Re: Problems with .newsrc.eld (aws: Re: self-contained nnml)

[prj@po.cwru.edu (Paul Jarc)]

Simon Josefsson <jas@extundo.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Aug 2001, Daniel Pittman wrote:
>> Well, group parameters such as the `to-list' and `to-address', I would
>> expect to transfer and back-up correctly. If I stopped backing up the
>> .eld file and they got lost, I would go find a corner and cry or
>> something. :)
> 
> Well, one point of the `.marks' file is that you don't need to backup
> .newsrc.eld at all, so I think it would be good to put more backend
> state in it.

The problem here is that there is no analogue of -request-set-mark for
group parameters.  If Gnus changes marks, then the backend finds out
via -request-set-mark.  So the next time Gnus asks for marks with
-request-update-info, the backend knows that its marks are at least as
accurate as Gnus's current marks, and it can assume any differences
are an inaccuracy in Gnus's marks and correct them.  But with group
parameters, the backend has no way to decide whether Gnus's current
parameters or the backend's stored parameters are more accurate.
-request-update-info is the only way the backend ever gets parameters
from Gnus, but also the only way it has to change Gnus's parameters.


paul