Two levels of organization are possible with PMDF MAIL: you can organize groups of messages into folders, and you can organize groups of folders into mail files. If you have been using PMDF MAIL, then you've already encountered three folders: the NEWMAIL folder, the MAIL folder, and the WASTEBASKET folder. New, unread mail messages are kept in the NEWMAIL folder. After you have read a new message, it is automatically moved to the MAIL folder with your other "old" messages. Deleted messages are moved to the WASTEBASKET folder from which they are eventually purged. You can create additional folders and organize your messages amongst the folders.

You can have any number of mail files; each mail file can contain any number of folders; and each folder can contain any number of mail messages. Most users use just one mail file and simply organize their messages using folders. However, if your mail file becomes large (500 blocks or more), you might want to create additional mail files and move some of your older messages or larger folders to separate files. This will help improve PMDF MAIL's performance which decreases with increasing file size.

By default you have one mail file named MAIL.MAI. You can create additional mail files and move messages to them. This is useful, for instance, for archiving old messages. You might want to archive all memos from 2012 in a mail file named MEMOS_2012.MAI. Within that mail file, you could organize the messages amongst the twelve folders JAN, FEB, MAR, APR, etc.

A folder is created the first time you move a message into it. Likewise for mail files. Use the COPY or MOVE commands to move messages between folders and mail files. A folder is deleted once the last message in it is deleted or moved elsewhere. See Section 8.6.3 for more information on deleting folders.

To move between mail files, use the SET FILE command. Use the SELECT or DIRECTORY command to move between folders. The SELECT and DIRECTORY command can also be used to move between mail files. The name of the folder you are currently in is displayed at the top right hand corner of directory listings and message displays. Use the DIRECTORY/FOLDER command to list all existing folders in the current mail file.

By default, your account has one mail file named MAIL.MAI which usually contains the three folders:

NEWMAIL

New messages are stored in your NEWMAIL folder. When you start up PMDF MAIL and have new messages, you are placed in the NEWMAIL folder. Once you select a different folder, reselect the NEWMAIL folder, or exit PMDF MAIL, any new messages which have been read but not deleted or moved will automatically be moved to your MAIL folder. Use the SET NOAUTO_NEWMAIL command to prevent read new messages from being moved to MAIL.

MAIL

The MAIL folder contains any messages which you have read but not deleted or moved elsewhere. If, when you start up PMDF MAIL, you do not have any new messages, then you will be placed in the MAIL folder.

WASTEBASKET

Deleted messages are stored in the WASTEBASKET folder and kept there until you exit PMDF MAIL or issue a PURGE command. Upon exiting PMDF MAIL, any messages remaining in the WASTEBASKET folder will be purged. Use the SET NOAUTO_PURGE command to disable this automatic purging of the WASTEBASKET folder.