Mail::Box::Mbox(3pm)

User Contributed Perl Documentation

Mail::Box::Mbox(3pm)

NAME¶

Mail::Box::Mbox - handle folders in Mbox format

INHERITANCE¶

 Mail::Box::Mbox
   is a Mail::Box::File
   is a Mail::Box
   is a Mail::Reporter

SYNOPSIS¶

  use Mail::Box::Mbox;
  my $folder = Mail::Box::Mbox->new(folder => $ENV{MAIL}, ...);

DESCRIPTION¶

This documentation describes how Mbox mailboxes work, and also describes what you can do with the Mbox folder object Mail::Box::Mbox.

Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::File.

OVERLOADED¶

Extends "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box::File.

overload: "" stringification: Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
overload: @{} use as ARRAY: Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
overload: cmp string comparison: Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box

METHODS¶

Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::File.

Constructors¶

Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::File.

$class->new(%options)

Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Box

 -Option             --Defined in     --Default
  access               Mail::Box        'r'
  body_delayed_type    Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Body::Delayed
  body_type            Mail::Box::File  <see description>
  coerce_options       Mail::Box        +[]
  create               Mail::Box        false
  extract              Mail::Box        10240
  field_type           Mail::Box        undef
  fix_headers          Mail::Box        false
  folder               Mail::Box        $ENV{MAIL}
  folderdir            Mail::Box        $ENV{HOME}.'/Mail'
  head_delayed_type    Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Head::Delayed
  head_type            Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Head::Complete
  keep_dups            Mail::Box        false
  lock_extension       Mail::Box::File  '.lock'
  lock_file            Mail::Box        <foldername><lock-extension>
  lock_timeout         Mail::Box        1 hour
  lock_type            Mail::Box        Mail::Box::Locker::DotLock
  lock_wait            Mail::Box        10 seconds
  locker               Mail::Box        undef
  log                  Mail::Reporter   'WARNINGS'
  manager              Mail::Box        undef
  message_type         Mail::Box        Mail::Box::Mbox::Message
  multipart_type       Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Body::Multipart
  remove_when_empty    Mail::Box        true
  save_on_exit         Mail::Box        true
  subfolder_extension                   '.d'
  trace                Mail::Reporter   'WARNINGS'
  trusted              Mail::Box        <depends on folder location>
  write_policy         Mail::Box::File  undef

access => $mode
body_delayed_type => CLASS
body_type => CLASS|CODE
coerce_options => ARRAY
create => BOOLEAN
extract => INTEGER | CODE | METHOD | 'LAZY'| 'ALWAYS'
field_type => CLASS
fix_headers => BOOLEAN
folder => FOLDERNAME
folderdir => $directory
head_delayed_type => CLASS
head_type => CLASS
keep_dups => BOOLEAN
lock_extension => $file|STRING
lock_file => $file
lock_timeout => $seconds
lock_type => CLASS|STRING|ARRAY
lock_wait => $seconds
locker => OBJECT
log => LEVEL
manager => $manager
message_type => CLASS
multipart_type => CLASS
remove_when_empty => BOOLEAN
save_on_exit => BOOLEAN
subfolder_extension => STRING: Mbox folders do not support sub-folders. However, this module can simulate sub-directories if the user wants it to. When a subfolder of folder "xyz" is created, we create a directory which is called "xyz.d" to contain them. This extension ".d" can be changed using this option.
trace => LEVEL
trusted => BOOLEAN
write_policy => 'REPLACE'|'INPLACE'|undef

Attributes¶

Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->filename()

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::File

$obj->fixHeaders()

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box

$obj->folderdir( [$directory] )

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box

$class->foundIn( [$foldername], %options )

If no $foldername is specified, then the value of the "folder" option is taken. A mbox folder is a file which starts with a separator line: a line with 'From ' as first characters. Blank lines which start the file are ignored, which is not for all MUA's acceptable. Improves base, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

 -Option             --Defined in     --Default
  folder                                undef
  folderdir            Mail::Box        undef
  subfolder_extension                   <from object>

folder => $name
folderdir => $directory
subfolder_extension => STRING

$obj->isTrusted()

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box

$any->listSubFolders(%options)

Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box

 -Option             --Defined in     --Default
  check                Mail::Box        <C<false>>
  folder               Mail::Box        <from calling object>
  folderdir            Mail::Box        <from folder>
  skip_empty           Mail::Box        <C<false>>
  subfolder_extension                   <from object>

check => BOOLEAN
folder => FOLDERNAME
folderdir => DIRECTORY
skip_empty => BOOL
subfolder_extension => STRING: When the method is called on an open folder, the extension defined by it is used to detect sub-folders by default. Otherwise, '.d' is taken.

