[nos-bbs] JNOS error tracking new messages

[Michael Fox - N6MEF]

> > We have seen many cases where a user switches to a mailbox and sees "X
> > messages - Y new", where Y is not correct.  For example, maybe it says
> "...
> > 0 new" when, in fact, there are messages in that mailbox that have
> arrived
> > since the last time the user logged in.
> 
> Since the user last logged in or WHILE the user has been logged in ?

"... Since the last time the user logged in".

As another example, I just logged in to my home BBS and switched to the
allww area ("A allww"), which contains all worldwide bulletins.  I got 155
messages - 0 new".  But all of the bulletins in that area are from the last
week (I have a 7 day expiry) and I haven't read that mailbox in months.  

The cause:  <mailbox>.usr had an entry for my call sign with a value higher
than all of the AA##### messages numbers in the allww.txt file.  When I
edited <mailbox>.usr and set the number to 10000, then logged in again, I
now see 155 messages - 155 new.  

And if I set the number in allww.txt to some number that is higher than the
lowest AA##### number in allww.txt and lower than the highest AA##### number
in alww.txt, it shows those messages with lower numbers as read and those
with higher numbers as unread.  As I say, this is super easy to duplicate.

The problem, of course, is if new messages come in and are assigned AA#####
numbers lower than what is stored in <mailbox>.usr for that user.  JNOS
assume the messages with lower numbers have been read by that user.


> 
> If user is logged in, their index is probably locked, so maybe something
> is going on there, I'll have to check.

I assumed as much - at least while they are in that mailbox.  The number in
<mailbox>.usr appears to be updated when the user leaves the mailbox (such
as by typing "a <othermailbox>" or logging out).

Michael
N6MEF