v1 flexible database location

v1 flexible database location

[David Bremner]

This adds support for split mail / database location, and fallback to
XDG consistent database location. There are quite a few code paths to
test, and several more tests are most likely needed.

This applies on top of the series at id:20210103233547.122707-1-david@tethera.net.

[PATCH 1/5] lib/open: support NOTMUCH_DATABASE environment variable

[David Bremner]

The additional code is trivial, but making sure we get the priority of
various options correct takes a few tests.
---
 lib/open.cc            |  4 +++
 test/T590-libconfig.sh | 67 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 70 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index 92661271..acc9f7a4 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     GKeyFile *key_file = NULL;
     static int initialized = 0;
 
+    if (! database_path) {
+	database_path = getenv ("NOTMUCH_DATABASE");
+    }
+
     if ((status = _pre_open (config_path, profile, &key_file, &database_path, &message)))
 	goto DONE;
 
diff --git a/test/T590-libconfig.sh b/test/T590-libconfig.sh
index 97f8fdc7..7f187d36 100755
--- a/test/T590-libconfig.sh
+++ b/test/T590-libconfig.sh
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
                                               &db,
                                               &msg);
    if (stat != NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-     fprintf (stderr, "error opening database: %d %s\n", stat, msg ? msg : "");
+     fprintf (stderr, "error opening database\n%s\n%s\n", notmuch_status_to_string (stat), msg ? msg : "");
      exit (1);
    }
 EOF
@@ -473,4 +473,69 @@ EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 restore_database
 
+test_begin_subtest "no config, fail to open database"
+old_NOTMUCH_CONFIG=${NOTMUCH_CONFIG}
+unset NOTMUCH_CONFIG
+cat c_head - c_tail <<'EOF' | test_C %NULL% '' %NULL%
+{
+   printf("NOT RUN");
+}
+EOF
+NOTMUCH_CONFIG=${old_NOTMUCH_CONFIG}
+cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
+== stdout ==
+== stderr ==
+error opening database
+Erroneous NULL pointer
+Error: Cannot open a database for a NULL path.
+
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "open database from NOTMUCH_DATABASE"
+old_NOTMUCH_CONFIG=${NOTMUCH_CONFIG}
+unset NOTMUCH_CONFIG
+export NOTMUCH_DATABASE=${MAIL_DIR}
+cat c_head - c_tail <<'EOF' | test_C %NULL% '' %NULL%
+{
+   EXPECT0(notmuch_database_get_config (db, "test.key1", &val));
+   printf("test.key1 = %s\n", val);
+   EXPECT0(notmuch_database_get_config (db, "test.key2", &val));
+   printf("test.key2 = %s\n", val);
+}
+EOF
+NOTMUCH_CONFIG=${old_NOTMUCH_CONFIG}
+unset NOTMUCH_DATABASE
+cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
+== stdout ==
+test.key1 = testvalue1
+test.key2 = testvalue2
+== stderr ==
+EOF
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+test_begin_subtest "NOTMUCH_DATABASE overrides config"
+old_path=$(notmuch config get database.path)
+notmuch config set database.path /nonexistent
+export NOTMUCH_DATABASE=${MAIL_DIR}
+cat c_head - c_tail <<'EOF' | test_C %NULL% '' %NULL%
+{
+   EXPECT0(notmuch_database_get_config (db, "test.key1", &val));
+   printf("test.key1 = %s\n", val);
+   EXPECT0(notmuch_database_get_config (db, "test.key2", &val));
+   printf("test.key2 = %s\n", val);
+}
+EOF
+NOTMUCH_CONFIG=${old_NOTMUCH_CONFIG}
+unset NOTMUCH_DATABASE
+cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
+== stdout ==
+test.key1 = testvalue1
+test.key2 = testvalue2
+== stderr ==
+EOF
+notmuch config set database.path "${old_path}"
+test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
+
+
 test_done
-- 
2.29.2

[PATCH 2/5] support splitting mail from database location.

