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 = Mail::Box::POP3->new(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.

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

OVERLOADED

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

overload: "": Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
overload: @{}: Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box
overload: cmp: Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Box

METHODS

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

Constructors

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

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        <network location>
  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
  ssl_options                         <undef>
  trace              Mail::Reporter   'WARNINGS'
  trusted            Mail::Box        <false>
  use_ssl                             <false>
  username           Mail::Box::Net   undef

access => MODE
authenticate => 'LOGIN'|'APOP'|'AUTO'|'OUATH2'|'OAUTH2_SEP': 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.
[3.006] OAUTH* requires the authorization token to be passed as Password. Microsoft Office365 needs "OAUTH2_SEP", where other oauth2 implementations use "OAUTH2".
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
ssl_options => HASH
trace => LEVEL
trusted => BOOLEAN
use_ssl => 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

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

$obj->addMessage($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)

Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box

$obj->close(%options)

Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box

$obj->copyTo($folder, %options)

Inherited, 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>

recursive => BOOLEAN

$obj->folderdir( [$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(): NOT IMPLEMENTED YET
$obj->url(): Inherited, see "The folder" in Mail::Box

Folder flags

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

$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::Net.

$obj->current( [$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::Net.

$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] ): Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box
$obj->openRelatedFolder(%options): Inherited, 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(): Inherited, see "Sub-folders" in Mail::Box

Internals

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

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

Inherited, 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   undef

folderdir => DIRECTORY

$obj->determineBodyType($message, $head)

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

Mail::Box::POP3->foundIn( [$foldername], %options )

Inherited, 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'>] )

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

$obj->locker()

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

$obj->popClient(%options)

Returns the pop client object. This does not establish the connection.

 -Option     --Default
  ssl_options  <from new(ssl_options)>
  use_ssl      <from new(use_ssl)>

ssl_options => HASH
use_ssl => BOOLEAN

$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

$obj->write(%options)

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box

$obj->writeMessages(%options)

 -Option  --Defined in--Default
  messages  Mail::Box   <required>

messages => ARRAY

Other methods

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

$obj->timespan2seconds($time)
Mail::Box::POP3->timespan2seconds($time): Inherited, see "Other methods" in Mail::Box

Error handling

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

$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, $callback] )
Mail::Box::POP3->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->errors(): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
Mail::Box::POP3->log( [$level, [$strings]] ): Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->logPriority($level)
Mail::Box::POP3->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

Cleanup

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

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

DETAILS

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

Different kinds of folders

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

Available folder types

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

Folder class implementation

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

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 retrieved 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 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 $name is opened read-only: You can not write to this folder unless you have opened the folder to write or append with new(access), or the "force" option is set true.
Error: Invalid timespan '$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.

LICENSE

Copyrights 2001-2025 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/