$obj->logSettings(): Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->name(): Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box
$obj->removeEmpty(): Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box
$obj->subfolderExtension()
$obj->type(): Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box

The folder¶

Extends "The folder" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->addMessage($message, %options): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->addMessages(@messages): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$class->appendMessages(%options): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->close(%options): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->copyTo($folder, %options): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->delete(%options): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->organization(): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->size(): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->update(%options): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
$obj->url(): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box

Folder flags¶

Extends "Folder flags" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->access(): Inherited, see "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
$obj->isModified(): Inherited, see "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
$obj->modified( [BOOLEAN] ): Inherited, see "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
$obj->writable(): Inherited, see "Folder flags" in Mail::Box

The messages¶

Extends "The messages" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->current( [$number|$message|$message_id] ): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->find($message_id): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->findFirstLabeled( $label, [BOOLEAN, [$msgs]] ): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->message( $index, [$message] ): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->messageId( $message_id, [$message] ): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->messageIds(): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->messages( <'ALL'|$range|'ACTIVE'|'DELETED'|$label| !$label|$filter> ): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->nrMessages(%options): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box
$obj->scanForMessages($message, $message_ids, $timespan, $window): Inherited, see "The messages" in Mail::Box

Sub-folders¶

Extends "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box::File.

$any->nameOfSubFolder( $subname, [$parentname] ): Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
$obj->openRelatedFolder(%options): Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
$obj->openSubFolder($subname, %options): Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
$any->topFolderWithMessages(): Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box

Internals¶

Extends "Internals" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->coerce($message, %options)

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

$any->create($foldername, %options)

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

 -Option             --Defined in     --Default
  folderdir            Mail::Box        undef
  subfolder_extension                   undef

folderdir => $directory
subfolder_extension => STRING: If a directory is found on the location of the folder to be created, this STRING is used to extend that directory name with. This will cause the directory to be seen as sub-folder for the created folder. This argument is passed to folderToFilename().

$obj->determineBodyType($message, $head): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$any->folderToFilename( $foldername, $folderdir, [$extension] ): Translate a folder name into a filename, using the $folderdir value to replace a leading "=". If no $extension is specified and this method is called as instance method, new(subfolder_extension) is used. Otherwise, the extension default to '.d'. Improves base, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->lineSeparator( [<STRING|'CR'|'LF'|'CRLF'>] ): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->locker(): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->messageCreateOptions( [$type, $config] ): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->moveAwaySubFolder($directory, $extension): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->parser(): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->read(%options): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->readMessages(%options): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->storeMessage($message): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->toBeThreaded($messages): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->toBeUnthreaded($messages): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
$obj->updateMessages(%options): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->write(%options): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::File
$obj->writeMessages(%options): Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

Other methods¶

Extends "Other methods" in Mail::Box::File.

$any->timespan2seconds($time): Inherited, see "Other methods" in Mail::Box

Error handling¶

Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->AUTOLOAD(): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->addReport($object): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$any->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->errors(): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$any->log( [$level, [$strings]] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$any->logPriority($level): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->notImplemented(): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->report( [$level] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->reportAll( [$level] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->trace( [$level] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->warnings(): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

Cleanup¶

Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::File.

$obj->DESTROY(): Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Box

DETAILS¶

Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::File.

DETAILS¶

Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::File.

Different kinds of folders¶

Extends "Different kinds of folders" in Mail::Box::File.

Available folder types¶

Extends "Available folder types" in Mail::Box::File.

Folder class implementation¶

Extends "Folder class implementation" in Mail::Box::File.

How MBOX folders work¶

MBOX folders store many messages in one file. Each message begins with a line which starts with the string "From ". Lines inside a message which accidentally start with "From" are, in the file, preceded by `>'. This character is stripped when the message is read.

In this respect must be noted that the format of the MBOX files is not strictly defined. The exact content of the separator lines differ between Mail User Agents (MUA's). Besides, some MUAs (like mutt) forget to encode the "From " lines within message bodies, breaking other parsers....

Simulation of sub-folders¶

MBOX folders do not have a sub-folder concept as directory based folders do, but this MBOX module tries to simulate them. In this implementation a directory like

  Mail/subject1/

is taken as an empty folder "Mail/subject1", with the folders in that directory as sub-folders for it. You may also use

  Mail/subject1
  Mail/subject1.d/

where "Mail/subject1" is the folder, and the folders in the "Mail/subject1.d" directory are used as sub-folders. If your situation is similar to the first example and you want to put messages in that empty folder, the directory is automatically (and transparently) renamed, so that the second situation is reached.