[David Bremner]

Introduce a new configuration value for the mail root, and use it in
preference to the database.path (which previously implied the mail was
also in this location.
---
 doc/man1/notmuch-config.rst | 14 +++++++++---
 lib/config.cc               | 11 +++++++---
 lib/database.cc             |  2 +-
 lib/message-file.c          |  2 +-
 lib/message.cc              |  2 +-
 lib/notmuch.h               |  1 +
 lib/open.cc                 |  2 +-
 test/T055-path-config.sh    | 43 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 test/T590-libconfig.sh      |  1 +
 9 files changed, 68 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)
 create mode 100755 test/T055-path-config.sh

diff --git a/doc/man1/notmuch-config.rst b/doc/man1/notmuch-config.rst
index 769f336a..fb2b8671 100644
--- a/doc/man1/notmuch-config.rst
+++ b/doc/man1/notmuch-config.rst
@@ -47,12 +47,20 @@ programmatically as described in the SYNOPSIS above.
 The available configuration items are described below.
 
 **database.path**
+    Notmuch will store its database within a
+    sub-directory of the path configured here named ``.notmuch``.
+
+    Default: ``$MAILDIR`` variable if set, otherwise ``$HOME/mail``.
+
+**database.mail_root**
     The top-level directory where your mail currently exists and to
     where mail will be delivered in the future. Files should be
-    individual email messages. Notmuch will store its database within
-    a sub-directory of the path configured here named ``.notmuch``.
+    individual email messages.
 
-    Default: ``$MAILDIR`` variable if set, otherwise ``$HOME/mail``.
+    History: this configuration value was introduced in notmuch 0.32.
+
+    Default: For compatibility with older configurations, the value of
+    database.path is used if database.mail\_root is unset..
 
 **user.name**
     Your full name.
diff --git a/lib/config.cc b/lib/config.cc
index 7a1494be..a8aa151b 100644
--- a/lib/config.cc
+++ b/lib/config.cc
@@ -388,6 +388,8 @@ _notmuch_config_key_to_string (notmuch_config_key_t key) {
     switch (key) {
     case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_DATABASE_PATH:
 	return "database.path";
+    case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT:
+	return "database.mail_root";
     case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_EXCLUDE_TAGS:
 	return "search.exclude_tags";
     case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_NEW_TAGS:
@@ -408,18 +410,21 @@ _notmuch_config_key_to_string (notmuch_config_key_t key) {
 }
 
 static const char *
-_notmuch_config_default (void *ctx, notmuch_config_key_t key) {
+_notmuch_config_default (notmuch_database_t *notmuch, notmuch_config_key_t key) {
     char *path;
 
     switch (key) {
     case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_DATABASE_PATH:
 	path = getenv ("MAILDIR");
 	if (path)
-	    path = talloc_strdup (ctx, path);
+	    path = talloc_strdup (notmuch, path);
 	else
-	    path = talloc_asprintf (ctx, "%s/mail",
+	    path = talloc_asprintf (notmuch, "%s/mail",
 				    getenv ("HOME"));
 	return path;
+    case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT:
+	/* by default, mail root is the same as database path */
+	return notmuch_database_get_path (notmuch);
     case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_EXCLUDE_TAGS:
 	return "";
     case NOTMUCH_CONFIG_NEW_TAGS:
diff --git a/lib/database.cc b/lib/database.cc
index f96ba7c0..c646fee2 100644
--- a/lib/database.cc
+++ b/lib/database.cc
@@ -1367,7 +1367,7 @@ _notmuch_database_relative_path (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
     const char *db_path, *relative;
     unsigned int db_path_len;
 
-    db_path = notmuch_database_get_path (notmuch);
+    db_path = notmuch_config_get (notmuch, NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT);
     db_path_len = strlen (db_path);
 
     relative = path;
diff --git a/lib/message-file.c b/lib/message-file.c
index 311bd478..a23493f1 100644
--- a/lib/message-file.c
+++ b/lib/message-file.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ _notmuch_message_file_open_ctx (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
     if (unlikely (message == NULL))
 	return NULL;
 
-    const char *prefix = notmuch_database_get_path (notmuch);
+    const char *prefix = notmuch_config_get (notmuch, NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT);
     if (prefix == NULL)
 	goto FAIL;
 
diff --git a/lib/message.cc b/lib/message.cc
index fca99082..e596456c 100644
--- a/lib/message.cc
+++ b/lib/message.cc
@@ -1097,7 +1097,7 @@ _notmuch_message_ensure_filename_list (notmuch_message_t *message)
 
