Mail::Box::POP3 - handle POP3 folders as client
Mail::Box::POP3 is a Mail::Box::Net is a Mail::Box is a Mail::Reporter
use Mail::Box::POP3;
my $folder = new Mail::Box::POP3 folder => $ENV{MAIL}, ...;
Maintain a folder which has its messages stored on a remote server. The communication between the client application and the server is implemented using the POP3 protocol. This class uses Mail::Transport::POP3 to hide the transport of information, and focusses solely on the correct handling of messages within a POP3 folder.
overload: ""
overload: @{}
overload: cmp
Mail::Box::POP3->new(OPTIONS)
For authentications, you have three choices: specify a foldername which resembles an URL, or specify a pop-client object, or separate options for user, password, pop-server and server-port.
Option --Defined in --Default access Mail::Box 'r' authenticate 'AUTO' body_delayed_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Body::Delayed body_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Body::Lines coerce_options Mail::Box [] create Mail::Box <not applicable> extract Mail::Box 10240 field_type Mail::Box undef fix_headers Mail::Box <false> folder Mail::Box <not applicable> folderdir Mail::Box <not used> head_delayed_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Head::Delayed head_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Head::Complete keep_dups Mail::Box <false> lock_file Mail::Box undef lock_timeout Mail::Box 1 hour lock_type Mail::Box 'NONE' lock_wait Mail::Box 10 seconds locker Mail::Box undef log Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS' manager Mail::Box undef message_type Mail::Box Mail::Box::POP3::Message multipart_type Mail::Box Mail::Message::Body::Multipart password Mail::Box::Net undef pop_client undef remove_when_empty Mail::Box <false> save_on_exit Mail::Box <true> server_name Mail::Box::Net undef server_port Mail::Box::Net 110 trace Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS' trusted Mail::Box <false> username Mail::Box::Net undef
. access => MODE
. authenticate => 'LOGIN'|'APOP'|'AUTO'
POP3 can use two methods of authentication: the old LOGIN protocol, which transmits a username and password in plain text, and the newer APOP protocol which uses MD5 encryption. APOP is therefore much better, however not always supported by the server. With AUTO, first APOP is tried and if that fails LOGIN.
. 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_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
. password => STRING
. pop_client => OBJECT
You may want to specify your own pop-client object. The object which is passed must extend Mail::Transport::POP3.
. remove_when_empty => BOOLEAN
. save_on_exit => BOOLEAN
. server_name => HOSTNAME
. server_port => INTEGER
. trace => LEVEL
. trusted => BOOLEAN
. username => STRING
example:
my $url = 'pop3://user:password@pop.xs4all.nl'
my $pop = Mail::Box::POP3->new($url);
my $pop = $mgr->open(type => 'pop3',
username => 'myname', password => 'mypassword',
server_name => 'pop.xs4all.nl');
$obj->addMessage(MESSAGE)
It is impossible to write messages to the average POP3 server. There are extensions to the protocol which do permit it, however these are not implemented (yet, patches welcome).
undef is returned, and an error displayed. However, no complaint is
given when the MESSAGE is undef itself.
Option--Defined in--Default share Mail::Box <not used>
. share => BOOLEAN
$obj->addMessages(MESSAGES)
As useless as addMessage(). The only acceptable call to this method is without any message.
Mail::Box::POP3->appendMessages(OPTIONS)
$obj->close(OPTIONS)
$obj->copyTo(FOLDER, OPTIONS)
$obj->delete(OPTIONS)
It is not possible to delete a POP3 folder remotely: the best we can do is remove all the messages in it... which is the action implemented here. A notice is logged about this.
Option --Defined in--Default recursive Mail::Box <not used>
. recursive => BOOLEAN
$obj->folderdir([DIRECTORY])
$obj->name
$obj->organization
$obj->size
$obj->type
$obj->update
NOT IMPLEMENTED YET
$obj->url
$obj->access
$obj->isModified
$obj->modified([BOOLEAN])
$obj->writable
$obj->current([NUMBER|MESSAGE|MESSAGE-ID])
$obj->find(MESSAGE-ID)
$obj->findFirstLabeled(LABEL, [BOOLEAN, [ARRAY-OF-MSGS]])
$obj->message(INDEX [,MESSAGE])
$obj->messageId(MESSAGE-ID [,MESSAGE])
$obj->messageIds
$obj->messages(['ALL',RANGE,'ACTIVE','DELETED',LABEL,!LABEL,FILTER])
$obj->nrMessages(OPTIONS)
$obj->scanForMessages(MESSAGE, MESSAGE-IDS, TIMESPAN, WINDOW)
$obj->listSubFolders(OPTIONS)
Mail::Box::POP3->listSubFolders(OPTIONS)
The standard POP3 protocol does not support sub-folders, so an empty list will be returned in any case.
