Mail::Box::Dbx(3) read Outlook Express folders

INHERITANCE

 Mail::Box::Dbx
   is a Mail::Box::File
   is a Mail::Box
   is a Mail::Reporter

SYNOPSIS


use Mail::Box::Dbx;
my $folder = Mail::Box::Dbx->new(...);

DESCRIPTION

This documentation describes how to read from Outlook Express (dbx) folders. Even on Unix/Linux, you can access these folders to read the data, or copy it to a different format. Modifying of xbd files is not supported.

These dbx folders are accessed using Mail::Transport::Dbx which is distributed via CPAN as separate package. This "MAil::Transport::Dbx" module is based on the open source library named "libpst", which can be found at <http://alioth.debian.org/projects/libpst/>. The library does not support writing of dbx files, and therefore limits the possibilities of this package.

Extends ``DESCRIPTION'' in Mail::Box::File.

OVERLOADED

Extends ``OVERLOADED'' in Mail::Box::File.
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::File.

Constructors

Extends ``Constructors'' in Mail::Box::File.
Mail::Box::Dbx->new(%options)
 -Option           --Defined in     --Default
  access             Mail::Box        always 'r'
  body_delayed_type  Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Body::Delayed
  body_type          Mail::Box::File  <see description>
  coerce_options     Mail::Box        []
  create             Mail::Box        not implemented
  extract            Mail::Box        10240
  field_type         Mail::Box        undef
  fix_headers        Mail::Box        <false>
  folder             Mail::Box        =Folders.dbx
  folderdir          Mail::Box        .
  head_delayed_type  Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Head::Delayed
  head_type          Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Head::Complete
  keep_dups          Mail::Box        <false>
  lock_extension     Mail::Box::File  '.lock'
  lock_file          Mail::Box        <foldername><lock-extension>
  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::Dbx::Message
  multipart_type     Mail::Box        Mail::Message::Body::Multipart
  remove_when_empty  Mail::Box        not implemented
  save_on_exit       Mail::Box        not implemented
  trace              Mail::Reporter   'WARNINGS'
  trusted            Mail::Box        <depends on folder location>
  write_policy       Mail::Box::File  not implemented
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
trace => LEVEL
trusted => BOOLEAN
write_policy => 'REPLACE'|'INPLACE'|undef

The folder

Extends ``The folder'' in Mail::Box::File.
$obj->addMessage($message, %options)
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box
$obj->addMessages(@messages)
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box
Mail::Box::Dbx->appendMessages(%options)
Inherited, see ``METHODS'' in Mail::Box::File
$obj->close(%options)
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box
$obj->copyTo($folder, %options)
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box
$obj->delete(%options)
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box
$obj->filename()
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box::File
$obj->folderdir( [$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(%options)
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box
$obj->url()
Inherited, see ``The folder'' in Mail::Box

Folder flags

Extends ``Folder flags'' in Mail::Box::File.
$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::File.
$obj->current( [$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::File.
$obj->listSubFolders(%options)
Mail::Box::Dbx->listSubFolders(%options)
It is advised to set the "check" flag, because dbx folder often list large amounts of folder names which do not really exist. However, checking does consume some time. 

 -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::Dbx->nameOfSubFolder( $subname, [$parentname] )
Inherited, see ``Sub-folders'' in Mail::Box
$obj->openRelatedFolder(%options)
Inherited, see ``Sub-folders'' in Mail::Box
$obj->openSubFolder($subname, %options)
Inherited, see ``Sub-folders'' in Mail::Box
$obj->topFolderWithMessages()
Mail::Box::Dbx->topFolderWithMessages()
Inherited, see ``Sub-folders'' in Mail::Box

Internals

Extends ``Internals'' in Mail::Box::File.
$obj->coerce($message, %options)
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box
$obj->create($foldername, %options)
Mail::Box::Dbx->create($foldername, %options)
Creation is not supported for dbx folders. 

