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(python2.1-lib.info)mailbox

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Read various mailbox formats
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Read various mailbox formats.

This module defines a number of classes that allow easy and uniform
access to mail messages in a (UNIX) mailbox.

`UnixMailbox(fp[, factory])'
     Access to a classic UNIX-style mailbox, where all messages are
     contained in a single file and separated by `From ' (a.k.a.
     `From_') lines.  The file object FP points to the mailbox file.
     The optional FACTORY parameter is a callable that should create
     new message objects.  FACTORY is called with one argument, FP by
     the `next()' method of the mailbox object.  The default is the
     `rfc822.Message' class (see the `rfc822' module).

     For maximum portability, messages in a UNIX-style mailbox are
     separated by any line that begins exactly with the string `'From
     '' (note the trailing space) if preceded by exactly two newlines.
     Because of the wide-range of variations in practice, nothing else
     on the From_ line should be considered.  However, the current
     implementation doesn't check for the leading two newlines.  This is
     usually fine for most applications.

     The `UnixMailbox' class implements a more strict version of From_
     line checking, using a regular expression that usually correctly
     matched From_ delimiters.  It considers delimiter line to be
     separated by `From NAME TIME' lines.  For maximum portability, use
     the `PortableUnixMailbox' class instead.  This class is identical
     to `UnixMailbox' except that individual messages are separated by
     only `From ' lines.

     For more information, see .

`PortableUnixMailbox(fp[, factory])'
     A less-strict version of `UnixMailbox', which considers only the
     `From ' at the beginning of the line separating messages.  The
     "NAME TIME" portion of the From line is ignored, to protect
     against some variations that are observed in practice.  This works
     since lines in the message which begin with `'From '' are quoted
     by mail handling software well before delivery.

`MmdfMailbox(fp[, factory])'
     Access an MMDF-style mailbox, where all messages are contained in
     a single file and separated by lines consisting of 4 control-A
     characters.  The file object FP points to the mailbox file.
     Optional FACTORY is as with the `UnixMailbox' class.

`MHMailbox(dirname[, factory])'
     Access an MH mailbox, a directory with each message in a separate
     file with a numeric name.  The name of the mailbox directory is
     passed in DIRNAME.  FACTORY is as with the `UnixMailbox' class.

`Maildir(dirname[, factory])'
     Access a Qmail mail directory.  All new and current mail for the
     mailbox specified by DIRNAME is made available.  FACTORY is as
     with the `UnixMailbox' class.

`BabylMailbox(fp[, factory])'
     Access a Babyl mailbox, which is similar to an MMDF mailbox.  In
     Babyl format, each message has two sets of headers, the _original_
     headers and the _visible_ headers.  The original headers appear
     before a a line containing only `'*** EOOH ***''
     (End-Of-Original-Headers) and the visible headers appear after the
     `EOOH' line.  Babyl-compliant mail readers will show you only the
     visible headers, and `BabylMailbox' objects will return messages
     containing only the visible headers.  You'll have to do your own
     parsing of the mailbox file to get at the original headers.  Mail
     messages start with the EOOH line and end with a line containing
     only `'\037\014''.  FACTORY is as with the `UnixMailbox' class.

Mailbox Objects