[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: Archivemail



Mark Fletcher:
> On Sun, Jan 24, 2021 at 12:17:55AM +0100, Jochen Spieker wrote:
>> 
>> The main problem is that one has to replace a few modules/functions,
>> mostly the long-obsolete rfc822. I think I can get away with throwing
>> away the get_filename function completely, which was a little
>> problematic due to the dependencies. I guess I have only "solved" the
>> easy problems for now, but I still think the conversion should be
>> doable.
> 
> On digging around prompted by Brian's earlier input I found a 
> conversation between a couple of other people and they seemed to start 
> that process and then give up on the basis that it was a lot harder than 
> they thought...

:-)

Yes, I was hoping that one could more or less blindly do a few simple
substitutions and get that code running again. But I guess if it was
that easy, somebody else would have already done that.

> I'm probably going to just write a python3 script of my own to handle my 
> use-case, which is just to sift through /var/mail/<user> to delete mails 
> older than a month. I've found the python3 "mailbox" library which 
> includes support for mbox type mail files,

Yes, I am trying to use that for archivemail as well.

> which is what I think /var/mail/<user> is.  

Yes, as others have already confirmed, those mailboxes are simple
mboxes.

> Looking at the API it doesn't look that hard, and I 
> have to assume the complexity of porting archivemail comes either from 
> the paradigm it operates in or from functionality it provides other than 
> simply deleting old mail.

The problem is mostly that it was written for Python 2.3 using
deprecated modules that are not available anymore for Python3. But, I
have to day, email.utils and friend do provide a lot of drop-in
replacements for stuff from the old rfc822 module, at least according to
the docstrings.

> On my travels today I discovered mutt can do the job I want for me with 
> a simple command, but I don't want to have to run mutt to do it

I was already wondering whether I should suggest this, but I assumed
that the requirement for interaction makes this a bad approach. It is
probably even possible to script this using mutt, but that would be a
hackish approach.

>> But well, first me or somebody else has to fix those failing tests.
>> 
> 
> Despite my decision to have a crack at writing something local for my 
> own usecase, I do think it would be good if archivemail made a comeback, 
> so I wish you well in that endeavour. I'd offer to help test but as I've 
> illustrated, my usecase is very simple...
> 
> (still, happy to test that usecase if it would be helpful)

I might get back to you about this, if I don't lose interest very
quickly.

Is anybody still using MH mailboxes?

J.
-- 
If I had to live on a desert island I would take a mobile phone,
preferably a Nokia 8810.
[Agree]   [Disagree]
                 <http://archive.slowlydownward.com/NODATA/data_enter2.html>

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: PGP signature


Reply to: