NAME
Mail::Box::Manage::User - manage the folders of a user
INHERITANCE
Mail::Box::Manage::User
is a Mail::Box::Manager
is a Mail::Reporter
Mail::Box::Manage::User is extended by
Mail::Server::IMAP4::User
SYNOPSIS
use Mail::Box::Manage::User;
use User::Identity;
my $id = User::Identity->new(...);
my $user = Mail::Box::Manage::User->new(
identity => $id,
folderdir => "$ENV{HOME}/Mail",
inbox => $ENV{MAIL},
);
my $inbox = $user->open($user->inbox);
my $top = $user->topfolder;
DESCRIPTION
Where the Mail::Box::Manager takes care of some set of open folder, this extension will add knowledge about some related person. At the same time, it will try to cache some information about that person's folder files.
Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Manager.
METHODS
Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Manager.
Constructors
Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $class->new(%options)
-
Use new(default_folder_type) to explicitly state which kind of folders you use. Improves base, see "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter
-Option --Defined in --Default autodetect Mail::Box::Manager undef collection_type Mail::Box::Collection default_folder_type Mail::Box::Manager 'mbox' delimiter "/" folder_id_type Mail::Box::Identity folder_types Mail::Box::Manager <all standard types> folderdir Mail::Box::Manager [ '.' ] folderdirs Mail::Box::Manager <synonym for C<folderdir>> identity <required> inbox undef topfolder_name '='- autodetect => $type|\@types
- collection_type => $class
-
Subfolders grouped together.
- default_folder_type => $type|CLASS
- delimiter => STRING
-
The separator used in folder names. This doesn't need to be the same as your directory system is using.
- folder_id_type => CLASS|OBJECT
- folder_types => $typedef|\@typedefs
- folderdir => DIRECTORY
- folderdirs => [DIRECTORIES]
- identity => OBJECT
-
The main difference between the Mail::Box::Manager and this class, is the concept of some person (or virtual person) who's files are being administered by this object. The OBJECT is an User::Identity.
The smallest identity that will do:
my $id = User::Identity->new('myname') - inbox => $name
-
The
$nameof the user's inbox. - topfolder_name => $name
Attributes
Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->defaultFolderType()
-
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->delimiter()
-
Folder path delimiter
- $obj->folderTypeDefs()
-
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->folderTypes()
-
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->folderdir()
-
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->identity()
-
Returns a User::Identity object.
- $obj->inbox( [$name] )
-
(Set and) get the
$nameof the mailbox which is considered the folder for incoming mail. In many protocols, this folder is handled separately. For instance in IMAP this is the only case-insensitive folder name. - $obj->registerType($type, $class, %options)
-
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->threads( [@params] )
-
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->topfolder()
-
Returns the top folder of the user's mailbox storage.
Manage open folders
Extends "Manage open folders" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->close($folder, %options)
-
Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->closeAllFolders(%options)
-
Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->isOpenFolder($folder)
-
Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->open( [$foldername], %options )
-
Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->openFolders()
-
Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
Manage existing folders
Extends "Manage existing folders" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->create($name, %options)
-
Creates a new folder with the specified name. An folder's administrative structure (Mail::Box::Identity) is returned, but the folder is not opened.
In the accidental case that the folder already exists, a warning will be issued, and an empty list/
undefreturned.The
%optionsare passed to Mail::Box::create() of your default folder type, except for the options intended for this method itself.-Option --Default create_real true create_supers false deleted false id_options []- create_real => BOOLEAN
-
When this option is
false, the pysical folder will not be created, but only the administration is updated. - create_supers => BOOLEAN
-
When you create a folder where upper hierarchy level are missing, they will be created as well.
- deleted => BOOLEAN
-
The folder starts as deleted.
- id_options => ARRAY
-
Values passed to the instantiated Mail::Box::Identity. That object is very picky about the initiation values it accepts.
- $obj->delete($name)
-
Remove all signs from the folder on the file-system. Messages still in the folder will be removed. This method returns a
truevalue when the folder has been removed or not found, so "false" means failure.It is also possible to delete a folder using
$folder->delete, which will call this method here. OPTIONS, which are used for some other folder types, will be ignored here: the user's index contains the required details. Improves base, see "Manage existing folders" in Mail::Box::Manager-Option --Defined in --Default recursive Mail::Box::Manager <folder's default>» example: how to delete a folder
print "no xyz (anymore)\n" if $user->delete('xyz'); - $obj->folder($name)
-
Returns the folder description, a Mail::Box::Identity.