Option --Defined in --Default check Mail::Box <false> folder Mail::Box <from calling object> folderdir Mail::Box <from folder> skip_empty Mail::Box <false>
. check => BOOLEAN
. folder => FOLDERNAME
. folderdir => DIRECTORY
. skip_empty => BOOL
$obj->nameOfSubFolder(SUBNAME, [PARENTNAME])
Mail::Box::POP3->nameOfSubFolder(SUBNAME, [PARENTNAME])
$obj->openRelatedFolder(OPTIONS)
$obj->openSubFolder(OPTIONS)
It is not possible to open a sub-folder for a POP3 folder, because that
is not supported by the official POP3 protocol. In any case, undef
is returned to indicate a failure.
$obj->topFolderWithMessages
Mail::Box::POP3->topFolderWithMessages
$obj->coerce(MESSAGE, OPTIONS)
$obj->create(FOLDER, OPTIONS)
Mail::Box::POP3->create(FOLDER, OPTIONS)
It is not possible to create a new folder on a POP3 server. This method
will always return false.
Option --Defined in--Default folderdir Mail::Box <not used>
. folderdir => DIRECTORY
$obj->determineBodyType(MESSAGE, HEAD)
Mail::Box::POP3->foundIn([FOLDERNAME], OPTIONS)
$obj->getHead(MESSAGE)
Read the header for the specified message from the remote server.
$obj->getHeadAndBody(MESSAGE)
Read all data for the specified message from the remote server.
$obj->lineSeparator([STRING|'CR'|'LF'|'CRLF'])
$obj->locker
$obj->popClient
Returns the pop client object. This does not establish the connection.
$obj->read(OPTIONS)
$obj->readMessages(OPTIONS)
$obj->storeMessage(MESSAGE)
$obj->toBeThreaded(MESSAGES)
$obj->toBeUnthreaded(MESSAGES)
$obj->updateMessages(OPTIONS)
$obj->write(OPTIONS)
$obj->writeMessages(OPTIONS)
Option --Defined in--Default messages Mail::Box <required>
. messages => ARRAY
$obj->timespan2seconds(TIME)
Mail::Box::POP3->timespan2seconds(TIME)
$obj->AUTOLOAD
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->addReport(OBJECT)
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->defaultTrace([LEVEL]|[LOGLEVEL, TRACELEVEL]|[LEVEL, CALLBACK])
Mail::Box::POP3->defaultTrace([LEVEL]|[LOGLEVEL, TRACELEVEL]|[LEVEL, CALLBACK])
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->errors
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->log([LEVEL [,STRINGS]])
Mail::Box::POP3->log([LEVEL [,STRINGS]])
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->logPriority(LEVEL)
Mail::Box::POP3->logPriority(LEVEL)
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->logSettings
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->notImplemented
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->report([LEVEL])
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->reportAll([LEVEL])
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->trace([LEVEL])
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->warnings
See Mail::Reporter/"Error handling"
$obj->DESTROY
$obj->inGlobalDestruction
Rfc1939 defines how POP3 works. POP3 is a really simple protocol to receive messages from a server to a user's client. POP3 is also really limited: it can only be used to fetch messages, but has not many ways to limit the amount of network traffic, like the IMAP4 protocol has.
One POP3 account represents only one folder: there is no way of sub-folders in POP3. POP3 doesn't support writing (except for some message status flags).
The protocol specifics are implemented in Mail::Transport::POP3, written by Liz Mattijsen. That module does not use any of the other POP3 modules available on CPAN for the reason that MailBox tries to be smarter: it is capable of re-establishing broken POP3 connection when the server supports UIDs.
The implementation has shown to work with many different POP servers. In the test directory of the distribution, you will find a small server implementation, which is used to test the client.
Error: Cannot create POP3 client for $name.
The connection to the POP3 server cannot be established. You may see more, related, error messages about the failure.
Error: Cannot find head back for $uidl on POP3 server $name.
The server told to have this message, but when asked for its headers, no single line was returned. Did the message get destroyed?
Error: Cannot read body for $uidl on POP3 server $name.
The message's headers are retreived from the server, but the body seems to be lost. Did the message get destroyed between reading the header and reading the body?
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 controled 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 $name is opened read-only
You can not write to this folder unless you have opened the folder to
write or append with new(access), or the force option is set true.
Error: Invalid timespan '$timespan' specified.
The string does not follow the strict rules of the time span syntax which is permitted as parameter.
Warning: Message $uidl on POP3 server $name disappeared.
The server indicated the existence of this message before, however it has no information about the message anymore.
Warning: Message-id '$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.
Warning: POP3 folders cannot be deleted.
Each user has only one POP3 folder on a server. This folder is created and deleted by the server's administrator only.
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: Update of $nr messages ignored for POP3 folder $name.
The standard POP3 implementation does not support writing from client back to the server. Therefore, modifications may be lost.
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.
Error: You cannot write a message to a pop server (yet)
Some extensions to the POP3 protocol do permit writing messages to the server, but the standard protocol only implements retreival. Feel invited to extend our implementation with writing.
This module is part of Mail-Box distribution version 2.082, built on April 28, 2008. Website: http://perl.overmeer.net/mailbox/
Copyrights 2001-2008 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://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html