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98238d26
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98238d26f9c7696fe0c5d8e953e2a3ed319906a4
authored
2004-12-03 15:56:32 +0000
by
Sergey Poznyakoff
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Email Patches
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Documented movemail.
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doc/texinfo/programs.texi
doc/texinfo/programs.texi
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98238d2
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@@ -2174,7 +2174,163 @@ Output program version and exit.
@section @command{movemail} --- Moves Mail from the User Maildrop to the Local File
@pindex movemail
[FIXME]
The purpose of @command{movemail}, as its name implies, is to move mail
from one location to another. For example, the following invocation:
@smallexample
movemail /var/mail/smith INBOX
@end smallexample
@noindent
moves messages from file @file{/var/mail/smith} to file @file{INBOX}.
You will probably never have to run this program manually. It is
intended as a replacement for @command{movemail} from GNU Emacs. The
@command{movemail} program is run by Emacs @code{Rmail}
module. @xref{Rmail,,,emacs,Reading Mail with Rmail}, for detailed
description of @code{Rmail} interface.
Mailutils version of @command{movemail} is completely
backward-compatible with its Emacs predecessor, so it should run
flawlessly with older versions of Emacs. Emacs version 21.4, which is
being developed at the time of this writing, will contain improved
@code{Rmail} interface for work with mailutils @command{movemail}.
@menu
* Movemail Options:: Description of the Available Options
* Summary:: Short Movemail Invocation Summary
@end menu
@node Movemail Options
@subsection Movemail Options
This subsection discusses @command{movemail} options from the point of
view of an Emacs @code{Rmail} user.
To set various options to @command{movemail} from @code{Rmail}, use
@code{rmail-movemail-flags} variable, or @samp{Rmail Movemail Flags}
section from the menu.
Some POP servers return messages in reversed order. To fix the
order, use @option{-p} option or its synonym @option{--reverse}.
If the remote server supports @acronym{TLS} encryption, use
@option{--tls} to instruct @command{movemail} to initiate encrypted
connection.
Quite a few options control how @command{movemail} handles mail
locking (a way of preventing simultaneous access to the source
mailbox). By default, before accessing mailbox @var{file},
@command{movemail} will first see if the file named
@file{@var{file}.lock} (so called @dfn{lock file}) exists. If so, it
will assume that the mailbox is being used by another program and will
sleep one second. If @file{@var{file}.lock} file disappears after this
wait period, the program will proceed. Otherwise, it will repeat this
action ten times. If after ten wait periods the lock file does not
disappear, @command{movemail} gives up and exits.
If the lock file does not exist, @command{movemail} will create it,
thereby indicating to other programs that the mailbox is being used,
and will proceed to copying messages to the destination file. When
finished, @command{movemail} closes the mailbox and removes the lock
file.
Several options control this behavior. To change the default sleep period
use @option{--lock-retry-timeout}. Its argument is the timeout value
in seconds.
To change number of retries, use @option{--lock-retry-count}. For
example, setting @code{rmail-movemail-flags} to
@smallexample
--lock-retry-timeout=2 --lock-retry-count=5
@end smallexample
@noindent
instructs @command{movemail} to make five attempts to acquire the lock
file, with two-second intervals between the attempts.
You may also force @command{movemail} to remove the lock file if it is
older than a given amount of time (a so called @dfn{stale lock
file}). To do so, use the following option:
@smallexample
--lock-expire-timeout=@var{seconds}
@end smallexample
The @option{--lock-expire-timeout} sets the number of seconds after
which a lock file is considered stale.
There are special programs that can be used to lock and unlock
mailboxes. A common example of such programs is @command{dotlock}. If
you wish to use such @dfn{external locking program} instead of the
default mailutils locking mechanism, use option
@option{--external-locker}. Argument to this option specifies the full
name of the external program to use.
@node Summary
@subsection Summary of Movemail Usage
@smallexample
movemail [@var{option}...] @var{inbox} @var{destfile} [@var{remote-password}]
@end smallexample
The first argument, @var{inbox}, is the @acronym{url} (@pxref{URL}) of
the source mailbox. The second argument, @var{destfile}, traditionally
means destination file, i.e. the UNIX mailbox to copy messages
to. However, mailutils @command{movemail} extends the meaning of this
parameter. You may actually specify any valid @acronym{url} as
@var{destfile} parameter.@footnote{Rmail does not use this
feature}. Finally, optional third argument is a traditional way of
specifying user passwords for remote (@acronym{POP} or @acronym{IMAP})
mailboxes.
Following is the summary of available command line options:
@table @option
@item --emacs
Output information used by Emacs rmail interface
@item -p
@itemx --preserve
@itemx --keep-messages
Preserve the source mailbox
@item -r
@itemx --reverse
Reverse the sorting order
@item --license
Print GPL license and exit
@item --external-locker=@var{program}
Use given @var{program} as the external locker program.
@item --lock-expire-timeout=@var{seconds}
Set number of seconds after which the lock expires
@item --lock-flags=@var{flags}
Set locker flags. @var{flags} is composed of the following letters:
@samp{E} -- use external locker program @command{dotlock},
@samp{R} -- retry 10 times if acquiring of the lock failed (see also
@option{--lock-retry-count} below), @samp{T} -- remove stale locks
after 10 minutes (see also @option{--lock-expire-timeout},
and @samp{P} -- write process @acronym{PID} to the lock file.
@item --lock-retry-count=@var{number}
Set the maximum number of times to retry acquiring the lockfile
@item --lock-retry-timeout=@var{seconds}
Set timeout for acquiring the lockfile
@item -m @var{url}
@itemx --mail-spool @var{URL}
Use specified URL as a mailspool directory
@item --tls[=@var{bool}]
Enable (default) or disable TLS support
@end table
@page
@node readmsg
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