Postoffice Directory Structure

A Microsoft Mail workgroup postoffice temporarily stores a message until a user retrieves it. It stores only one copy of each mail message, even when a message is addressed to multiple recipients. When sent to multiple recipients, a message has a reference count in it, which is decremented each time a recipient retrieves the message. The message itself is removed when the reference count drops to 0.

All subdirectories within the Microsoft Mail database must be present for it to function correctly. The following table lists the subdirectories and describes their purpose:

WGPO Subdirectory

Description

ATT

Encrypted file attachments.

CAL

Microsoft Schedule+ calendar files.

FOLDERS

Public and private folders (with a filename extension of .FLD) for use by MS-DOS workstations. (Folders on Windows for Workgroups workstations are located in their .MMF files on the workstations.) Notice that public folders are created in this subdirectory, but the Microsoft Exchange client cannot view their contents.

GLB

Global system files for Microsoft Mail. These files contain local user logon information and control files to generate mail files.

HLP

Help files.

INF
TPL

Postoffice-defined templates. INF contains information files and TPL contains templates. ADMIN.INF and ADMIN.TPL contain template information for local postoffice users.

KEY

Index files that contain pointers to header records in the mailbag (.MBG) files.

MAI

Mail messages stored in encrypted form until the recipients' workstations retrieve them.

MBG

Mail headers that point to the mail (.MAI) files. For each file in this directory, there is a matching index (.KEY) file.

MEM

A list of the workgroup postoffice's members.

MMF

Mail message files.

NME

Pointer files for the name alias address lists. ADMIN.NME and ADMINSHD.NME list members of the postoffice address list.

P1

Temporary storage for external programs.

GRP
LOG
USR
XTN

Settings for multiple postoffice configurations. These subdirectories are useful only if you upgrade to the Microsoft Mail Server. In that case, USR is used to list user names and group names for the other network, and XTN is used to list other external information. LOG contains output log files. GRP contains public and private group pointer files.