Mail::Box::MH - handle MH folders
Mail::Box::MH
is a Mail::Box::Dir
is a Mail::Box
is a Mail::Reporter
use Mail::Box::MH;
my $folder = new Mail::Box::MH folder => $ENV{MAIL}, ...;
This documentation describes how MH mailboxes work, and what you
can do with the MH folder object
"Mail::Box::MH".
Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Dir.
Extends "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- overload:
""
- Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
- overload:
@{}
- Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
- overload:
cmp
- Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Dir.
Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- Mail::Box::MH->new(%options)
-
-Option --Defined in --Default
access Mail::Box 'r'
body_delayed_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Body::Delayed
body_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Body::Lines
coerce_options Mail::Box []
create Mail::Box <false>
directory Mail::Box::Dir <derived from folder name>
extract Mail::Box 10240
field_type Mail::Box undef
fix_headers Mail::Box <false>
folder Mail::Box $ENV{MAIL}
folderdir Mail::Box $ENV{HOME}/.mh
head_delayed_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Head::Delayed
head_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Head::Complete
index undef
index_filename <foldername>/.index
index_type Mail::Box::MH::Index
keep_dups Mail::Box <false>
keep_index 0
labels undef
labels_filename <foldername>/.mh_sequence
labels_type Mail::Box::MH::Labels
lock_file Mail::Box <index_file>
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 <folder-class>::Message
multipart_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Body::Multipart
remove_when_empty Mail::Box <true>
save_on_exit Mail::Box <true>
trace Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS'
trusted Mail::Box <depends on folder location>
- access => MODE
- body_delayed_type
=> CLASS
- body_type =>
CLASS|CODE
- coerce_options
=> ARRAY
- create =>
BOOLEAN
- directory =>
DIRECTORY
- field_type =>
CLASS
- folder =>
FOLDERNAME
- folderdir =>
DIRECTORY
- head_delayed_type
=> CLASS
- head_type =>
CLASS
- index => OBJECT
- You may specify an OBJECT of a type which extends Mail::Box::MH::Index (at
least implements a "get()" method), as
alternative for an index file reader as created by
"Mail::Box::MH".
- index_filename
=> FILENAME
- The FILENAME which is used in each directory to store the headers of all
mails. The filename shall not contain a directory path. (e.g. Do not use
"/usr/people/jan/.index", nor
"subdir/.index", but say
".index".)
- index_type =>
CLASS
- keep_dups =>
BOOLEAN
- keep_index =>
BOOLEAN
- Keep an index file of the specified mailbox, one file per directory. Using
an index file will speed up things considerably, because it avoids reading
all the message files the moment that you open the folder. When you open a
folder, you can use the index file to retrieve information such as the
subject of each message, instead of having to read possibly thousands of
messages.
- labels =>
OBJECT
- You may specify an OBJECT of a type which extends Mail::Box::MH::Labels
(at least implements the "get()"
method), as alternative for labels file reader as created by
"Mail::Box::MH".
- labels_filename
=> FILENAME
- In MH-folders, messages can be labeled, for instance based on the sender
or whether it is read or not. This status is kept in a file which is
usually called ".mh_sequences", but that
name can be overruled with this flag.
- labels_type
=> CLASS
- lock_file =>
FILENAME
- 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
- trace => LEVEL
- trusted =>
BOOLEAN
Extends "The folder" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- $obj->addMessage($message, %options)
- Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->addMessages(@messages)
- Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
- Mail::Box::MH->appendMessages(%options)
- Append a message to a folder which is not open.
-Option --Defined in --Default
folder Mail::Box <required>
message Mail::Box undef
messages Mail::Box undef
share Mail::Box <false>
- $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->directory()
- Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box::Dir
- $obj->folderdir( [$directory] )
- Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->name()
- 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->type()
- 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
Extends "Folder flags" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- $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
Extends "The messages" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- $obj->current( [$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
Extends "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- $obj->coerce($message, %options)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->create($foldername, %options)
- Mail::Box::MH->create($foldername,
%options)
-
-Option --Defined in--Default
folderdir Mail::Box undef
- $obj->determineBodyType($message, $head)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->folderToDirectory($foldername, $folderdir)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir
- Mail::Box::MH->foundIn(
[$foldername], %options )
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->highestMessageNumber()
- Returns the highest number which is used in the folder to store a file.
This method may be called when the folder is read (then this number can be
derived without file-system access), but also when the folder is not read
(yet).
- $obj->index()
- Create a index reader/writer object.