 -Option   --Defined in--Default
  folderdir  Mail::Box   undef
folderdir => DIRECTORY
$obj->determineBodyType($message, $head)
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box
$obj->folderToFilename($foldername, $folderdir)
Mail::Box::Dbx->folderToFilename($foldername, $folderdir)
Translate a folder name into a filename, using the $folderdir value to replace a leading "=".
Mail::Box::Dbx->foundIn( [$foldername], %options )
If no $foldername is specified, then the value of the "folder" option is taken. A dbx folder is a file which name ends on ".dbx" (case insensitive). 

 -Option   --Defined in     --Default
  folder                      undef
  folderdir  Mail::Box        undef
folder => FOLDERNAME
folderdir => DIRECTORY
$obj->lineSeparator( [<STRING|'CR'|'LF'|'CRLF'>] )
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box
$obj->locker()
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box
$obj->messageCreateOptions( [$type, $config] )
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box::File
$obj->moveAwaySubFolder($directory, $extension)
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box::File
$obj->parser()
The parsing of messages is a combined job for the Mail::Transport::Dbx module (to get the right data) and read(). Asking for the parser will provide the transporter object. If asked more than once, each time the same object will be returned.
$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::File
$obj->write(%options)
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box::File
$obj->writeMessages(%options)
Inherited, see ``Internals'' in Mail::Box

Other methods

Extends ``Other methods'' in Mail::Box::File.
$obj->timespan2seconds($time)
Mail::Box::Dbx->timespan2seconds($time)
Inherited, see ``Other methods'' in Mail::Box

Error handling

Extends ``Error handling'' in Mail::Box::File.
$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, $callback] )
Mail::Box::Dbx->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )
Inherited, see ``Error handling'' in Mail::Reporter
$obj->errors()
Inherited, see ``Error handling'' in Mail::Reporter
$obj->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
Mail::Box::Dbx->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
Inherited, see ``Error handling'' in Mail::Reporter
$obj->logPriority($level)
Mail::Box::Dbx->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::File.
$obj->DESTROY()
Inherited, see ``Cleanup'' in Mail::Box

DETAILS

Extends ``DETAILS'' in Mail::Box::File.

DETAILS

Extends ``DETAILS'' in Mail::Box::File.

Different kinds of folders

Extends ``Different kinds of folders'' in Mail::Box::File.

Available folder types

Extends ``Available folder types'' in Mail::Box::File.

Folder class implementation

Extends ``Folder class implementation'' in Mail::Box::File.

How DBX folders work

DBX files are create by Outlook Express. I can not tell you too much about it, because me (as author) never use Windows or MicroSoft tools. Still, it is possible to access some Outlook created folders from Unix.

The folder structure for dbx starts with a single "Folders.dbx" file. This folder contains names of sub-folders. Each folder can either contain messages, or contains sub-folders. Combinations are not possible.

This implementation

The ol2mbox project (see <http://sourceforge.net/project/ol2mbox/>) has created a "libdbx" which can read dbx files using nearly any operating system. You can simply transport a dbx file from Windows to Unix/Linux and the read all the messages from it.

Tassilo von Parseval wrote a Perl wrapper around this C-library, and distributes it as Mail::Transport::Dbx. Although it named in one the MailBox namespaces, it is a separate product, because it requires a C compiler. Besides, the module will have its own life.

Converting DBX folders to MBOX

The title of this section is to attract your attension, but is does not describe anything special related to DBX or MBOX: you can convert any kind of mail folder into another with the following code.

DIAGNOSTICS

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.
Error: Cannot move away sub-folder $dir
Error: Cannot read dbx folder file $filename.
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. new(remove_when_empty)
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. new(remove_when_empty) controls whether the empty folder will removed; setting it to false (0) may be needed to avoid this message.
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.
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.
Warning: Dbx folders are read-only.
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: 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 retrieved 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.

Error: Folder $name not deleted: not writable.
The folder must be opened with write access via new(access), otherwise removing it will be refused. So, you may have write-access according to the operating system, but that will not automatically mean that this "delete" method permits you to. The reverse remark is valid as well.
Error: Invalid timespan '$timespan' specified.
The string does not follow the strict rules of the time span syntax which is permitted as parameter.
Warning: Message-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.
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: 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.

LICENSE

Copyrights 2001-2015 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

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