VM makes primary folder buffer read-only

VM makes primary folder buffer read-only

[Feliks Kluzniak]

Hello,

I am using GNU Emacs 21.3.1 and am trying to switch from Rmail to VM.

Seems to be working fine, except that if the buffer of the primary
folder has been modified, then command vm-save-folder fails with the
message

       Folder is read-only:  #<buffer INBOX>

Neither changing the permissions of the file, nor C-x C-q seem to help.

Anyone recognize this?  Any ideas how to proceed?
   
Thanks in advance,
-- Feliks

Re: VM makes primary folder buffer read-only

[Tim X]

Feliks Kluzniak <feliks@jasper-da.com> writes:

> Hello,
>
> I am using GNU Emacs 21.3.1 and am trying to switch from Rmail to VM.
>
> Seems to be working fine, except that if the buffer of the primary
> folder has been modified, then command vm-save-folder fails with the
> message
>
>        Folder is read-only:  #<buffer INBOX>
>
> Neither changing the permissions of the file, nor C-x C-q seem to help.
>
> Anyone recognize this?  Any ideas how to proceed?
>    
> Thanks in advance,
> -- Feliks
>
>

Yep, this happens because something is trying to update your vm INBOX while
your reading it. This is a bad thing (TM). 

Are you using procmail or some other program to sort/process your mail and
then write it directly to the INBOX folder? If so, don't. 

Basically, you need to write to a *.spool file. then when you visit the
mailbox, it reads mail from the *.spool file and puts it in the main
file. If, while reading the mailbox, you hit g, it will check the spool
file and read in the mail.

You shouldn't need this with the INBOX file. This is handled by the
movemail program and reads mail from the system mail folder
(i.e. /var/mail/username) into a file called NEWMAIL. When you start vm, it
looks in NEWMAIL and reads that mail into INBOX. The contents of INBOX
should only be modified by VM (usually, by hitting 'g'). 

Note that as vm is extremely configurable, names like INBOX, NEWMAIL,
*.spool etc, are all controlled by variables and could be different,
depending on what has been customized etc.

Check the vm website and documentation for more information - in
particular, the FAQ has a section about using procmail, which should
explain everything.

Tim

-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au