- $obj->labels()
- Create a label reader/writer object.
- $obj->lineSeparator( [<STRING|'CR'|'LF'|'CRLF'>] )
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->locker()
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->messageInFile($filename)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir
- $obj->read(%options)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->readMessageFilenames($directory)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir
- $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
- $obj->write(%options)
- Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->writeMessages(%options)
-
-Option --Defined in --Default
messages Mail::Box <required>
renumber <true>
- messages =>
ARRAY
- renumber =>
BOOLEAN
- Permit renumbering of message. By default this is true, but for some
unknown reason, you may be thinking that messages should not be
renumbered.
Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- $obj->AUTOLOAD()
- Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->addReport($object)
- Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level,
$callback] )
- Mail::Box::MH->defaultTrace(
[$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )
- Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->errors()
- Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
- Mail::Box::MH->log(
[$level, [$strings]] )
- Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->logPriority($level)
- Mail::Box::MH->logPriority($level)
- Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->logSettings()
- 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
Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Dir.
- $obj->DESTROY()
- Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Box
Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::Dir.
Extends "Different kinds of folders" in
Mail::Box::Dir.
Extends "Available folder types" in Mail::Box::Dir.
Extends "Folder class implementation" in
Mail::Box::Dir.
MH-type folders use a directory to store the messages of one
folder. Each message is stored in a separate file. This seems useful,
because changes in a folder change only a few of these small files, in
contrast with file-based folders where changes in a folder cause rewrites of
huge folder files.
However, MH-based folders perform very bad if you need header
information of all messages. For instance, if you want to have full
knowledge about all message-threads (see Mail::Box::Thread::Manager) in the
folder, it requires to read all header lines in all message files. And
usually, reading your messages in threads is desired.
So, each message is written in a separate file. The filenames are
numbers, which count from 1. Next to these message
files, a directory may contain a file named
".mh_sequences", storing labels which
relate to the messages. Furthermore, a folder-directory may contain
sub-directories, which are seen as sub-folders.
This implementation supports the
".mh-sequences" file and sub-folders. Next
to this, considerable effort it made to avoid reading each message-file.
This should boost performance of the MailBox distribution over other
Perl-modules which are able to read folders.
Folder types which store their messages each in one file, together
in one directory, are bad for performance. Consider that you want to know
the subjects of all messages, while browser through a folder with your
mail-reading client. This would cause all message-files to be read.
Mail::Box::MH has two ways to try improve performance. You can use
an index-file, and use on delay-loading. The combination performs even
better. Both are explained in the next sections.
If you specify new(keep_index), then all header-lines of all
messages from the folder which have been read once, will also be written
into one dedicated index-file (one file per folder). The default filename is
".index"
However, index-files are not supported by any other reader which
supports MH (as far as I know). If you read the folders with such I client,
it will not cause unrecoverable conflicts with this index-file, but at most
be bad for performance.
If you do not (want to) use an index-file, then delay-loading may
save your day.
- Error: Cannot append
message without lock on $folder.
- It is impossible to append one or more messages to the folder which is not
opened, because locking it fails. The folder may be in use by an other
application, or you may need to specify some lock related options (see
new()).
- Error: Cannot create
MH folder $name: $!
- For some reason, it is impossible to create the folder. Check the
permissions and the name of the folder. Does the path to the directory to
be created exist?
- Error: Cannot write
folder $name without lock.
- It is impossible to get a lock on the folder, which means that the changes
can not be made. You may need to tune the lock related options which are
available at folder creation.
- 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".
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Error: Folder $name is
opened read-only
- You can not write to this folder unless you have opened the folder to
write or append with new(access), or the
"force" option is set true.
- Error: Folder $name
not deleted: not writable.
- The folder must be opened with write access via new(access), otherwise
removing it will be refused. So, you may have write-access according to
the operating system, but that will not automatically mean that this
"delete" method permits you to. The
reverse remark is valid as well.
- Error: Invalid
timespan '$timespan' specified.
- The string does not follow the strict rules of the time span syntax which
is permitted as parameter.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Error: Unable to
write message for $folder to $filename: $!
- The new message could not be written to its new file, for the specific
reason.
- Error: Writing
folder $name failed
- For some reason (you probably got more error messages about this problem)
it is impossible to write the folder, although you should because there
were changes made.
This module is part of Mail-Box distribution version 3.009, built
on August 18, 2020. Website: http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/
Copyrights 2001-2020 by [Mark Overmeer]. For other contributors
see ChangeLog.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See
http://dev.perl.org/licenses/