Re: Maildir header cache now supports imap, too
Hello Thomas,
> And there we are in the middle of the reasons why I don't like the
> *maildir* header caching idea: Maildir is designed to be an NFS-safe
> mail folder format which actually works without explicit locking
> mechanisms. Adding database files that require explicit locking
> defeats this (big!) advantage of maildir.
the header cache isn't maildir specific at all. When opening a mailbox,
mutt connects to the header cache (per default rw). If this fails (eg.
another instance of mutt has already opened the header cache rw), it
falls back to ro. Most of the operations in the header cache is read
only anyway so it is no big harm. If the ro fails also, mutt falls back
to no header caching at all, btw.
The header cache, how I implemented it, isn't on a per mailbox basis,
but a global one. So in a sane setup you use a per machine header cache
anyway.
Now having gdbm, which handles nfs safe locking, look if the header
cache database was compiled on the same architecuter/byte order/name it
is a nice thing to have and get sure that only one instance is using it
rw at the same time.
bottom line: The header cache doesn't add any 'locking mechanisms' to
maildir nor to any other mailboxes it will support some day (currently
maildir and imap). Maildirs stay NFS safe.
Thomas