SOLVED Re: Detect Mail Status in mbox - not mail spool

[ajlewis2@intac.com]

In linux.debian.user, you wrote:
> I'm using icewm.  There is a nifty little icon that shows the mail status on
> the toolbar.  The problem is that I have procmail deliver all my mail to
> folders - much of it to separate folders, and what's left goes in mbox.  The
> reason for this is that I have various versions of Debian installed and want
> to get to my mail (in separate /home) in whichever one I am currently using. 
> I don't want a joint /var for them in order to keep the apt caches separate.
> 
> How do I set up to have the mail status checked in somewhere other than
> /var/spool/mail?
> 
> Thanks,
> Anita

Got it! It was in the icewm docs - the mailbox used by whatever program
involved in that mail status icon on the icewm toolbar, is governed by $MAIL
environment.  So I put 'export MAIL="my-chosen-mail-file" and it works fine. 
I really like this simple icon, because it tells me how many mails are in
the box and I can also set the config file so that it will open up mutt when
there is new mail. 

Anita