DIAGNOSTICS¶

Error: Cannot append messages to folder file $filename: $!: Appending messages to a not-opened file-organized folder may fail when the operating system does not allow write access to the file at hand. Cast by appendMessages()
Error: Cannot move away sub-folder $dir: Cast by moveAwaySubFolder()
Warning: Cannot remove folder $name file $filename: $!: Writing an empty folder will usually cause that folder to be removed, which fails for the indicated reason. new(remove_when_empty) Cast by write()
Warning: Cannot remove folder $name file $filename: $!: Writing an empty folder will usually cause that folder to be removed, which fails for the indicated reason. new(remove_when_empty) controls whether the empty folder will removed; setting it to "false" (0) may be needed to avoid this message. Cast by write()
Error: Cannot replace $filename by $tempname, to update folder $name: $!: The replace policy wrote a new folder file to update the existing, but was unable to give the final touch: replacing the old version of the folder file for the indicated reason. Cast by write()
Warning: Changes not written to read-only folder $self.: You have opened the folder read-only --which is the default set by new(access)--, made modifications, and now want to close it. Set close(force) if you want to overrule the access mode, or close the folder with close(write) set to "NEVER". Cast by close()
Error: Copying failed for one message.: For some reason, for instance disc full, removed by external process, or read-protection, it is impossible to copy one of the messages. Copying will proceed for the other messages. Cast by copyTo()
Error: Destination folder $name is not writable.: The folder where the messages are copied to is not opened with write access (see new(access)). This has no relation with write permission to the folder which is controlled by your operating system. Cast by copyTo()
Warning: Different messages with id $msgid: The message id is discovered more than once within the same folder, but the content of the message seems to be different. This should not be possible: each message must be unique. Cast by messageId()
Error: File too short to get write message $nr ($size, $need): Mail::Box is lazy: it tries to leave messages in the folders until they are used, which saves time and memory usage. When this message appears, something is terribly wrong: some lazy message are needed for updating the folder, but they cannot be retrieved from the original file anymore. In this case, messages can be lost.
This message does appear regularly on Windows systems when using the 'replace' write policy. Please help to find the cause, probably something to do with Windows incorrectly handling multiple filehandles open in the same file. Cast by write()
Error: Folder $name not deleted: not writable.: The folder must be opened with write access via new(access), otherwise removing it will be refused. So, you may have write-access according to the operating system, but that will not automatically mean that this "delete" method permits you to. The reverse remark is valid as well. Cast by delete()
Error: Invalid timespan '$timespan' specified.: The string does not follow the strict rules of the time span syntax which is permitted as parameter. Cast by timespan2seconds()
Warning: Message-id '$msgid' does not contain a domain.: According to the RFCs, message-ids need to contain a unique random part, then an "@", and then a domain name. This is made to avoid the creation of two messages with the same id. The warning emerges when the "@" is missing from the string. Cast by messageId()
Error: Package $package does not implement $method.: Fatal error: the specific package (or one of its superclasses) does not implement this method where it should. This message means that some other related classes do implement this method however the class at hand does not. Probably you should investigate this and probably inform the author of the package. Cast by notImplemented()
Error: Unable to create subfolder $name of $folder.: The copy includes the subfolders, but for some reason it was not possible to copy one of these. Copying will proceed for all other sub-folders. Cast by copyTo()
Error: Unable to update folder $self.: When a folder is to be written, both replace and inplace write policies are tried, If both fail, the whole update fails. You may see other, related, error messages to indicate the real problem. Cast by write()

LICENSE¶

For contributors see file ChangeLog.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.

2025-12-07

perl v5.40.1

Source file:	Mail::Box::Mbox.3pm.en.gz (from libmail-box-perl 3.012-1)
Source last updated:	2025-12-07T03:51:46Z
Converted to HTML:	2025-12-07T08:48:14Z

NAME¶

INHERITANCE¶

SYNOPSIS¶

DESCRIPTION¶

OVERLOADED¶

METHODS¶

Constructors¶

Attributes¶

The folder¶

Folder flags¶

The messages¶

Sub-folders¶

Internals¶

Other methods¶

Error handling¶

Cleanup¶

DETAILS¶

DETAILS¶

Different kinds of folders¶

Available folder types¶

Folder class implementation¶

How MBOX folders work¶

Simulation of sub-folders¶

DIAGNOSTICS¶

SEE ALSO¶

LICENSE¶