Re: maximum buffer size exceeded

[dbast0s@yahoo.com.br (Daniel C. Bastos)]

Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null> writes:

> dbast0s@yahoo.com.br (Daniel C. Bastos) writes:
>
>> Emilio Lopes <eclig@gmx.net> writes:
>>
>>> Daniel C Bastos writes:
>>>
>>>> I'm dealing with an INBOX of size 252 MiB and I expect it to double on
>>>> my next mail downloads. I use VM under the GNU emacs. How can I increase
>>>> the buffer?
>>>
>>> Does VM support other formats for mail boxes?  You could try using the
>>> MH format for your mail boxes, if VM supports it.  It stores one
>>> message per file.
>>
>> I think does; and that's a good idea. Thanks.
>
> I'm pretty sure your out of luck - VM doesn't support mh or maildir folders
> as far as I know.

You're right. If your mail is stored in maildir format, then it seems
that you can get that to co-exist with VM as Arnaldo Mandel suggests at

           http://www.wonderworks.com/vm/vm-faq-4.html#ss4.5

but VM doesn't support maildir, nevertheless.

> If your  running on a 32 bit machine, I think your out of luck. You cannot
> increase the maximum buffer size. Under Emacs, I *think* you are limited to
> a maximum integer you can represent with 28 bits. If your on a 64 bit
> system, its the maximum you can represent with 62 bits. 
>
> Note that there is a difference between emacs and XEmacs. I believe XEmacs
> has the ability to represent 31 bit integers using some trickery with tag
> bits.  
>
> The best suggestion I have is to use some other editor to open your mail
> file and split it into two files at a sensible position (i.e. between
> messages. You should then be able to open these files with VM and sort them
> into smaller folders. I'd suggest using something like procmail to split
> your download - maybe use fetchmail/getmail to retrieve the mail and split
> it  into different folders. 

Actually VM won't let your mail file grow past of what it can handle, so
I didn't run into bigger problems. After downloading the chunk that
exceeds (that happens to be INBOX.CRASH), VM or emacs tells you that it
won't handle that much, so you're forced to give up on integrating the
new mail into your mailbox. So I moved my INBOX to something else and
integrated INBOX.CRASH into a new INBOX. I ended up with three chunks
which is now backed up.

> Of course, if you have access to a 64 bit machine, you could move your
> folder there, run a 64 bit verion of emacs and split things how you want,
> move it back and your done - a hassle, but a solution none th eless.

A hassle indeed, and I don't have a 64 bit machine.