NAME¶
Mail::Box::POP3 - handle POP3 folders as client
INHERITANCE¶
Mail::Box::POP3
is a Mail::Box::Net
is a Mail::Box
is a Mail::Reporter
Mail::Box::POP3 is extended by
Mail::Box::POP3s
SYNOPSIS¶
use Mail::Box::POP3;
my $folder = new Mail::Box::POP3 folder => $ENV{MAIL}, ...;
DESCRIPTION¶
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.
OVERLOADED¶
- overload: ""()
- See "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
- overload: @{}()
- See "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
- overload: cmp()
- See "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
METHODS¶
Constructors¶
- 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');
The folder¶
- $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>
- $obj->addMessages(MESSAGES)
- As useless as addMessage(). The only acceptable call
to this method is without any message.
- Mail::Box::POP3->appendMessages(OPTIONS)
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->close(OPTIONS)
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->copyTo(FOLDER, OPTIONS)
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $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>
- $obj->folderdir([DIRECTORY])
- See "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Net
- $obj->name()
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->organization()
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->size()
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->type()
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
- $obj->update()
- NOT IMPLEMENTED YET
- $obj->url()
- See "The folder" in Mail::Box
Folder flags¶
- $obj->access()
- See "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
- $obj->isModified()
- See "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
- $obj->modified([BOOLEAN])
- See "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
- $obj->writable()
- See "Folder flags" in Mail::Box
The messages¶
- $obj->current([NUMBER|MESSAGE|MESSAGE-ID])
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->find(MESSAGE-ID)
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->findFirstLabeled(LABEL, [BOOLEAN,
[ARRAY-OF-MSGS]])
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->message(INDEX [,MESSAGE])
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->messageId(MESSAGE-ID [,MESSAGE])
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->messageIds()
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->messages(['ALL',RANGE,'ACTIVE','DELETED',LABEL,!LABEL,FILTER])
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->nrMessages(OPTIONS)
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
- $obj->scanForMessages(MESSAGE, MESSAGE-IDS,
TIMESPAN, WINDOW)
- See "The messages" in Mail::Box
Sub-folders¶
- $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])
- See "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
- $obj->openRelatedFolder(OPTIONS)
- See "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
- $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()
- See "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
Internals¶
- $obj->coerce(MESSAGE, OPTIONS)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $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>
- $obj->determineBodyType(MESSAGE, HEAD)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- Mail::Box::POP3->foundIn([FOLDERNAME],
OPTIONS)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $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'])
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->locker()
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->popClient(OPTIONS)
- Returns the pop client object. This does not establish the
connection.
-Option --Default
use_ssl <false>
- $obj->read(OPTIONS)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->readMessages(OPTIONS)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->storeMessage(MESSAGE)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->toBeThreaded(MESSAGES)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->toBeUnthreaded(MESSAGES)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->updateMessages(OPTIONS)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->write(OPTIONS)
- See "Internals" in Mail::Box
- $obj->writeMessages(OPTIONS)
-
-Option --Defined in--Default
messages Mail::Box <required>
Other methods¶
- $obj->timespan2seconds(TIME)
- Mail::Box::POP3->timespan2seconds(TIME)
- See "Other methods" in Mail::Box
Error handling¶
- $obj->AUTOLOAD()
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->addReport(OBJECT)
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->defaultTrace([LEVEL]|[LOGLEVEL,
TRACELEVEL]|[LEVEL, CALLBACK])
- Mail::Box::POP3->defaultTrace([LEVEL]|[LOGLEVEL,
TRACELEVEL]|[LEVEL, CALLBACK])
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->errors()
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->log([LEVEL [,STRINGS]])
- Mail::Box::POP3->log([LEVEL [,STRINGS]])
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->logPriority(LEVEL)
- Mail::Box::POP3->logPriority(LEVEL)
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->logSettings()
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->notImplemented()
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->report([LEVEL])
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->reportAll([LEVEL])
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->trace([LEVEL])
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->warnings()
- See "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
Cleanup¶
- $obj->DESTROY()
- See "Cleanup" in Mail::Box
- $obj->inGlobalDestruction()
- See "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter
DETAILS¶
Different kinds of folders¶
Available folder types¶
Folder class implementation¶
How POP3 folders work¶
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).
This implementation¶
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.
DIAGNOSTICS¶
- 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.
SEE ALSO¶
This module is part of Mail-Box distribution version 2.105, built on May 07,
2012. Website:
http://perl.overmeer.net/mailbox/
LICENSE¶
Copyrights 2001-2012 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