is there a way to use file locking to avoid the dangers?
- is there a better way to have your mail sorted throughout the day?
	- I know how to use 'pick' to sort mail once it is in the spool
	area, and I know I could run the sort each time Mush is
	started, but I would like to run Mush in tool mode all day and
	still only see non-mailing-list mail as it comes in.
	
	
-- 
Andrew Patrick, Ph.D.       Department of Communications, Ottawa, CANADA
andrew@calvin.doc.CA
                    "The interface IS the program."