 	*colon = '\0';
 
-	db_path = notmuch_database_get_path (message->notmuch);
+	db_path = notmuch_config_get (message->notmuch, NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT);
 
 	directory = _notmuch_database_get_directory_path (local,
 							  message->notmuch,
diff --git a/lib/notmuch.h b/lib/notmuch.h
index e51b738d..f659d1a4 100644
--- a/lib/notmuch.h
+++ b/lib/notmuch.h
@@ -2461,6 +2461,7 @@ notmuch_config_list_destroy (notmuch_config_list_t *config_list);
 typedef enum _notmuch_config_key {
     NOTMUCH_CONFIG_FIRST,
     NOTMUCH_CONFIG_DATABASE_PATH = NOTMUCH_CONFIG_FIRST,
+    NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT,
     NOTMUCH_CONFIG_EXCLUDE_TAGS,
     NOTMUCH_CONFIG_NEW_TAGS,
     NOTMUCH_CONFIG_NEW_IGNORE,
diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index acc9f7a4..12cbbbd0 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     notmuch = talloc_zero (NULL, notmuch_database_t);
     notmuch->exception_reported = false;
     notmuch->status_string = NULL;
-    notmuch->path = talloc_strdup (notmuch, database_path);
 
+    notmuch->path = talloc_strdup (notmuch, database_path);
     strip_trailing (notmuch->path, '/');
 
     notmuch->writable_xapian_db = NULL;
diff --git a/test/T055-path-config.sh b/test/T055-path-config.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..190b3686
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/T055-path-config.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+test_description='Configuration of mail-root and database path'
+. $(dirname "$0")/test-lib.sh || exit 1
+
+add_email_corpus
+
+test_begin_subtest "database is mail/.notmuch/xapian"
+output=$(notmuch count '*')
+test_expect_equal $output '52'
+
+backup_database
+test_begin_subtest "split (with prefix)"
+notmuch config set database.path `pwd`/database
+notmuch config set database.mail_root `pwd`/mail
+mkdir database
+mv mail/.notmuch database
+output=$(notmuch count '*')
+test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
+restore_database
+
+backup_database
+test_begin_subtest "split (read-write)"
+notmuch config set database.path `pwd`/database
+notmuch config set database.mail_root `pwd`/mail
+mkdir database
+mv mail/.notmuch database
+tag="tag${RANDOM}"
+notmuch tag +$tag '*'
+output=$(notmuch count tag:$tag)
+test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
+restore_database
+
+backup_database
+test_begin_subtest "create database in split configuration"
+notmuch config set database.path `pwd`/database
+notmuch config set database.mail_root `pwd`/mail
+rm -r mail/.notmuch/xapian
+notmuch new
+output=$(notmuch count '*')
+test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
+restore_database
+
+test_done
diff --git a/test/T590-libconfig.sh b/test/T590-libconfig.sh
index 7f187d36..b03ee0c6 100755
--- a/test/T590-libconfig.sh
+++ b/test/T590-libconfig.sh
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ EOF
 cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
 == stdout ==
 MAIL_DIR
+MAIL_DIR
 
 inbox;unread
 NULL
-- 
2.29.2

[PATCH] fixup! support splitting mail from database location.

[David Bremner]

---
 notmuch-insert.c | 6 ++++--
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/notmuch-insert.c b/notmuch-insert.c
index e483b949..4ae65d4d 100644
--- a/notmuch-insert.c
+++ b/notmuch-insert.c
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ notmuch_insert_command (unused(notmuch_config_t *config),notmuch_database_t *not
 {
     notmuch_status_t status, close_status;
     struct sigaction action;
-    const char *db_path;
+    const char *db_path, *mail_root;
     notmuch_config_values_t *new_tags = NULL;
     tag_op_list_t *tag_ops;
     char *query_string = NULL;
@@ -489,6 +489,8 @@ notmuch_insert_command (unused(notmuch_config_t *config),notmuch_database_t *not
     else
 	db_path = talloc_strdup (local, db_path);
 
