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Message Storage

Hi,


How are messages stored in Mercury ?


Is it in sort of database containing all messages, or are messages stored as single text-files ?


And how are these text-files organised ?


All messages belonging together (inbox - sent a.s.o) in one folder ?


Thank you


Hi, How are messages stored in Mercury ? Is it in sort of database containing all messages, or are messages stored as single text-files ? And how are these text-files organised ? All messages belonging together (inbox - sent a.s.o) in one folder ? Thank you

Note: In this explanation I use the terms "directory" and "directories" to indicate a file system object and the terms "folder" and "folders" to indicate email client folders.


Mercury creates a mailbox directory for each user created in Mercury. The mail data in those directories is organized as follows:


New mail (Inbox) is made up of an individual .CNM file for each message. These are plain text files that will usually contain HTML code and can contain encoded content, like attachments & images.


Folders are made up of two files, a .PMM file (data) and a .PMI file (index). The .PMM file is a plain text file that contains the content of messages. Picture the content of .CNM files being concatenated to the .PMM file as they are copied or moved to it.


Mercury does not support the concept of folders within folders (eg: folders that contain both messages and folders). In its companion product Pegasus Mail, a folder hierarchy can be established by creating Trays which can then contain folders. This Tray structure is maintained in a data file, it does not create a physical structure of file system objects in the mailbox directory. An unknown to me is whether a tiered folder structure can be created in a Mercury mailbox that is only accessed via IMAP.


Note 2: My experience with Mercury is in a business environment where Mercury retrieved email from mailboxes hosted by our domain host, and sent all outgoing mail. The Mercury mailboxes were accessed primarily by Pegasus Mail, the email client on all desktop PCs. Traveling salespeople had access to Mercury mailboxes via IMAP and to its outbound SMTP service.


Note: In this explanation I use the terms "directory" and "directories" to indicate a file system object and the terms "folder" and "folders" to indicate email client folders. Mercury creates a mailbox directory for each user created in Mercury. The mail data in those directories is organized as follows: New mail (Inbox) is made up of an individual .CNM file for each message. These are plain text files that will usually contain HTML code and can contain encoded content, like attachments & images. Folders are made up of two files, a .PMM file (data) and a .PMI file (index). The .PMM file is a plain text file that contains the content of messages. Picture the content of .CNM files being concatenated to the .PMM file as they are copied or moved to it. Mercury does not support the concept of folders within folders (eg: folders that contain both messages and folders). In its companion product Pegasus Mail, a folder hierarchy can be established by creating Trays which can then contain folders. This Tray structure is maintained in a data file, it does not create a physical structure of file system objects in the mailbox directory. An unknown to me is whether a tiered folder structure can be created in a Mercury mailbox that is only accessed via IMAP. Note 2: My experience with Mercury is in a business environment where Mercury retrieved email from mailboxes hosted by our domain host, and sent all outgoing mail. The Mercury mailboxes were accessed primarily by Pegasus Mail, the email client on all desktop PCs. Traveling salespeople had access to Mercury mailboxes via IMAP and to its outbound SMTP service.

Thank you for the detailed answer !


To be sure I understand it correctly : incoming messages are individual files, but as soon a message is moved into a folder, that individuality is lost ?


And this is not a configuration option ?


Thank you for the detailed answer ! To be sure I understand it correctly : incoming messages are individual files, but as soon a message is moved into a folder, that individuality is lost ? And this is not a configuration option ?

To be sure I understand it correctly : incoming messages are individual files, but as soon a message is moved into a folder, that individuality is lost ?


Correct.



And this is not a configuration option ?


No, it is not.


Is there something specific you wish to accomplish that needs messages as individual files?


[quote="pid:55178, uid:38721"]To be sure I understand it correctly : incoming messages are individual files, but as soon a message is moved into a folder, that individuality is lost ?[/quote] Correct. [quote="pid:55178, uid:38721"] And this is not a configuration option ?[/quote] No, it is not. Is there something specific you wish to accomplish that needs messages as individual files?

Is there something specific you wish to accomplish that needs messages as individual files?

Just because individual files are more secure (less susceptible to errors caused by crashes a.s.o) and incremental backup is faster.


[quote="pid:55179, uid:28772"]Is there something specific you wish to accomplish that needs messages as individual files?[/quote] Just because individual files are more secure (less susceptible to errors caused by crashes a.s.o) and incremental backup is faster.
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