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Last update: 20 April,2001

								1003.2-92  #129

 _____________________________________________________________________________

	Interpretation Number:	XXXX
	Topic:                  mail 
	Relevant Sections:      4.40.7

Interpretation Request: (Defect Report)
-----------------------


	Date: Wed, 5 Jul 1995 14:05:29 +0200 (DST)

I would like to request an official, binding interpretation from the
IEEE concerning the following point in IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (POSIX.2).

POSIX.2 Subclause 4.40.7 specifies the processing of messages, which are in the
system mailbox or in a secondary mailbox:

lines 6347-6356 state:

    read    The message has been processed by one of the                        
            following commands:  ~f, ~m, ~F, ~M, copy,                          
            mbox, next, pipe, print, Print, top, type,                          
            Type, undelete.  The delete, dp and dt.                             
            commands may also cause the next message to                         
            be marked as read, depending on the value of                        
            the autoprint variable.  Messages that are                          
            in the system mailbox and in state read when<===                    
            mailx quits will be saved in the mbox,                              
            unless the internal variable hold was set.                          
            Messages that are in the mbox or in a                               
            secondary mailbox and in state read when                            
            mailx quits will be retained in their                               
            current location.                                                   

and Subclause 4.40.7.2.28, lines 6754-6757, state:

	save [file]
	save [msglist] file
	Save the specified messages in the file named by the pathname file, or 
	the mbox if the file argument is omitted. The file shall be created if
	it does not exist; otherwise, the messages shall be appended to the
	file. The messages shall be deleted from the mailbox when mailx
	terminates unless keepsave is set.


The issue that I would like resolved is: Shall messages in a secondary
mailbox be deleted, if they have been processed by save. 

I note, that 'save' is not one of the commands listed in the first mentioned
statement. I note further, that the second mentioned statement does not
differ between "system" and "secondary" mailboxes. 

So I would conclude that messages, which have been written to a file using
'save' are removed also from a secondary mailbox.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Interpretation response
------------------------

Since the description of the save command refers to the keepsave internal
variable, but the internal variable keepsave says nothing about secondary
mailbox's, the standard is unclear on this issue, and no conformance 
distinction can be made between alternative implementations based on this.  
This is being referred to the sponsor.


Rationale
-------------
None.

Forwarded to Interpretations group: Jul 6 1995
Proposed resolution forwarded: Aug 11 1995
Finalized: Sept 12 1995