+    mail_root = notmuch_config_get (notmuch, NOTMUCH_CONFIG_MAIL_ROOT);
+
     new_tags = notmuch_config_get_values (notmuch, NOTMUCH_CONFIG_NEW_TAGS);
 
     if (print_status_database (
@@ -533,7 +535,7 @@ notmuch_insert_command (unused(notmuch_config_t *config),notmuch_database_t *not
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
-    maildir = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", db_path, folder);
+    maildir = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", mail_root, folder);
     if (! maildir) {
 	fprintf (stderr, "Out of memory\n");
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
-- 
2.29.2

[PATCH 3/5] lib/open: move path calculations after notmuch object creation

[David Bremner]

This is just code movement. A future commit will need the notmuch
object to exist for the path manipulation.
---
 lib/open.cc | 41 +++++++++++++++++++++--------------------
 1 file changed, 21 insertions(+), 20 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index 12cbbbd0..ede367af 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -169,26 +169,6 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     if ((status = _pre_open (config_path, profile, &key_file, &database_path, &message)))
 	goto DONE;
 
-    if (! (notmuch_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", database_path, ".notmuch"))) {
-	message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
-	goto DONE;
-    }
-
-    err = stat (notmuch_path, &st);
-    if (err) {
-	IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "Error opening database at %s: %s\n",
-				 notmuch_path, strerror (errno)));
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR;
-	goto DONE;
-    }
-
-    if (! (xapian_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", notmuch_path, "xapian"))) {
-	message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
-	goto DONE;
-    }
-
     /* Initialize the GLib type system and threads */
 #if ! GLIB_CHECK_VERSION (2, 35, 1)
     g_type_init ();
@@ -210,6 +190,27 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     notmuch->writable_xapian_db = NULL;
     notmuch->atomic_nesting = 0;
     notmuch->view = 1;
+
+    if (! (notmuch_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", database_path, ".notmuch"))) {
+	message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+	goto DONE;
+    }
+
+    err = stat (notmuch_path, &st);
+    if (err) {
+	IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "Error opening database at %s: %s\n",
+				 notmuch_path, strerror (errno)));
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR;
+	goto DONE;
+    }
+
+    if (! (xapian_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", notmuch_path, "xapian"))) {
+	message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+	goto DONE;
+    }
+
     try {
 	std::string last_thread_id;
 	std::string last_mod;
-- 
2.29.2

[PATCH 4/5] lib/open: open xapian database without .notmuch prefix.

[David Bremner]

In a split configuration, it does not make sense to have the extra
.notmuch/ directory. Leave the xapian/ level of the path to allow the
use of the top level e.g. as a place to store backups as is currently
done by upgrade code in notmuch-new.
---
 lib/open.cc              | 59 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------
 test/T055-path-config.sh |  9 ++++++
 2 files changed, 50 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index ede367af..91b24e38 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 #define DB_ACTION Xapian::DB_CREATE_OR_OPEN
 #endif
 
+#define LOG_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION(message, error)  IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "A Xapian exception occurred opening database: %s\n", error.get_msg ().c_str ()));
+
 notmuch_status_t
 notmuch_database_open (const char *path,
 		       notmuch_database_mode_t mode,
@@ -154,7 +156,8 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     notmuch_status_t status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
     void *local = talloc_new (NULL);
     notmuch_database_t *notmuch = NULL;
-    char *notmuch_path, *xapian_path, *incompat_features;
+    const char *notmuch_path, *xapian_path;
+    char *incompat_features;
     char *message = NULL;
     struct stat st;
     int err;
@@ -190,25 +193,41 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     notmuch->writable_xapian_db = NULL;
     notmuch->atomic_nesting = 0;
     notmuch->view = 1;
+    notmuch->xapian_db = NULL;
 
-    if (! (notmuch_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", database_path, ".notmuch"))) {
-	message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+    try {
+	xapian_path = talloc_asprintf (notmuch,"%s/xapian",database_path);
+	notmuch->xapian_db = new Xapian::Database (xapian_path);
+    } catch (const Xapian::DatabaseOpeningError &error) {
+	notmuch->xapian_db = NULL;
+    } catch (const Xapian::Error &error) {
+	LOG_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION (message, error);
+	notmuch_database_destroy (notmuch);
+	notmuch = NULL;
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION;
 	goto DONE;
     }
 
