The 02.11.12 at 14:31, KMcLauchlan@chrysalis-its.com wrote:
There ARE no ".inbox" files of any sort in the Mail directory.
[...]
BTW, if it's not already obvious, I'm using directories, and not mbox.
No, it wasn't :-) Then the way of keeping indexes is different. The mbox format doesn't specify how to keep indexes, so programs have to use external files for that. If the format you are using keeps that's info inside the same mail file, and it is corrupted, you can not delete the indexes... Have a look with mc in those directories, see what you find. I don't know exactly how mails will be stored in your case.
I also tried Carlos' suggestion of creating another user on my system and running KMail. KMail runs for that user.
Then, perhaps... you could save your mail somewhere, delete the Mail dir contens, and run kmail again. Then, perhpas your old mail could be imported back in. If it works, and if you have large folders, try to divide them. But Backup First!
Could it be as simple as just "touch"ing inbox.index and related filenames, and hoping that KMail will just start re-building them? I don't want to mess it up any
If you do have a inbox.index file, you can delete it, kmail wil recreate it.
Does anybody have a suggestion for a least-damaging alternative mail app? Does KMail use its own formats,
I use Kmail with the mbox format. I wasn't aware, or I have forgotten, it could use a different one. In any case, I much prefer mbox, as it can be read/written by many programs.
or would another, common reader be able to handle the mail chores until I get KMail working? I've been very pleased with KMail until just a few days ago :-) I have several stored messages that are kinda required for my work, if only I knew which (of hundreds or thousands) of numbered mail-message files they might be.
You mean it stores one file per message? Use grep. Try to move some hundred files somewhere else. Try grepmail. Or mc. And backup before playing ;-) -- Cheers, Carlos Robinson