[comp.mail.elm] Bug in elm 2.2pl13, 2.2pl14

todd@ivucsb.sba.ca.us (Todd Day) (12/01/89)

I found a bug while testing the new pl14, but I found it was also in
pl13.  It may be in previous pl's, I don't know.

Anyway, here is the problem.  I have elm configured to delete a folder
once it is empty.  So, I go into a folder, delete all messages, and then
hit '$' to update the folder.  Well, it says, "[Deleting all messages.]"
and then prints, "Can't open folder '/u/todd/Mail/folder' for reading!"
and exits.

At first, I thought it was a bug related to pl14, but the same thing
happens in pl13.  The reason I have never caught it until now is that
I usually change to another folder after deleting all messages in the
current folder, or I quit.  I guess elm deletes the file after I hit
'$' for updating, and then tries to reopen the file, but of course, it
doesn't exist.  Often, I will delete all the messages in my mail spool
folder and then update it with '$' (I leave it running in a window on
my UNIXPC).  However, elm leaves the mail spool folder with a zero length,
and thus, is able to open it again.

I would try to fix it myself, but the change deals with program philosophy.
After completely cleaning out a folder, should elm then open the spool
folder as default (since it won't be able to open the deleted folder), or
should it just fake the folder as being there and showing no messages?
Personally, I think elm should be changed so the file is not deleted unless
one quits the program or changes to another folder, just truncated to zero
length.

-- 
Todd Day  |  todd@ivucsb.sba.ca.us  |  ivucsb!todd@anise.acc.com
"A rubber hose is just as effective, and it doesn't leave any marks"
					-- Donna Reed