Re: attachment filenames explained and stuff

From: Craig A Summerhill <craig_at_cni.org_at_hypermail-project.org>
Date: Thu, 22 Apr 1999 06:01:10 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <9904221001.AA22969_at_a.cni.org>

On Thu, 22 Apr 1999, John Finlay <finlay_at_moeraki.com> wrote:
>
> Daniel Stenberg wrote:
> >
> > No, that particular fix doesn't. Hypermail already checks for
> > existing file names before it saves an attachment. It then tries
> > simple alterations (by prepending a single letter to the filename,
> > a to z) and if none succeeds it falls back to generating a random one.
>
> Rather than generating a random name it would seem more useful to
> prepend the attachment name with the message number though I suppose
> one message could have attachements with the same file name.

I realize, to some degree, the likelihood of an attachment using the same name is a function of the size (and nature) of an archive... nevertheless, I actually feel this function as it exists in the current code is sufficient.

I discovered the fact that hypermail would do this by mistake when I was doing some testing. I was overwriting entire archives without cleaning the target directory out and discovered I had a number of MIME attachments which were nearly identical in name (file.xcl, filea.xcl, fileb,xcl, etc.).

Since then, I have converted tens (perhaps hundreds) of thousands of messages in old archives and have yet to experience one instance where hypermail had to alter the name to make it unique. I don't think I've got a single example of hypermail being forced to add a character to create a unique filename...

-- 

   Craig A. Summerhill, Systems Coordinator and Program Officer
   Coalition for Networked Information
   21 Dupont Circle, N.W., Washington, D.C.   20036
   Internet: craig_at_cni.org   AT&Tnet (202) 296-5098

Received on Thu 22 Apr 1999 12:04:51 PM GMT