ietf-mta-filters
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Re: Multiple actions in Sieve script.

1999-01-25 19:02:46
At 7:03 PM -0500 1/25/99, Tim Showalter wrote:

I understand your position, but I don't like it.  I don't mean to make
this sound like a flame, but I'm really not happy about arbitrary limits
on numbers of actions, especially ones like FileInto which can be
considered to be harmless.  I don't know how common this problem is
going to be, but I really thought it was nonexistant until you brought
it up.

I thought the goal of Sieve was a language that was powerful enough to be useful, and simple enough to be safe and easily implemented.

I have one working Sieve implementation, and another in development (same core code) that use a plug-in API model. The Sieve agent is called during (but before) final delivery. It is passed the incoming message, including envelope. Sieve gets to reject the message or alter the mailbox into which it will be filed. (It can also forward or reply, but those actions do not effect message disposition as far as the plug-in API is concerned.)

I doubt this environment is unique.

If we define a FileInto action which takes one mailbox name as a parameter and causes the message to be delivered into that mailbox instead of the default, we have something that can be implemented very widely.

If we instead define a FileInto which takes multiple mailboxes, or has any other semantics, we gain some power but reduce either interoperability or deployability.

How important is the ability to simultaneously deliver into multiple mailboxes? If we don't absolutely have to have it, I say we leave it for an extension. If it is so vital as to justify delay and reduced interoperability or deployability, please explain why, because I just don't see it.


I guess that if I write my scripts well I will typically file on
Return-Path, so it can be dealt with.

I don't understand this comment.

I use Sieve to process all my incoming mail at work. The Sieve script is close to 300 lines, and files mostly based on envelope return-path.
How does this affect the need for multiple FileInto?