Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

[Peter Davis]

I have one nnml group with about 30,000 messages in it.  I'd like to split
it by year into different groups (e.g., nnml:stuff1998, nnml:stuff1999,
etc.).  Is there some way to do that which:

1) I can start running and leave overnight or something?  Unless it's *very*
fast, it will take a long time to process all these messages.

2) Will keep the the .overview file(s) correct in all groups?

Thanks,

-pd

Re: Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

[Kai Großjohann]

"Peter Davis" <pdavis@pageflexinc.com> writes:

> I have one nnml group with about 30,000 messages in it.  I'd like to split
> it by year into different groups (e.g., nnml:stuff1998, nnml:stuff1999,
> etc.).  Is there some way to do that which:
>
> 1) I can start running and leave overnight or something?  Unless it's *very*
> fast, it will take a long time to process all these messages.
>
> 2) Will keep the the .overview file(s) correct in all groups?

If you can set up split rules that work, then it should work to just
`B r' all them messages.

kai
-- 
A large number of young women don't trust men with beards.  (BFBS Radio)

Re: Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

[Peter Davis]

Benjamin Rutt <rutt+news@cis.ohio-state.edu> writes:

> "Peter Davis" <pdavis@pageflexinc.com> writes:
> 
> > "Kai Großjohann" <Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE> wrote in message
> > news:vafu1lgpqol.fsf@lucy.cs.uni-dortmund.de...
> >> "Peter Davis" <pdavis@pageflexinc.com> writes:
> >>
> >> > I have one nnml group with about 30,000 messages in it.  I'd like to
> > split
> >> > it by year into different groups (e.g., nnml:stuff1998, nnml:stuff1999,
> >> > etc.).  Is there some way to do that which:
> >> >
> >> > 1) I can start running and leave overnight or something?  Unless it's
> > *very*
> >> > fast, it will take a long time to process all these messages.
> >> >
> >> > 2) Will keep the the .overview file(s) correct in all groups?
> >>
> >> If you can set up split rules that work, then it should work to just
> >> `B r' all them messages.
> >
> > Is there a way to 'B r' them from the *Group* buffer?  I can't open the
> > actual group and all the messages, as it would take hours, and probably
> > exhaust memory, to build a summary.
> 
> Then why not just enter with C-u 100?  And then process 100 respools
> at a time.  You could write a keyboard macro which presses something
> like 'C-u 100 M P a B r RET' and then presses 'q' to go back to the
> group buffer.  Then, execute the keyboard macro 300 times, to arrive
> at 30,000.  It will probably still take hours, but at least it
> probably won't exhaust memory.

Not only will it take hours, but it will take hours of human
involvement, as opposed to something I can just start running and
leave it overnight.

No better solutions around?

Thanks,

-pd


-- 
--------
                             Peter Davis
               Funny stuff at http://www.pfdstudio.com
    List of resources for children's writers and illustrators at:
                  http://www.pfdstudio.com/cwrl.html

Re: Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

[Benjamin Rutt]

Peter Davis <pd@world.std.com> writes:

>> Then why not just enter with C-u 100?  And then process 100 respools
>> at a time.  You could write a keyboard macro which presses something
>> like 'C-u 100 M P a B r RET' and then presses 'q' to go back to the
>> group buffer.  Then, execute the keyboard macro 300 times, to arrive
>> at 30,000.  It will probably still take hours, but at least it
>> probably won't exhaust memory.
>
> Not only will it take hours, but it will take hours of human
> involvement, as opposed to something I can just start running and
> leave it overnight.
>
> No better solutions around?

How exactly does 'C-u 300 C-x e' require human involvement?
-- 
Benjamin

Re: Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

[Kai Großjohann]

"Peter Davis" <pdavis@pageflexinc.com> writes:

> That's an interesting idea ... I had thought I'd have to keep the .overview
> file (>6Mb) correct, but actually, I could move the entire group, sort into
> directories, and re-import into gnus as a maildir source.  Hmmm.  Sounds
> like a good approach.

You can also do `g' on the server in the *Server* buffer (via `^'
from the group buffer) to generate all them .overview files.

kai
-- 
A large number of young women don't trust men with beards.  (BFBS Radio)

Re: Re-sorting *lots* of old mail

[Kai Großjohann]

pjacklam@online.no (Peter J. Acklam) writes:

> It works just fine except that if the message has no "Date" field,
> then the mail will end up in "mail.bogus".

How about using the current time if the message has no Date field?
Or just return another group name in that case.

kai
-- 
A large number of young women don't trust men with beards.  (BFBS Radio)