From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: Dumb question of the week
Date: 23 Dec 1992 11:50:59 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Distribution: world
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <9212221927.AA15856@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, RICHARDE@UV2.EGLIN.AF.MIL
("Eric F. Richards") writes: 
>I have a sequential mail file with messages in it that I want to copy/move
>to a "normal" ISAM mail file.  Am I missing something obvious in the FM
>on how to do this?  It doesn't seem possible short of mailing the messages
>back to myself (which keeps me from seeing the original To:, Subj: lines).
            
You ARE missing something.  But it's NOT obvious (see:  when someone comes up
with a question that ISN'T obviously answered by the HELP facility, I *CAN* be
polite :).

You need to use the COPY command (though you'd think, if you didn't have a
detailed understanding of how MAIL works, that it should be the MOVE command). 
From withing MAIL, type the command HELP COPY for details.

Basically, the syntax is:
	{start reading a message}
	MAIL> COPY folder_name file_name
The disk and directory default to SYS$LOGIN_DEVICE and your MAIL_DIRECTORY (see
the results of HELP SET MAIL_DIRECTORY from withing MAIL for details)

>If it can't be done with the MAIL user interface, has anyone written
>anything using callable MAIL to do this?

As described above, it CAN be down using the MAIL user interface.

Please pardon me for using you as a good example, but I want to point out a few
things here:

Eric has asked a question about something that's at least a little bit arcane
(i.e., you'd think [assuming you don't know a lot about VMS and MAIL] that the
MOVE command is what you want, while in fact, you must use COPY);

Eric has told us exactly what he wanted to accomplish (i.e., to move a MAIL
message from a sequential file to an ISAM file);

Eric has obviously spent some time thinking about his problem;  at least enough
time that he's figured out the appropritate buzzwords (ISAM in this case).

In brief, Eric shows evidence of having tried to figure out how to do what he
wants, but hasn't been successful.  INFO-VAX/COMP.OS.VMS is intended to help
people like Eric.  People who will try to learn what's necessary to deal with
VMS, but who've run into a dead end.  *NOT* people who want to pretend to
manage VMS systems without understanding VMS.

I welcome Eric as someone who apparently understands that you've got to
understand the OS you're working with to this newsgroup.

Yes, his question was a "newbie" sort of question, but it was obviously asked
by someone willing to take enough time that he understands what he's asking.

Thank you, Eric, for providing a good example  (and if you don't have the
vaguest idea what I'm talking about on this issue, please send me e-mail, and
I'll explain) of how to ask a question of this newsgroup.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms