Martin Hillyer writes:
> I have been using mutt for some time now and really like it.
> However, it has one behaviour that I have not been able to
> understand or change: the way it shows threads in the
> message list.
By default, mutt threads messages according the Subject:.
If "strict_threads" is set, the thread context is created
from In-Reply-To: and References: headers.
> I have ascii_chars set, and the expected
> lines and arrows are shown; however sometimes messages are
> shown as part of a particular thread when the subject is
> completely different,
This is because ppl sometimes reply to list mail instead of
writing a new message, probably because they have no alias
for the list address. They then forget to remove the
In-Reply_to: and/or References: header.
Sometimes, when I have too much time on my hands, I just
edit the mailbox in question and remove References: headers
from unrelated messages.
> and sometimes a message with a subject
> Re: foo_bar will be shown right below the original messge
> with no connection between them.
Using an MUA which doesn't use/add In-Reply_to: and/or
References: header, or replying to a mail message with using
their mailer's 'reply' function, ie. creating a completely
new message. Apart from the contents, there is no way telling
whether such a message is actually related to a previous message.
There's no AI built into mutt yet ...
> I have studied the fine
> manual, and tried various combinations of sort, sort_re, and
> strict threads, but have not observed any difference as a
> result. I'm sure I'm missing some magic nostrum to keep
> all threads together; can anyone help?
