--- a/src/client.c	Sat May 13 03:26:49 2000 +0100
+++ b/src/client.c	Sat May 13 09:27:26 2000 +0100
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
   client.c
 
-  $Id: client.c 67 2000-05-12 17:19:38Z enz $
+  $Id: client.c 73 2000-05-13 08:27:26Z enz $
 */
 
 #if HAVE_CONFIG_H
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "content.h"
 #include "dynamicstring.h"
 #include "group.h"
+#include "itemlist.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "over.h"
 #include "protocol.h"
@@ -627,42 +628,50 @@
 static Bool
 needsMark( const char *ref )
 {
-    Bool done = FALSE, interesting;
-    char *p;
-    Str msgId;
-    int status, len;
+    Bool interesting, result;
+    const char *msgId;
+    int status;
     time_t lastAccess, nowTime;
-    double threadFollowTime, limit, age;
+    double threadFollowTime, secPerDay, maxTime, timeSinceLastAccess;
+    ItemList *itl;
 
+    Log_dbg( "Checking references '%s' for thread mode", ref );
+    result = FALSE;
+    itl = new_Itl( ref, " \t" );
     nowTime = time( NULL );
     threadFollowTime = (double)Cfg_threadFollowTime();
-    limit = threadFollowTime * 24. * 3600.;
-    while ( ! done )
+    secPerDay = 24.0 * 3600.0;
+    maxTime = threadFollowTime * secPerDay;
+    Log_dbg( "Max time = %.0f", maxTime );
+    for ( msgId = Itl_first( itl ); msgId != NULL; msgId = Itl_next( itl ) )
     {
-        p = msgId;
-        while ( *ref != '<' )
-            if ( *(ref++) == '\0' )
-                return FALSE;
-        len = 0;
-        while ( *ref != '>' )
-        {
-            if ( *ref == '\0' || ++len >= MAXCHAR - 1 )
-                return FALSE;
-            *(p++) = *(ref++);
-        }
-        *(p++) = '>';
-        *p = '\0';
+        /*
+          References does not have to contain only Message IDs,
+          but often it does, so we look up every item in the database.
+        */          
         if ( Db_contains( msgId ) )
         {
             status = Db_status( msgId );
             lastAccess = Db_lastAccess( msgId );
             interesting = ( status & DB_INTERESTING );
-            age = difftime( nowTime, lastAccess );
-            if ( interesting && age <= limit )
-                return TRUE;
+            timeSinceLastAccess = difftime( nowTime, lastAccess );
+            Log_dbg( "Msg ID '%s': since last access = %.0f, interesting = %s",
+                     msgId, timeSinceLastAccess, ( interesting ? "y" : "n" ) );
+            if ( interesting && timeSinceLastAccess <= maxTime )
+            {
+                result = TRUE;
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            Log_dbg( "MsgID '%s': not in database." );
         }
     }
-    return FALSE;
+    del_Itl( itl );
+    Log_dbg( "Article %s marking for download.",
+             ( result ? "needs" : "doesn't need" ) );
+    return result;
 }
 
 static void