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IDProjectCategoryView StatusLast Update
00009911003.1(2013)/Issue7+TC1Shell and Utilitiespublic2024-06-11 09:02
Reportersteffen Assigned To 
PrioritynormalSeverityEditorialTypeClarification Requested
Status ClosedResolutionAccepted As Marked 
Namesteffen
Organization
User Reference
SectionVol. 3, mailx
Page Number2923
Line Number96565-96568
Interp StatusApproved
Final Accepted Text0000991:0003297
Summary0000991: mailx `mbox' command clarification
DescriptionThe documentation currently reads

96565 Direct Messages to mbox
96566 Synopsis: mb[ox] [msglist]
96567 Arrange for the given messages to end up in the mbox save file when mailx terminates normally.
96568 See MBOX. See also the exit and quit commands.

For all tested BSD mails the `mbox' command is not honoured unless used in the system mailbox (for the forked series i maintain mailboxes can be "treated alike" (via %:BOXNAME etc.)).
Looking at Illumos[1] it seems they do the check unless the opened mailbox is readonly, but which also doesn't match the standard wording.

  [1] https://github.com/illumos/illumos-gate/blob/master/usr/src/cmd/mailx/quit.c

Then again, the `quit' command is documented starting at line 96601 on page 2924 with the words

96604 Terminate mailx, storing messages that were read in mbox (if the current mailbox is the system
96605 mailbox and unless hold is set), deleting messages that have been explicitly saved (unless
96606 keepsave is set), discarding messages that have been deleted, and saving all remaining messages
96607 in the mailbox.

So this rather indicates that BSD is right (more so, anyway) since `mbox' is implicitly hooked to normal exit as via `quit'.
Desired ActionWell in my opinion this command should just work and arrange for the given messages to be saved in MBOX, even if it will take some years to get there.
I propose to change on page 2923, starting at line 96567

  Arrange for the given messages to end up in the mbox save file when mailx terminates normally.

to

  Arrange for the given messages to be moved to the MBOX file when mailx terminates normally or when the folder is changed. Whereas this command can be used in any folder, messages residing in the system mailbox will also ignore the settings of the internal variables [no]hold and [no]keepsave when `mbox' has been used to mark them explicitly.
Tagsissue8

Activities

steffen

2015-10-19 14:16

reporter   bugnote:0002878

Looking again it seems more items would benefit from clarification, namely `save', `Save', `touch', possibly more! I'll reread the entire entry and update this issue, hopefully covering all affected occurrences.

geoffclare

2016-07-14 16:17

manager   bugnote:0003297

Interpretation response
------------------------
The standard is unclear on this issue, and no conformance distinction can
be made between alternative implementations based on this. This is being
referred to the sponsor.

Rationale:
-------------
None.

Notes to the Editor (not part of this interpretation):
-------------------------------------------------------

Change on page 2923, starting at line 96567:
Arrange for the given messages to end up in the mbox save file when mailx terminates normally.
to:
Arrange for the given messages to be moved to the mbox save file when mailx terminates normally or when the folder is changed. This command can be used in any folder; for messages residing in the system mailbox, mailx shall ignore the settings of the internal variables [no]hold and [no]keepsave when the mbox command has been used to mark them explicitly.

ajosey

2016-07-15 09:01

manager   bugnote:0003298

Interpretation Proposed: 15 July 2016

ajosey

2016-08-16 08:48

manager   bugnote:0003352

Interpretation approved: 16 August 2016

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
2015-10-13 17:16 steffen New Issue
2015-10-13 17:16 steffen Name => steffen
2015-10-13 17:16 steffen Section => Vol. 3, mailx
2015-10-13 17:16 steffen Page Number => 2923
2015-10-13 17:16 steffen Line Number => 96565-96568
2015-10-19 14:16 steffen Note Added: 0002878
2016-07-14 16:17 geoffclare Note Added: 0003297
2016-07-14 16:19 geoffclare Interp Status => Pending
2016-07-14 16:19 geoffclare Final Accepted Text => 0000991:0003297
2016-07-14 16:19 geoffclare Status New => Interpretation Required
2016-07-14 16:19 geoffclare Resolution Open => Accepted As Marked
2016-07-14 16:19 geoffclare Tag Attached: issue8
2016-07-15 09:01 ajosey Interp Status Pending => Proposed
2016-07-15 09:01 ajosey Note Added: 0003298
2016-08-16 08:48 ajosey Interp Status Proposed => Approved
2016-08-16 08:48 ajosey Note Added: 0003352
2020-04-08 15:39 geoffclare Status Interpretation Required => Applied
2024-06-11 09:02 agadmin Status Applied => Closed