XM-I-S-MAX DIGITS FOR MSG NUM (984)    HELP FRAME (9.2)

Name Value
NAME XM-I-S-MAX DIGITS FOR MSG NUM
HEADER MAX DIGITS FOR MESSAGE NUMBER FIELD
TEXT
 
 
NOTE: MailMan internal message identification numbers start at 100,000
      to avoid any confusion between message numbers and message
      sequence numbers in baskets.
 
IRM can populate this field with a number ranging from 7 to 14 (no decimal
points). If this field is left null, the default will be eight digits.
 
If the MailMan internal message identification number exceeds the number
of digits stored in this field, the message number will recycle back to
MailMan can reuse/recycle internal message identification numbers when
the next vacant message number after 99999.
 
If MailMan is not able to find a vacant message number less than the
allowable number (i.e., value stored in the MAX DIGITS FOR MESSAGE NUMBER
field), then MailMan will take the next available message number, no
matter how many digits it has, and automatically change this field to
reflect the new maximum. Thus, it is very important that the unreferenced
messages purge and/or date purge be run on a regular basis.
 
 
creating messages. Thus, MailMan can avoid creating huge message numbers,
OTHER RELATED FIELDS:
 
Because of the MAX DIGITS FOR MESSAGE NUMBER field, the purge routines
operate off the LOCAL CREATE DATE field (#31), in the MAIL BOX file (#3.9)
and its 'C' cross-reference.
 
This field is set with the current date (no time) when a new message stub
is created. (For locally created messages, this will usually, but not
necessarily, be the same as the date sent. For incoming messages from
remote sites, this acts as a 'date-received' stamp.)
making them more manageable in size.
 
The date purge routine runs fast, because it has an appropriate
cross-reference to work with.
 
Other fields in Files #3.7 and #4.3, that refer to date include:
 
  MAIL BOX File (#3.7):
 
  Field Number   Field Name
  ------------   -----------------------
 
  3.7,1.2        DATE @ REINSTATEMENT
 
 
  MAILMAN SITE PARAMETERS File (#4.3):
 
  Field Number   Field Name
  ------------   ------------------------
  4.3,4.301      NO-PURGE DAYS BUFFER
  4.302,3        START PURGE DATE
  4.302,4        STOP PURGE DATE
The MAX DIGITS FOR MESSAGE NUMBER field (#17.1),in the MAILMAN SITE
  4.302,8        LAST DATE PROCESSED
  4.3,4.304      WEEKDAY DAYS TO PURGE
PARAMETERS file (#4.3), allows IRM to set the maximum number of digits
that can comprise a MailMan internal message identification number before
they recycle back and start again from 100,000.
DATE ENTERED 2002-05-06 15:37:00
AUTHOR USER,ONE