Re: Problem with maildir as backend

[Ted Zlatanov]

On Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:55:47 +0200 "Wolfgang Pausch" <wolfgang.pausch@gmx.net> 
wrote: 

WP> I am a gnus newbie and want to set up gnus for reading mail using maildir 
as mail source and as mail backend.  My configuration so far is:

WP> (setq mail-sources
WP>       '((maildir :path "~/spool/inbox_wolgmx" :subdirs ("cur" "new"))))

WP> (setq gnus-select-method '(nnnil ""))
WP> (setq gnus-secondary-select-methods '((nnmaildir "" (directory "~/Mail/"))))

WP> So, I want to fetch mail from a POP3 account using getmail to the spool 
directory, and then I want gnus to fetch that mail and store it in a maildir 
directory called Mail.  

WP> According to the manual, I should find a group named mail.misc if I start 
gnus after setting it up this way.  Unfortunately, I don't.  To be precesily, 
in one of my first tries, I actually found it, but gnus complained about being 
unable to activate it.  

WP> Then I deleted anything to gnus and newsgroups (newsrc*, some cache file) 
and switched to nnml as secondary select method - it worked!  I again deleted 
anything, tried switching back to nnmaildir.  Now, after some more trial and 
error, I have the situation that mail.misc doesn't show up at all.  And, in the 
inbox_wolgmx-directory, there actually is mail, I copied it from a backup.

WP> The background for using maildir is that I don't want to store my
WP> mail in some incompatible format, especially as I am a gnus newbie.
WP> And as far as I know, there are much more mail clients that
WP> understand maildir, correct?

Yes, you can use any Maildir-compatible client.  Gnus actually uses
Maildir+ IIRC but I think that's what nearly everyone supports.

Rather than POP3 -> getmail -> Maildir -> Gnus -> Maildir, you can have
Gnus fetch from POP3 directly (POP3 -> Gnus -> Maildir).  It's up to you
if that makes sense.

WP> Ok, does anyone have a hint for me?  What is my mistake?  And deleting 
which files is sufficient for starting again from zero?  Maybe I missed some 
obscure cache file when trying to reset gnus after the nnml try?

I would try the Server buffer (`^' from the Group buffer).  Then press
RET on the nnmaildir server.  You should see the mail.misc group.

You should set up your splitting rules for nnmaildir (simple or fancy).
That will let you control exactly where things go, so you don't rely on
default behavior.

Your setup seems fine to me otherwise.

Ted