-    err = stat (notmuch_path, &st);
-    if (err) {
-	IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "Error opening database at %s: %s\n",
-				 notmuch_path, strerror (errno)));
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR;
-	goto DONE;
-    }
+    if (! notmuch->xapian_db) {
+	if (! (notmuch_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", database_path, ".notmuch"))) {
+	    message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
+	    status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+	    goto DONE;
+	}
 
-    if (! (xapian_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", notmuch_path, "xapian"))) {
-	message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
-	goto DONE;
+	err = stat (notmuch_path, &st);
+	if (err) {
+	    IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "Error opening database at %s: %s\n",
+				     notmuch_path, strerror (errno)));
+	    status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR;
+	    goto DONE;
+	}
+
+	if (! (xapian_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", notmuch_path, "xapian"))) {
+	    message = strdup ("Out of memory\n");
+	    status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+	    goto DONE;
+	}
     }
 
     try {
@@ -216,11 +235,16 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
 	std::string last_mod;
 
 	if (mode == NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_WRITE) {
+	    /* get rid of read only version opened above */
+	    if (notmuch->xapian_db)
+		delete notmuch->xapian_db;
+
 	    notmuch->writable_xapian_db = new Xapian::WritableDatabase (xapian_path,
 									DB_ACTION);
 	    notmuch->xapian_db = notmuch->writable_xapian_db;
 	} else {
-	    notmuch->xapian_db = new Xapian::Database (xapian_path);
+	    if (! notmuch->xapian_db)
+		notmuch->xapian_db = new Xapian::Database (xapian_path);
 	}
 
 	/* Check version.  As of database version 3, we represent
@@ -318,8 +342,7 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
 	    goto DONE;
 
     } catch (const Xapian::Error &error) {
-	IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "A Xapian exception occurred opening database: %s\n",
-				 error.get_msg ().c_str ()));
+	LOG_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION (message, error);
 	notmuch_database_destroy (notmuch);
 	notmuch = NULL;
 	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION;
diff --git a/test/T055-path-config.sh b/test/T055-path-config.sh
index 190b3686..72c369cb 100755
--- a/test/T055-path-config.sh
+++ b/test/T055-path-config.sh
@@ -40,4 +40,13 @@ output=$(notmuch count '*')
 test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
 restore_database
 
+backup_database
+test_begin_subtest "split (no prefix)"
+notmuch config set database.path `pwd`/database
+notmuch config set database.mail_root `pwd`/mail
+mv mail/.notmuch/xapian database
+output=$(notmuch count '*')
+test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
+restore_database
+
 test_done
-- 
2.29.2

[PATCH 5/5] lib/open: support XDG_DATA_HOME as a fallback database location.

[David Bremner]

This changes some error reporting, either intentionally by reporting
the highest level missing directory, or by side effect from looking in
XDG locations when given null database location.
---
 lib/open.cc              | 25 +++++++++++++++++++------
 test/T055-path-config.sh | 11 +++++++++++
 test/T560-lib-error.sh   |  6 +++---
 test/T590-libconfig.sh   |  4 ++--
 4 files changed, 35 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index 91b24e38..bc97e178 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ DONE:
 }
 
 static notmuch_status_t
-_pre_open(const char *config_path,
+_pre_open(void *ctx,
+	  const char *config_path,
 	  const char *profile,
 	  GKeyFile **key_file,
 	  const char **database_path,
@@ -133,6 +134,10 @@ _pre_open(const char *config_path,
     if (! *database_path && *key_file)
 	*database_path = g_key_file_get_value (*key_file, "database", "path", NULL);
 
+    if (! *database_path) {
+	*database_path = _xdg_dir (ctx, "XDG_DATA_HOME", ".local/share", profile);
+    }
+
     if (*database_path == NULL) {
 	*message = strdup ("Error: Cannot open a database for a NULL path.\n");
 	return NOTMUCH_STATUS_NULL_POINTER;
@@ -169,7 +174,7 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
 	database_path = getenv ("NOTMUCH_DATABASE");
     }
 