- $obj->folderCollection($name)
-
Returns a pair: the folder collection (Mail::Box::Collection) and the base name of
$name. - $obj->rename($oldname, $newname, %options)
-
Rename the folder with name
$oldnameto$newname. Both names are full pathnames.-Option --Default create_supers false
Move messages to folders
Extends "Move messages to folders" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->appendMessage( [$folder|$foldername], $messages, %options )
-
Inherited, see "Move messages to folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->copyMessage( [$folder|$foldername], @messages, %options )
-
Inherited, see "Move messages to folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->moveMessage( [$folder|$foldername], @messages, %options )
-
Inherited, see "Move messages to folders" in Mail::Box::Manager
Manage message threads
Extends "Manage message threads" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->discoverThreads( [@folders], %options )
-
Inherited, see "Manage message threads" in Mail::Box::Manager
Internals
Extends "Internals" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->decodeFolderURL($url)
-
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->toBeThreaded($folder, $messages)
-
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Manager
- $obj->toBeUnthreaded($folder, $messages)
-
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Manager
Error handling
Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->AUTOLOAD()
-
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
- $obj->notImplemented()
-
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
Cleanup
Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Manager.
- $obj->DESTROY()
-
Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter
DETAILS
Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::Manager.
DIAGNOSTICS
- Error: Folder $name is not a Mail::Box; cannot add a message.
-
The folder where the message should be appended to is an object which is not a folder type which extends Mail::Box. Probably, it is not a folder at all. Cast by
appendMessage() - Error: Use appendMessage() to add messages which are not in a folder.
-
You do not need to copy this message into the folder, because you do not share the message between folders. Cast by
copyMessage() - Warning: Use moveMessage() or copyMessage() to move between open folders.
-
The message is already part of a folder, and now it should be appended to a different folder. You need to decide between copy or move, which both will clone the message (not the body, because they are immutable). Cast by
appendMessage() - Error: cannot create folder $name: higher levels missing.
-
Unless you set create(create_supers), all higher level folders must exist before this new one can be created. Cast by
create() - Error: cannot rename folder $from to $to: higher levels are missing.
-
Unless you set create(create_supers), all higher level folders must exist before this new one can be created. Cast by
rename() - Error: class $package does not implement method $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. Cast bynotImplemented() - Error: failed for folder default $class: $@
-
Cast by
open() - Error: folder $name already exists.
-
Cast by
create() - Error: folder $name does not exist, failed opening $type.
-
The folder does not exist and creating is not permitted (see open(create)) or did not succeed. When you do not have sufficient access rights to the folder (for instance wrong password for POP3), this warning will be produced as well.
The manager tried to open a folder of the specified type. It may help to explicitly state the type of your folder with the
typeoption. There will probably be another warning or error message which is related to this report and provides more details about its cause. You may also have a look at new(autodetect) and new(folder_types). Cast byopen() - Error: folder $name is already open.
-
You cannot ask the manager for a folder which is already open. In some older releases (before MailBox 2.049), this was permitted, but then behaviour changed, because many nasty side-effects are to be expected. For instance, an Mail::Box::update() on one folder handle would influence the second, probably unexpectedly. Cast by
open() - Error: folder $name not under top.
-
Cast by
folderCollection() - Warning: folder type $type is unknown, using autodetect.
-
The specified folder type (see open(type), possibly derived from the folder name when specified as url) is not known to the manager. This may mean that you forgot to require the Mail::Box extension which implements this folder type, but probably it is a typo. Usually, the manager is able to figure-out which type to use by itself. Cast by
open() - Error: illegal folder URL '$url'.
-
The folder name was specified as URL, but not according to the syntax. See decodeFolderURL() for an description of the syntax. Cast by
open() - Error: no foldername specified to open.
-
open() needs a folder name as first argument (before the list of options), or with the
folderoption within the list. If no name was found, the MAIL environment variable is checked. When even that does not result in a usable folder, then this error is produced. The error may be caused by an accidental odd-length option list. Cast byopen() - Error: source folder for rename does not exist: $from to $to.
-
Cast by
rename() - Error: threader $class is not derived from $base.
-
Cast by
discoverThreads() - Error: unusable threader $class: $@
-
Cast by
discoverThreads() - Error: user manager requires an identity.
-
Cast by
new() - Warning: will never create a folder $name without having write access.
-
You have set open(create), but only want to read the folder. Create is only useful for folders which have write or append access modes (see Mail::Box::new(access)). Cast by
open() - Error: you need to pass a $base derived threader, got $class.
-
Cast by
discoverThreads()
SEE ALSO
This module is part of Mail-Box version 4.00, built on December 11, 2025. Website: http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/
LICENSE
For contributors see file ChangeLog.
This software is copyright (c) 2001-2025 by Mark Overmeer.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.