Thread: Application Data Storage Question

Application Data Storage Question

From
Date:
I'm working on an application that will need to store
all sent and received emails in logical groupings - in
my case, each transaction will have an email history
associated with it.

i can conceive of two ways to store the email data.

1. stick all pertinent email info in a db linked to
the transaction id.
2. create a transaction id directory in the file
system and store a file for each email sent/received
with all the pertinent info within that file.

the user needs this functionality to provide an
archive of the transaction.

i'm not experienced enough to know the pros and cons
of either process, or if there is a better process i
haven't thought of.

tia...



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Re: Application Data Storage Question

From
Richard Broersma Jr
Date:
> I'm working on an application that will need to store
> all sent and received emails in logical groupings - in
> my case, each transaction will have an email history
> associated with it.
> i can conceive of two ways to store the email data.
> 1. stick all pertinent email info in a db linked to
> the transaction id.
> 2. create a transaction id directory in the file
> system and store a file for each email sent/received
> with all the pertinent info within that file.
> the user needs this functionality to provide an
> archive of the transaction.
> i'm not experienced enough to know the pros and cons
> of either process, or if there is a better process i
> haven't thought of.

This is kind of over my head as a design question.  However, there may already be a technology
that you can readily implement (probably with a few minor tweaks).

as example you can see how the postgresql mail achieve give any easy means for searching for
emails.  I believe that the achieve uses PostgreSQL since IIRC I heard that it uses GIN indexing
for lightning fast search times.


http://search.postgresql.org/archives.search?cs=utf-8&fm=on&dt=back&q=mail+archieve&ul=http%3A%2F%2Farchives.postgresql.org%2F%25&dp=0&o=0&ps=20&s=rate

In addition to this it even keeps track of the "thread" as repliers respond the the email.
http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-general/2000-10/thrd2.php#01065

Anyway,  I am sure someone on the list (most likely the general list) knows what is running on the
back ground that does this.  May be it/or something similar to it would work for you.

Regards,
Richard Broersma Jr.

Re: Application Data Storage Question

From
Sean Davis
Date:
On Monday 27 November 2006 01:41, operationsengineer1@yahoo.com wrote:
> I'm working on an application that will need to store
> all sent and received emails in logical groupings - in
> my case, each transaction will have an email history
> associated with it.
>
> i can conceive of two ways to store the email data.
>
> 1. stick all pertinent email info in a db linked to
> the transaction id.
> 2. create a transaction id directory in the file
> system and store a file for each email sent/received
> with all the pertinent info within that file.
>
> the user needs this functionality to provide an
> archive of the transaction.
>
> i'm not experienced enough to know the pros and cons
> of either process, or if there is a better process i
> haven't thought of.

It sounds like you have storage and retrieval needs based on an index.  Why
not use the database?

Sean

Re: Application Data Storage Question

From
Date:
> On Monday 27 November 2006 01:41,
> operationsengineer1@yahoo.com wrote:
> > I'm working on an application that will need to
> store
> > all sent and received emails in logical groupings
> - in
> > my case, each transaction will have an email
> history
> > associated with it.
> >
> > i can conceive of two ways to store the email
> data.
> >
> > 1. stick all pertinent email info in a db linked
> to
> > the transaction id.
> > 2. create a transaction id directory in the file
> > system and store a file for each email
> sent/received
> > with all the pertinent info within that file.
> >
> > the user needs this functionality to provide an
> > archive of the transaction.
> >
> > i'm not experienced enough to know the pros and
> cons
> > of either process, or if there is a better process
> i
> > haven't thought of.
>
> It sounds like you have storage and retrieval needs
> based on an index.  Why
> not use the database?
>
> Sean
>

Sean, thanks.  now that i think about it, it would be
nice to print out all the emails on one sheet instead
of look through a number of files.

i think i'll go that direction.



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