[pmmail-list] PMMAIL 2.20.2380 file corruption (forwards with attachments)

[PMMail OS/2 Support]

On Tue, 18 Sep 2001 11:01:38 -0400 (EDT), Carl Gehr wrote:

>So, everyone should be WARNED!  LOUDLY!
>
>Just because you click on an attachment because you want to LOOK AT
>THAT ATTACHMENT, PMMail may open a DIFFERENT FILE and *NOT TELL YOU*
>unless you have this box checked!!!!
>
>I can see NO justification for EVER DOING THIS!

Some people with older hardware might have significant delays
decoding attachments. To avoid this they may want to view the already
saved temporary copy of the attachment rather than decode it again if
they close then reopen the same attachment of the same email message.
I believe that was the original justification for doing it. Obviously
it was coded about 4 or 5 years ago and by someone else so I can't
say for sure but...

>Frankly, I would prefer to see that TEMP directory CLEANED OUT WHENEVER
>THE FILE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE *TEMPORARILY* STORED THERE IS *CLOSED*.
> "Temporary" means it is *NOT* supposed to stay around.  But, the fact
>is, the files stored there WILL STAY until you terminate PMMail.  

That is correct, presumably to alleviate the delays described above.

>The only rationale I can conceive of for this approach would be for the
>slight performance benefit of not recreating a file.  It is NOT WORTH
>the exposure!  It is a BAD design and should be fixed immediately. 

Your problem is very serious and should be fixed but I can't promise
that the TEMP files will never be reused.

>Data integrity should never be compromised for the sake of performance
>or any other side benefit.

Of course. I agree.


--
Trevor Smith
PMMail/2 Technical Support
pmmailos2@blueprintsoftwareworks.com