Re: Make gnus-agent another mail backend?

[Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com>]

Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org> writes:

> Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> writes:
>
>> What is the difference?  Would one have to do some kind of work to get
>> them into a state (in cache?), where this editing or other maillike
>> things could happen? 
>
> You would press `e', and the rest would happen automatically.

When I press `e' on an agentized message nothing like that happens.
I'm told it isn't allowed.  I guess you mean once they have been
cached, but after pressinf * on a message and then `e' I'm still told
it isn't allowed, although the message appears in
~/News/cache/group/*.

But that is what I meant by `work'.  Something more
(not sure what) still needs to happen.

>> If this were automated it would be very similar to what I was
>> suggesting I think.
>
> Yes.

Well similar yes but more work.  Do you mean creating an nndir group to
visit the cache?  But that is readonly too.  Maybe you mean to create
nnml groups of the cached groups?  Again more work is needed.

If incoming agent messages were siphoned off to a mail backend no
other work is required. Except any mail backend type activity you
might want.

>> I didn't understand your argument about cache the first time around
>> though so maybe just not `getting it'.  Does cache offer the other
>> things that go with mail backends, like complex expiry?  Editing isn't
>> the only thing missing in agentized messages. It would be nice to be
>> able to target-expire them.  Especially if someone can think of a way
>> to base expiry on date AND score AND readedness.
>
> This isn't what the Agent is for.

What isn't what the agent is for?  Targetted-expiry?  But that is just
something that comes up when you own files.  Agent is a way to own
files or at least I always used it that way.  Isn't the idea to
provide access beyond what the nntpserver allows?  Like hanging onto
them until hell freezes over...  Or do you mean the complicated
expiry decision based on three things?

Most recently, I'm suggesting diverting a copy for other uses,
leaving the agent to do what it does.  But I think to be reliable it
would have to be done at the level of intervening in the agent download.

I may have just thought of something that might take care of what I'm
after diverting messages after the fact:

Imagine a score file that scores on what ever but trips a function
that copies the scored message to a mail backend group.  Maybe this is
possible now?  All I'm really after here is to save messages that
match a certain description to a data base where they can be searched
when needed.  I don't want to do it by hand. Maybe adding certain
headers like a keyword header to further facilitate the searching once
they are in a mailbackend group.

How could one arrange it so that messages scored above default get
copied over to similar named mail group when an agent group is opened.
Maybe changing the target group name on a monthly basis.

The part about matching a certain description is just for saving space
and provide a more centrated database.  Otherwise I would just save
agent groups forever.  But they get so damned big, and require so much
overhead even just to open.  But because of their nntp status we can't
really do stuff to them.