229 lines
7.4 KiB
TeX
229 lines
7.4 KiB
TeX
% Based on HTML documentation by Piers Lauders <piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au>;
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% converted by Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>.
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%
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% The imaplib module was written by Piers Lauders.
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\section{Standard Module \module{imaplib}}
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\stmodindex{imaplib}
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\label{module-imaplib}
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This module defines a class, \class{IMAP4}, which encapsulates a
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connection to an IMAP4 server and implements the IMAP4rev1 client
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protocol as defined in \rfc{2060}. It is backward compatible with
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IMAP4 (\rfc{1730}) servers, but note that the \samp{STATUS} command is
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not supported in IMAP4.
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A single class is provided by the \code{imaplib} module:
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\begin{classdesc}{IMAP4}{\optional{host\optional{, port}}}
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This class implements the actual IMAP4 protocol. The connection is
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created and protocol version (IMAP4 or IMAP4rev1) is determined when
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the instance is initialized.
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If \var{host} is not specified, \code{''} (the local host) is used.
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If \var{port} is omitted, the standard IMAP4 port (143) is used.
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\end{classdesc}
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Two exceptions are defined as attributes of the \class{IMAP4} class:
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\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.error}
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Exception raised on any errors. The reason for the exception is
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passed to the constructor as a string.
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\end{excdesc}
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\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.abort}
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IMAP4 server errors cause this exception to be raised. This is a
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sub-class of \exception{IMAP4.error}. Note that closing the instance
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and instantiating a new one will usually allow recovery from this
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exception.
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\end{excdesc}
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The following utility functions are defined:
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\begin{funcdesc}{Internaldate2tuple}{datestr}
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Converts an IMAP4 INTERNALDATE string to Coordinated Universal
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Time. Returns a \module{time} module tuple.
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{Int2AP}{num}
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Converts an integer into a string representation using characters
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from the set [\code{A} .. \code{P}].
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{ParseFlags}{flagstr}
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Converts an IMAP4 \samp{FLAGS} response to a tuple of individual
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flags.
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{Time2Internaldate}{date_time}
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Converts a \module{time} module tuple to an IMAP4
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\samp{INTERNALDATE} representation. Returns a string in the form:
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\code{"DD-Mmm-YYYY HH:MM:SS +HHMM"} (including double-quotes).
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\end{funcdesc}
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\subsection{IMAP4 Objects}
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All IMAP4rev1 commands are represented by methods of the same name,
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either upper-case or lower-case.
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Each command returns a tuple: \code{(}\var{type}, \code{[}\var{data},
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...\code{])} where \var{type} is usually \code{'OK'} or \code{'NO'},
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and \var{data} is either the text from the command response, or
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mandated results from the command.
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An \class{IMAP4} instance has the following methods:
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\begin{methoddesc}{append}{mailbox, flags, date_time, message}
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Append message to named mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{authenticate}{func}
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Authenticate command --- requires response processing. This is
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currently unimplemented, and raises an exception.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{check}{}
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Checkpoint mailbox on server.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{close}{}
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Close currently selected mailbox. Deleted messages are removed from
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writable mailbox. This is the recommended command before
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\samp{LOGOUT}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{copy}{message_set, new_mailbox}
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Copy \var{message_set} messages onto end of \var{new_mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{create}{mailbox}
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Create new mailbox named \var{mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{delete}{mailbox}
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Delete old mailbox named \var{mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{expunge}{}
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Permanently remove deleted items from selected mailbox. Generates an
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\samp{EXPUNGE} response for each deleted message. Returned data
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contains a list of \samp{EXPUNGE} message numbers in order
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received.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{fetch}{message_set, message_parts}
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Fetch (parts of) messages. Returned data are tuples of message part
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envelope and data.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{list}{directory='""', pattern='*'}
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List mailbox names in directory matching pattern. Returned data contains a
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list of \samp{LIST} responses.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{login}{user, password}
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Identify the client using a plaintext password.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{logout}{}
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Shutdown connection to server. Returns server \samp{BYE} response.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{lsub}{directory='""', pattern='*'}
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List subscribed mailbox names in directory matching
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pattern. Returned data are tuples of message part envelope and data.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{recent}{}
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Prompt server for an update. Returned data is \code{None} if no new
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messages, else value of \samp{RECENT} response.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{rename}{oldmailbox, newmailbox}
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Rename mailbox named \var{oldmailbox} to \var{newmailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{response}{code}
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Return data for response \var{code} if received, or
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\code{None}. Returns the given code, instead of the usual type.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{search}{charset, criteria}
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Search mailbox for matching messages. Returned data contains a space
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separated list of matching message numbers.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{select}{\optional{mailbox\optional{, readonly}}}
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Select a mailbox. Returned data is the count of messages in
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\var{mailbox} (\samp{EXISTS} response). The default \var{mailbox}
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is \code{'INBOX'}. If the \var{readonly} flag is set, modifications
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to the mailbox are not allowed.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{status}{mailbox, names}
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Request named status conditions for \var{mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{store}{message_set, command, flag_list}
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Alters flag dispositions for messages in mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{subscribe}{mailbox}
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Subscribe to new mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{uid}{command, args}
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Execute command args with messages identified by UID, rather than
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message number. Returns response appropriate to command.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{unsubscribe}{mailbox}
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Unsubscribe from old mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{xatom}{name\optional{, arg1\optional{, arg2}}}
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Allow simple extension commands notified by server in
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\samp{CAPABILITY} response.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\class{IMAP4} instances have a variable \member{PROTOCOL_VERSION} that
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is set to the most recent supported protocol in the \samp{CAPABILITY}
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response.
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Finally, \class{IMAP4} instances have a variable debug which can be
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set to an integer to turn on debugging. Values greater than 3 trace
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each command.
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\subsection{IMAP4 Example}
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Here is a minimal example (without error checking) that opens a
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mailbox and retrieves and prints all messages:
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\begin{verbatim}
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import getpass, imaplib, string
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M = imaplib.IMAP4()
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M.LOGIN(getpass.getuser(), getpass.getpass())
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M.SELECT()
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typ, data = M.SEARCH(None, 'ALL')
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for num in string.split(data[0]):
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typ, data - M.FETCH(num, '(RFC822)')
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print 'Message %s\n%s\n' % (num, data[0][1])
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M.LOGOUT()
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\end{verbatim}
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Note that IMAP4 message numbers change as the mailbox changes, so it
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is highly advisable to use UIDs instead, with the UID command.
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At the end of the module, there is a test section that contains a more
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extensive example of usage.
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\begin{seealso}
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\seetext{Documents describing the protocol, and sources and binaries
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for servers implementing it, can all be found at the University of
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Washington's \emph{IMAP Information Center}
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(\url{http://www.cac.washington.edu/imap/}).}
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\end{seealso}
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