Yep, that was the question.
Your explanation makes a whole lot more sense and appears to be a lot
simpler to implement than what my question proposed.
Good, clear explanations of details like this are hard to come by. I guess
that not too many of us would be fooling around in that area without Rebol
providing tools that make it relatively easy.
(I'm supposed to be a Tech Writer -- maybe I'll write about it when I learn
more.) (;-)>
I'm trying to adapt some of Carl's FAQ code into a View email reader. I've
had some success, but am now hung up trying to decypher his "Slider"
implementation.
(It says I'm trying to "divide by zero" -- I'll ask some questions about it
when I understand it well enough to formulate them.)
Thanks,
Greg Coughlan
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 6:49 PM
Subject: [REBOL] pop question Re:(3)
>
> No problem.
>
> If I understand you last question correctly, it means something like
> this:
> How doe the server insure that the client only deals with the
> currently delivered emails while it has the box open?
>
> If that's the question, the answer is that I don't know all the
> specifics. However, from messing around with the POP protocol and
> watching my mailbox at the same time, I've noticed that the server
> does not deliver new messages to you mailbox (a simple file) until the
> mailbox is closed. It keeps the incoming mail in it's spool, a temp
> file, or some such place until it is safe to deliver.
>
> It also, as I recall, removes the mailbox file while you have it open.
> so when you open the mailbox and then go look for the file on the
> server, it actually appears empty on the server though you are reading
> a bunch of messages on the client side. I figure this is to protect
> the system from mailbox edits while the box is open... could royally
> mess things up.
>
> If I'm incorrect anywhere here or somebody knows all the nifty
> details, feel free to correct and/or add.
>
> Sterling
>
> > Thanks Sterling,
> >
> > I will perform the suggested testing -- I wouldn't want to turn
something
> > loose that mucks around in someone's mailbox until I was sure it was
> > bulletproof AND that I understood exactly how it worked.
> > I went back and checked the docs on "remove" and "clear"-- you're
right
> > (of course!), I remembered them wrong. Thanks for "clearing "things up.
> > (;-)>
> >
> > If you know, does the server somehow flag an individual message as to
> > whether the client has been informed of its presence in the mailbox; and
not
> > allow its deletion until it (the server) is sure the client knows about
it?
> >
> > [That's one hellacious sentence!] (;-)>
> >
> > Greg
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 4:49 PM
> > Subject: [REBOL] pop question Re:
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Actually, neither will happen they way you have specified it. This is
> > > because you have called REMOVE which will only remove the first
> > > element (use CLEAR). But to answer the real question:
> > >
> > > bag: open pop://user:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > length? bag
> > > == 5
> > >
> > > and DO NOT close it while my program runs for, say, 10 minutes.
> > > If the server receives 3 more messages for me during that time and
> > > I then do:
> > >
> > > CLEAR bag ; !!!!!!!!!! note, CLEAR removes all items, REMOVE does one
> > > close bag
> > >
> > > All 5 items will be removed and the next time you check your mail you
> > > will have the 3 new messages. It's easy to check since you can mail
> > > yourself some messages while you have the port open and I strongly
> > > suggest you do this for two reasons. One, understanding usually comes
> > > better through doing than hearing and two, you will prove that is DOES
> > > work like this and will not worry that you got the wrong info from
> > > somebody else (like me). And I don't want to responsible for lost
> > > email in case the server you access is totally weird. :)
> > >
> > > Sterling
> > >
> > > > For you email gurus out there:
> > > >
> > > > I open an email port like this:
> > > >
> > > > bag: open pop://user:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > > length? bag
> > > > == 5
> > > >
> > > > and DO NOT close it while my program runs for, say, 10 minutes.
> > > > If the server receives 3 more messages for me during that time
and
> > > > I then do:
> > > >
> > > > remove bag
> > > > close bag
> > > >
> > > > Will only the original 5 messages be removed from the server or,
> > > > since the port was left open, will all 8 of the messages be removed
from
> > the
> > > > server. (with me never knowing about the last 3.)
> > > >
> > > > Greg Coughlan
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
