Label-based virtual folder not updated

[Göran Uddeborg]

When I create a virtual folder based on a label, add the label to more messages in the underlying folder, and update the virtual folder, the new messages don't show up.

To reproduce:

1. Start emacs and load vm-load.el
2. Visit the attached test folder (M-x vm-visit-folder)
3. Move to the first message
4. Add a label (l a a-label)
5. Create a virtua folder based on this label (V l a-label)
6. Go back to the underlying (test) folder
7. and move to the last message.
8. Add the same label to it (l e TAB)
9. Go to the virtual folder again
10. Get new mail (g)

At this time, I would have expected message 3 from the underlying folder to show up in the virtual folder. Section "13.3 Working with Virtual Folders" in the info pages says "… if you use `g' (`vm-get-new-mail') in a virtual folder … matched by the virtual folder's selectors, they will be added to the virtual folder."

But no new messages are added. Is this the intended behaviour?

If one reads the documentation strictly, maybe the check for the virtual folder is only applied to the newly arrived messages in the underlying folder. And obviously, none of the new messages have got the label yet. If this is the intended behaviour, is there any other way to update the virtual folder with the currently labeled messages? Or do I have to create a new virtual folder based on the same label?

Versions used:
emacs 23.1
vm 8.2.0b

[Uday Reddy (reddyuday)]

Hi Goran, the part of the sentence that you elided with "..." says if any of *retrieved messages* are matched by the virtual folder selectors. So, obviously this only applies to new messages, not the messages already classified into the virtual folder.

But I know that the functionality that you would like is desirable. I wanted it myself several times. So, I will make this a wishlist item.

[Göran Uddeborg (goeran-uddeborg)]

I see. The documentation should indeed be read as strictly as I speculated in the last paragraph. That also means the answer to my final question is: yes, I have to create a new virtual folder, right? I agree completely, "wishlist" is appropriate.

[Uday Reddy (reddyuday)]

Rob F's vm-avirtual package (section 13.4 of the manual) has an operation that can be used to "update" virtual folders for a particular message. Invoking it by hand every time would be tedious. But there might be a way to add it as an advice for the add-label function. I haven't explored that idea.