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From: Uday Reddy <usr.vm.ro...@gmail.com>
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Subject: Re: [VM] vm-mark-folder-modified-p
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:46:58 +0000
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Julian Bradfield writes:

> I see the point: from vm's point of view, it may treat the data as
> read-only, but change the meta-data, just as visiting a file read-only
> may update its last access time.
> However, I would expect most people to associate vm visiting a folder
> read-only with emacs visiting a file read-only with opening a file
> read-only.
> Perhaps there should be a variable: vm-read-only-includes-metadata or
> something!

I have now modified `vm-quit' in the trunk to silently discard any changes
to the folder ("meta-data") if the folder is read-only.

There are a couple of things about this that worry me.

1. If you do vm-toggle-read-only for some reason or other, you might put the
folder in read-only mode.  If you forget that you have done so and quit the
folder, the changes that were made before putting it in read-only mode would
be lost.  So, vm-toggle-read-only has now become a mildly unsafe operation.

2. I think I have seen `vm-save-message' write the message to a visited
folder inside VM instead of the folder on disk.  (I think I have enjoyed
this 'feature' on occasion when I was on a slow network.)  I don't know what
happens if that folder has been visited read-only.  Can somebody please
check this situation?

Cheers,
Uday