
=head1 NAME

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


=head1 INHERITANCE

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


=head1 SYNOPSIS

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


=head1 DESCRIPTION

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


=head1 OVERLOADED


overload: B<"">

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"OVERLOADED">

=back

overload: B<@{}>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"OVERLOADED">

=back

overload: B<cmp>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"OVERLOADED">

=back


=head1 METHODS


=head2 Constructors


Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<new>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

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

. 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

. subfolder_extension STRING

=over 4

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 C<xyz> is created, we create a directory which is called C<xyz.d>
to contain them.  This extension C<.d> can be changed using this option.

=back

. trace LEVEL

. trusted BOOLEAN

. write_policy 'REPLACE'|'INPLACE'|undef

=back

=head2 The folder


$obj-E<gt>B<addMessage>(MESSAGE, OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<addMessages>(MESSAGE [, MESSAGE, ...])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<appendMessages>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"METHODS">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<close>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<copyTo>(FOLDER, OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<delete>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<filename>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<folderdir>([DIRECTORY])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<name>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<organization>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<size>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<type>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<update>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<url>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The folder">

=back

=head2 Folder flags


$obj-E<gt>B<access>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Folder flags">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<isModified>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Folder flags">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<modified>([BOOLEAN])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Folder flags">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<writable>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Folder flags">

=back

=head2 The messages


$obj-E<gt>B<current>([NUMBER|MESSAGE|MESSAGE-ID])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<find>(MESSAGE-ID)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<findFirstLabeled>(LABEL, [BOOLEAN, [ARRAY-OF-MSGS]])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<message>(INDEX [,MESSAGE])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<messageId>(MESSAGE-ID [,MESSAGE])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<messageIds>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<messages>(['ALL',RANGE,'ACTIVE','DELETED',LABEL,!LABEL,FILTER])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<nrMessages>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<scanForMessages>(MESSAGE, MESSAGE-IDS, TIMESPAN, WINDOW)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"The messages">

=back

=head2 Sub-folders


$obj-E<gt>B<listSubFolders>(OPTIONS)

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<listSubFolders>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

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

. check BOOLEAN

. folder FOLDERNAME

. folderdir DIRECTORY

. skip_empty BOOL

. subfolder_extension STRING

=over 4

When the method is called on an open folder, the extension defined by it is
used to detect sub-folders by default.  Otherwise, C<'.d'> is taken.

=back

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<nameOfSubFolder>(SUBNAME, [PARENTNAME])

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<nameOfSubFolder>(SUBNAME, [PARENTNAME])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Sub-folders">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<openRelatedFolder>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Sub-folders">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<openSubFolder>(SUBNAME, OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Sub-folders">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<topFolderWithMessages>

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<topFolderWithMessages>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Sub-folders">

=back

=head2 Internals


$obj-E<gt>B<coerce>(MESSAGE, OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<create>(FOLDERNAME, OPTIONS)

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<create>(FOLDERNAME, OPTIONS)

=over 4

 Option               Defined in       Default
 folderdir            L<Mail::Box>     undef  
 subfolder_extension                   undef  

. folderdir DIRECTORY

. subfolder_extension STRING

=over 4

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 L<folderToFilename()|Mail::Box::Mbox/"Internals">.

=back

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<determineBodyType>(MESSAGE, HEAD)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<folderToFilename>(FOLDERNAME, FOLDERDIR, [EXTENSION])

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<folderToFilename>(FOLDERNAME, FOLDERDIR, [EXTENSION])

=over 4

Translate a folder name into a filename, using the
FOLDERDIR value to replace a leading C<=>.  If no EXTENSION is specified and
this method is called as instance method, new(subfolder_extension) is used.
Otherwise, the extension default to C<'.d'>.

=back

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<foundIn>([FOLDERNAME], [OPTIONS])

=over 4

If no FOLDERNAME is specified, then the value of the C<folder> option
is taken.  A mbox folder is a file which starts with a separator
line: a line with C<'From '> as first characters.  Blank lines which
start the file are ignored, which is not for all MUA's acceptable.

