Re: read only spool??
Hi all! So, what's a "mutt_dotlock"? It's a program (part of the Mutt package) that implements NFS-safe file locking. To ensure that different programs do not write to the same mailbox at once (thus corrupting it), mutt_dotlock creates a lock file in the same directory (that's why the directory has to belong to the group `mail', be group-writable, and mutt_dotlock has to be sgid mail). Check its permissions with $ ls -l `which mutt_dotlock` I user mutt on a nfs-mounted dir. But unfortunatly the systen crashed during a mutt session (mutt was innocent ;-) and now I can't write to this dir, mutt always says, that this folder is write-only. I can't find a lock file. Maybe, the remote box (Solaris) locks it and I can't convine it to stop locking (I also made `mutt_dotlock -u' on every folder, without success. (Now I have a maildir on a local filesys and a soft link to the usual dir ~/Mail). What happened and what is to be done to fix it? TIA! Ciao for now, Dirk -- Dirk Ruediger, Rostock, Germany
Re: read only spool??
On Thu, Jul 06, 2000 at 08:47:46AM +0200, Dirk Ruediger wrote: I user mutt on a nfs-mounted dir. But unfortunatly the systen crashed during a mutt session (mutt was innocent ;-) and now I can't write to this dir, mutt always says, that this folder is write-only. I can't find a lock file. Maybe, the remote box (Solaris) locks it and I can't convine it to stop locking (I also made `mutt_dotlock -u' on every folder, without success. (Now I have a maildir on a local filesys and a soft link to the usual dir ~/Mail). What happened and what is to be done to fix it? I don't know. I've never used NFS or Maildir (though I tried the latter once). Maybe you need to use -f or -p parameters for mutt_dotlock? (BTW the manual refers to `mutt_dotlock (8)', but mutt_dotlock man page is in section 1.) Marius Gedminas -- If all else fails, read the documentation.
read only spool??
This is strange. I changed my spoolfile from a local file to /var/mail/msoulier, which I have write permission to: [bmerh56e-msoulier-mail]$ ll total 1282 -rw-rw 1 msoulier mail 65556 Jul 5 14:21 msoulier And yet, mutt won't modify the contents, because it says that the file is read only?? Elm likes it fine. What would cause this? Mike -- Michael P. Soulier, 1Z22, SKY Tel: 613-765-4699 (ESN: 39-54699) Optical Networks, Nortel Networks, SDE Pegasus "...the word HACK is used as a verb to indicate a massive amount of nerd-like effort." -Harley Hahn, A Student's Guide to UNIX Nortel Linux User's Group Ottawa: (internal) http://nlug.ca.nortel.com:8080
Re: read only spool??
On Wed, Jul 05, 2000 at 02:28:22PM -0400, Michael Soulier wrote: This is strange. I changed my spoolfile from a local file to /var/mail/msoulier, which I have write permission to: [bmerh56e-msoulier-mail]$ ll total 1282 -rw-rw 1 msoulier mail 65556 Jul 5 14:21 msoulier And yet, mutt won't modify the contents, because it says that the file is read only?? Elm likes it fine. What would cause this? Locking. For Mutt's dotlocking to work, your /var/spool/mail directory should be writable by group `mail', and your `mutt_dotlock' should be sgid mail. HTH, Marius Gedminas -- This company has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down. If the problem persists, contact your vendor or appeal to a higher court.
Re: read only spool??
On Wed, Jul 05, 2000 at 08:39:47PM +0200, Marius Gedminas wrote: Locking. For Mutt's dotlocking to work, your /var/spool/mail directory should be writable by group `mail', and your `mutt_dotlock' should be sgid mail. Where can I find information on this? I just grepped through the entire manual for "lock", and I didn't find anything on this. [bmerh56e-msoulier-msoulier]$ cd /var [bmerh56e-msoulier-var]$ ll -d mail drwxrwxr-x 2 binmail 1024 Jul 5 14:32 mail/ Ok, the directory is writable by mail... So, what's a "mutt_dotlock"? Mike -- Michael P. Soulier, 1Z22, SKY Tel: 613-765-4699 (ESN: 39-54699) Optical Networks, Nortel Networks, SDE Pegasus "...the word HACK is used as a verb to indicate a massive amount of nerd-like effort." -Harley Hahn, A Student's Guide to UNIX Nortel Linux User's Group Ottawa: (internal) http://nlug.ca.nortel.com:8080
Re: read only spool??
On Wed, Jul 05, 2000 at 03:05:53PM -0400, Michael Soulier wrote: On Wed, Jul 05, 2000 at 08:39:47PM +0200, Marius Gedminas wrote: Locking. For Mutt's dotlocking to work, your /var/spool/mail directory should be writable by group `mail', and your `mutt_dotlock' should be sgid mail. Where can I find information on this? On this list. :) I just grepped through the entire manual for "lock", and I didn't find anything on this. Well, the $dotlock_program variable is described there. And there's a reference to mutt_dotlock(8) man page (although the reader is expected to unserstand that "(8)" after "mutt_dotlock" makes it a reference). But you're right, the available documentation on this issue is sparse and incomplete. :-/ There could be a couple of sentences in the manual detailing Mutt's locking mechanisms, mentioning facts like that dotlocking does not work with msdos/vfat filesystems, while fcntl/flock is unreliable over NFS... [bmerh56e-msoulier-msoulier]$ cd /var [bmerh56e-msoulier-var]$ ll -d mail drwxrwxr-x 2 binmail 1024 Jul 5 14:32 mail/ Ok, the directory is writable by mail... So, what's a "mutt_dotlock"? It's a program (part of the Mutt package) that implements NFS-safe file locking. To ensure that different programs do not write to the same mailbox at once (thus corrupting it), mutt_dotlock creates a lock file in the same directory (that's why the directory has to belong to the group `mail', be group-writable, and mutt_dotlock has to be sgid mail). Check its permissions with $ ls -l `which mutt_dotlock` Marius Gedminas -- "Nuclear war can ruin your whole compile." -- Karl Lehenbauer