-    if ((status = _pre_open (config_path, profile, &key_file, &database_path, &message)))
+    if ((status = _pre_open (local, config_path, profile, &key_file, &database_path, &message)))
 	goto DONE;
 
     /* Initialize the GLib type system and threads */
@@ -195,6 +200,14 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
     notmuch->view = 1;
     notmuch->xapian_db = NULL;
 
+    err = stat (database_path, &st);
+    if (err) {
+	IGNORE_RESULT (asprintf (&message, "Error opening database at %s: %s\n",
+				 database_path, strerror (errno)));
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR;
+	goto DONE;
+    }
+
     try {
 	xapian_path = talloc_asprintf (notmuch,"%s/xapian",database_path);
 	notmuch->xapian_db = new Xapian::Database (xapian_path);
@@ -408,8 +421,9 @@ notmuch_database_create_with_config (const char *database_path,
     GKeyFile *key_file = NULL;
     struct stat st;
     int err;
+    void *local = talloc_new (NULL);
 
-    if ((status = _pre_open (config_path, profile, &key_file, &database_path, &message)))
+    if ((status = _pre_open (local, config_path, profile, &key_file, &database_path, &message)))
 	goto DONE;
 
     err = stat (database_path, &st);
@@ -428,7 +442,7 @@ notmuch_database_create_with_config (const char *database_path,
 	goto DONE;
     }
 
-    notmuch_path = talloc_asprintf (NULL, "%s/%s", database_path, ".notmuch");
+    notmuch_path = talloc_asprintf (local, "%s/%s", database_path, ".notmuch");
 
     err = mkdir (notmuch_path, 0755);
     if (err) {
@@ -464,8 +478,7 @@ notmuch_database_create_with_config (const char *database_path,
     }
 
   DONE:
-    if (notmuch_path)
-	talloc_free (notmuch_path);
+    talloc_free (local);
 
     if (message) {
 	if (status_string)
diff --git a/test/T055-path-config.sh b/test/T055-path-config.sh
index 72c369cb..b4bc6741 100755
--- a/test/T055-path-config.sh
+++ b/test/T055-path-config.sh
@@ -49,4 +49,15 @@ output=$(notmuch count '*')
 test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
 restore_database
 
+backup_database
+test_begin_subtest "xdg database location"
+notmuch config set database.mail_root `pwd`/mail
+notmuch config set database.path
+dir=home/.local/share/notmuch/default/
+mkdir -p $dir
+mv mail/.notmuch/xapian $dir
+output=$(notmuch count '*')
+test_expect_equal "$output" '52'
+restore_database
+
 test_done
diff --git a/test/T560-lib-error.sh b/test/T560-lib-error.sh
index ade376ef..9b59fb55 100755
--- a/test/T560-lib-error.sh
+++ b/test/T560-lib-error.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ EOF
 cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
 == stdout ==
 == stderr ==
-Error: Cannot open a database for a NULL path.
+Error opening database at CWD/home/.local/share/notmuch/default: No such file or directory
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ EOF
 cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
 == stdout ==
 == stderr ==
-Error opening database at CWD/nonexistent/foo/.notmuch: No such file or directory
+Error opening database at CWD/nonexistent/foo: No such file or directory
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ EOF
 cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
 == stdout ==
 == stderr ==
-Error: Cannot open a database for a NULL path.
+Error: Cannot create database at CWD/home/.local/share/notmuch/default: No such file or directory.
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
diff --git a/test/T590-libconfig.sh b/test/T590-libconfig.sh
index b03ee0c6..256b9463 100755
--- a/test/T590-libconfig.sh
+++ b/test/T590-libconfig.sh
@@ -487,8 +487,8 @@ cat <<'EOF' >EXPECTED
 == stdout ==
 == stderr ==
 error opening database
-Erroneous NULL pointer
-Error: Cannot open a database for a NULL path.
+Something went wrong trying to read or write a file
+Error opening database at CWD/home/.local/share/notmuch/default: No such file or directory
 
 EOF
 test_expect_equal_file EXPECTED OUTPUT
-- 
2.29.2