Re: lynx-dev A question on Lynx : Metamail?

[Klaus Weide]

On Wed, 5 Jan 2000, Marc St-Jacques wrote:

> I don't know if this is the right adress to ask this but I didn't see any
> specific e-mail adress for support.

You could have tried Mandrake...  anyway.

> Here I go:
> 
> When I invoke lynx at the prompt, it answers:
> metamail: Can't open temporary file! 

The message is misleading (and has since been changed).

> I'm using Lynx Version 2.8.2pre.5.  It came in an RPM version with Mandrake
> Linux.

Mandrake have configured their Lynx package so that, by default, it wants
to create temporary files in ~/tmp instead of /tmp (where ~ stands for
your HOME direwctory as usual).  That's not a bad idea; it's just bad they
didn't tell anybody about it.  (At least, apparently, not you. :) )

Create a directory tmp under your HOME directory and lynx will work.

Or set a TMPDIR or LYNX_TEMP_SPACE environment variable.

Or get a newer package version from Mandrake, they have one that reverts
to the old behavior AFAIK.  It fixes some other problems.

Or better yet compile the code from http://sol.slcc.edu/lynx/current/
yourself, report bugs to this list.


  Klaus