Re: [cobalt-users] Qube2 reading mail spools

[Malcolm McLeary <mmcleary@xxxxxxx>]

on 30/8/00 4:14 AM, Jeff Lasman at jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Create a lock file for the file (I forget how but I the lock file format
> for POP has been discussed on this and/or the cobalt-developers list).

Will this also stop new mail being delivered?

> Then use any editor to edit the file at /var/spool/mail/username or
> /home/spool/mail/username; it's a straight ascii file.
>
> When you're done make sure the permissions and ownerships are set right,
> and delete the lock file.

This is a real bitch if the problem is simply that the spool file is too big
due to an attachment ... lots of base64 junk to deal with ... painful.

What I do is copy the spool file into the admin account adjust the
permissions then subscribe to it as an IMAP folder.  I can then identify the
problem and remove it.  I then copy the altered spool file back to
/var/spool/mail/ with a new name and compare mod time stamps to see if any
new mail has arrived while I was playing.  If all is well I just rename the
before and after copies of the spool file and fix the permissions.

I find that this works if the spool file is simply too big for the user to
deal with.  If it is corrupted and can't be read as an IMAP folder, then a
text editor is the only other option ... however I have not had much success
straightening a bent spool file with an editor.

Cheers,  Malcolm

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                       Information Alchemy Pty Ltd
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Managing Director                              Email:  mmcleary@xxxxxxx

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