-.TH MH-MAIL %manext5% "March 7, 2013" "%nmhversion%"
-.\"
+.TH MH-FOLDERS %manext5% 2016-02-25 "%nmhversion%"
+.
.\" %nmhwarning%
-.\"
+.
.SH NAME
-mh-folders \- specification of storage format used by nmh message system
+mh-folders \- storage format used by nmh message system
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B nmh
stores messages in the files and directories of the host filesystem
.PP
.B one folder per directory
.RS 5
-A
+An
.B nmh
-folder corresponds to directory. There are no limits on folder
+folder corresponds to a directory. There are no limits on folder
names beyond those of the host filesystem.
.RE
.PP
.B one message per file
.RS 5
The file name is a positive integer. Other files containing metadata or
-arbitrary names can exist in a folder; while the preference is that non\-message
+arbitrary names can exist in a folder; while the preference is that non-message
files begin with \*(lq.\*(rq, all files that are not positive integers
-.B must
-be ignored by a
+.I must
+be ignored by an
.BR MH \-compatible
implementation. However, implementations are free to indicate to the user
-the existence of non\-message files that are not prefixed with a \*(lq.\*(rq.
+the existence of non-message files that are not prefixed with a \*(lq.\*(rq.
.PP
-The filename for a new
-message is one greater than the highest numbered message in
-the folder; its full path can be accessed by the pseudo\-sequence
+The filename for a new message is one greater than the highest numbered
+message in the folder; its full path can be accessed by the pseudo-sequence
.I new
(e.g.,
.B mhpath
.IR new ).
New messages are
-.B only
+.I only
permitted to be added to a folder at the end of the message number range.
.PP
To add a new message to a folder, the recommended sequence is:
-.PP
.IP \(bu 4
Create a temporary file in the desired folder.
.IP \(bu 4
.IP \(bu 4
If successful, remove the temporary file. If the link fails, increment the
message number and try again.
-.PP
.RE
.B context
.RS 5
There is one context file. Its default location is in the
-user's Path and default name is
+user's Path and its default name is
.IR context ,
-but those can be overridden with the $MHCONTEXT environment
-variable.
+but these can be overridden by the $MHCONTEXT environment variable.
.B context
has the following format:
.PP
There is one sequences file in each
.B nmh
folder. Its default name is
-.IR \&.mh\(rusequences ,
-but that can be overridden with the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq profile entry.
+.IR \&.mh_sequences ,
+but this can be overridden by the \*(lqmh\-sequences\*(rq profile entry.
.B sequences
has the following format:
.PP
from the sequence. If a sequence contains no messages, it should be
removed from the sequence file. The exception to this is the
.B cur
-sequence, which can refer to a nonexistant message.
+sequence, which can refer to a nonexistent message.
.RE
-.PP
.SS Locking
.B nmh
programs read and write the context and sequences files, and lock
that accesses these files must be sure to lock them using the same
locking method as
.BR nmh .
-The locking method is selected when
+The default data locking method is selected when
.B nmh
is configured and can be accessed as a string using
-.BR "mhparam lockmethod" .
+.BR "mhparam datalocking" .
+By default, fcntl locking is used, but this may be overridden by
+the
+.B datalocking
+profile entry.
+.PP
+A second, possibly different, locking method is used by
+.IR inc (1)
+when accessing the user's mail spool file or by
+.B nmh
+programs that open any mbox file. This locking method can be overridden
+when
+.B nmh
+is configured, or in the
+.B nmh
+mts configuration file, and can be accessed as a string using
+.BR "mhparam spoollocking" .
By default, kernel-level locking is used if appropriate for the
platform, and it is for popular platforms. That default should also
be the same as used by the
.B mail
program, if provided on the platform.
+.SS Naming
+.B nmh
+folders can be given arbitrary names, with one exception:
+folders should not be given all-numeric names. This
+limitation results from
+.B nmh
+messages themselves being stored
+in numerically named files -- allowing folders to be named
+similarly would make
+.B nmh
+slower, and introduce usage ambiguities.
.SH FILES
-.fc ^ ~
-.nf
-.ta \w'^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~'u
-^<mh\-dir>/context~^The user context
-^or $MHCONTEXT~^Rather than the standard context
-^<folder>/\&.mh\(rusequences~^Public sequences for <folder>
-.fi
+.PD 0
+.TP 20
+<mh-dir>/context
+The user's context.
+.TP 20
+$MHCONTEXT
+Overrides the above context.
+.TP 20
+<folder>/.mh\-sequences
+Public sequences for <folder>.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
-.I
.IR flist (1),
.IR folder (1),
.IR mail (1),
.IR mark (1),
-.IR mh\-param (1),
-.IR mh\-path (1),
+.IR mhparam (1),
+.IR mhpath (1),
.IR mh\-profile (5),
.IR mh\-sequence (5),
+.IR mh\-tailor (5),
.IR pick (1),
.IR rcvstore (1)
projects / nmh / blobdiff