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

. folder FOLDERNAME

. folderdir DIRECTORY

. subfolder_extension STRING

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<lineSeparator>([STRING|'CR'|'LF'|'CRLF'])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<locker>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<messageCreateOptions>([TYPE, CONFIG])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<moveAwaySubFolder>(DIRECTORY, EXTENSION)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<parser>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<read>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<readMessages>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<storeMessage>(MESSAGE)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<toBeThreaded>(MESSAGES)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<toBeUnthreaded>(MESSAGES)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<updateMessages>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<write>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box::File/"Internals">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<writeMessages>(OPTIONS)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Internals">

=back

=head3 File based folders


=head2 Other methods


$obj-E<gt>B<timespan2seconds>(TIME)

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<timespan2seconds>(TIME)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Other methods">

=back

=head2 Error handling


$obj-E<gt>B<AUTOLOAD>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<addReport>(OBJECT)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<defaultTrace>([LEVEL]|[LOGLEVEL, TRACELEVEL]|[LEVEL, CALLBACK])

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<defaultTrace>([LEVEL]|[LOGLEVEL, TRACELEVEL]|[LEVEL, CALLBACK])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<errors>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<log>([LEVEL [,STRINGS]])

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<log>([LEVEL [,STRINGS]])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<logPriority>(LEVEL)

Mail::Box::Mbox-E<gt>B<logPriority>(LEVEL)

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<logSettings>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<notImplemented>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<report>([LEVEL])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<reportAll>([LEVEL])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<trace>([LEVEL])

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<warnings>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=back

=head2 Cleanup


$obj-E<gt>B<DESTROY>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Box/"Cleanup">

=back

$obj-E<gt>B<inGlobalDestruction>

=over 4

See L<Mail::Reporter/"Cleanup">

=back



=head1 DIAGNOSTICS

I<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.

I<Error:> Cannot move away sub-folder $dir


I<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.  L<new(remove_when_empty)|Mail::Box/"Constructors">

I<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.  L<new(remove_when_empty)|Mail::Box/"Constructors">
controls whether the empty folder will removed; setting it to false
(C<0>) may be needed to avoid this message.

I<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.

I<Warning:> Changes not written to read-only folder $self.

You have opened the folder read-only --which is the default set
by L<new(access)|Mail::Box/"Constructors">--, made modifications, and now want to close it.
Set L<close(force)|Mail::Box/"The folder"> if you want to overrule the access mode, or close
the folder with L<close(write)|Mail::Box/"The folder"> set to C<NEVER>.

I<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.

I<Error:> Destination folder $name is not writable.

The folder where the messages are copied to is not opened with write
access (see L<new(access)|Mail::Box/"Constructors">).  This has no relation with write permission
to the folder which is controled by your operating system.

I<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.

I<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 retreived 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.

I<Error:> Folder $name not deleted: not writable.

The folder must be opened with write access via L<new(access)|Mail::Box/"Constructors">, 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
C<delete> method permits you to.  The reverse remark is valid as well.

I<Error:> Invalid timespan '$timespan' specified.

The string does not follow the strict rules of the time span syntax which
is permitted as parameter.

I<Warning:> Message-id '$msgid' does not contain a domain.

According to the RFCs, message-ids need to contain a unique random part,
then an C<@>, and then a domain name.  This is made to avoid the creation
of two messages with the same id.  The warning emerges when the C<@> is
missing from the string.

I<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.

I<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.

I<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.


=head1 DETAILS


=head2 How MBOX folders work

MBOX folders store many messages in one file.  Each message begins with a
line which starts with the string C<From >.  Lines inside a message which
accidentally start with C<From> are, in the file, preceded by `E<gt>'. 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 C<From > lines within message bodies, breaking other parsers....

=head2 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 C<Mail/subject1>, with the folders in that
directory as sub-folders for it.  You may also use

 Mail/subject1
 Mail/subject1.d/

where C<Mail/subject1> is the folder, and the folders in the
C<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.





=head1 REFERENCES

See the MailBox website at L<http://perl.overmeer.net/mailbox/> for more details.

=head1 COPYRIGHTS

Distribution version 2.058.
Written by Mark Overmeer (mark@overmeer.net).  See the ChangeLog for
other contributors.

Copyright (c) 2001-2003 by the author(s). All rights reserved.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself.


