(Date/Time: 29/06/04 9:07 pm), Ladar Levison wrote: > Howdy Qpopper List -- > > I have a question that stems from my desire to integrate a Webmail > system with my already up and running Qpopper 4.0.5 installation. > > Basically my concern is in regards to the Webmail system, and Qpopper > cooperating nicely if both access the mbox file at the same time. I want > to make sure someone doesn't log in through the webmail system, and > Qpopper at the same time. Based on my reading of the source code > documentation, Qpopper locks the Mailbox, then copies it to a temporary > file. For the sake of this e-mail, I assume that temporary file is : > /var/mail/.user.pop, (though I could be wrong). Qpopper then releases > the lock on the Mailbox, and uses the .pop file for the session. When > the session is over, the .pop file is copied back into the Mailbox. > > Is this correct? I have tried scanning the /proc/locks file for active > locks, and I can't seem to find any. Perhaps because the files are > copied, and released so quickly. > > Now while the session is going on, qpopper uses flock() to lock the .pop > file. That way if the session doesn't end normally, the lock still > exists until the timeout period is over (120 seconds). > > I presently use --keep-temp-drop, so every user does have a .pop file. > Could I code my webmail client to lock the .pop file using flock, then > flock the Mailbox file? Would this effectively keep the two from > accessing the files at the same time? > > What if I just flock'ed the mbox file? The problem I see with that > scenario is when someone is using pop, they might have all the active > messages in the temp file, and there would be nothing for webmail system > to read. > > Any suggestions? Any solutions? > > L~ > > http://www.nerdshack.com/ > >
Dear L~ I have just received my first message from the mailing list and it happened to be yours. While I have no idea of the answer to your question, I was prompted to go to your website, where I saw the progress you are making with your project to provide free e-mail, which I consider most commendable and something I am trying to emulate, albeit on a MUCH smaller scale. I have a Mac G4 with OSX 10.3.4, which allows me to run a web server (Apache 1.3.29) and various forms of mail server. Built-in is the ipop3d POP server, but it is configured (as far as I can tell) only to fetch mail for the currently registered Users of the Mac (just the 2 of us). As I want to be able to allow certain users who would normally have no access to my computer to collect mail - and this mail is in mailboxes under 2 separate domain name locations - I am trying to find out how to achieve that. For example, how does one set up non-shell pop-only-access users? Do you have any ideas - or does anyone else, for that matter? Any pointers to other documentation would be much appreciated. Jan Cobb
