On Die, 07 Mär 2000  Roberto Alsina wrote:
> On Tue, 7 Mar 2000, Rik Hemsley wrote:
[some snips]
> > #if Roberto Alsina
> > > If Kmail's mailboxes are ordinary mbox things, each email begins in a line
> > > that starts with "From " (notice the space!) and that's all.
> > > The .index files should be rebuildable from the mboxes and not necessary 
> > > for programs other than kmail, but I'll let the kmail people speak on this
> > Again, correct. Index files are 'proprietary' - there's no standard
> > for them. You just create them yourself for a speed kick.
> > > I am not sure there IS a document for this, it's more like oral tradition.

Hi,
thanks Roberto + Rik.
Actually my problem was, that my app let's the user choose the mail
folder. I thought, there's an easy way to check whether this folder
really contains mail files by just checking the index files.
After reading your mails, it seems that I have to check every file
in the folder whether it contains mails or not... what brings up the
next question: Is there a reliable way to do this?
Looking for "From " isn't reliable, since every text file can contain
this word !? (I guess I have to live with this problem)

> > Right. There is no standard for mbox, though the format is so simple
> > it's hardly worth writing one.

A bit too simple IMHO.

> > Did I mention mbox corrupts your mail ? :)

Aha, is this the reason why I sometimes find empty mails dated to 1976
or 2004 in my mailfolder? (I always blamed it on Kmail)

Bye Michael