cpython/Doc/lib/libimaplib.tex

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\section{\module{imaplib} ---
IMAP4 protocol client}
\declaremodule{standard}{imaplib}
\modulesynopsis{IMAP4 protocol client (requires sockets).}
\moduleauthor{Piers Lauder}{piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au}
\sectionauthor{Piers Lauder}{piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au}
% Based on HTML documentation by Piers Lauder <piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au>;
% converted by Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>.
% Revised by ESR, January 2000.
\indexii{IMAP4}{protocol}
This module defines a class, \class{IMAP4}, which encapsulates a
connection to an IMAP4 server and implements a large subset of the
IMAP4rev1 client protocol as defined in \rfc{2060}. It is backward
compatible with IMAP4 (\rfc{1730}) servers, but note that the
\samp{STATUS} command is not supported in IMAP4.
A single class is provided by the \module{imaplib} module:
\begin{classdesc}{IMAP4}{\optional{host\optional{, port}}}
This class implements the actual IMAP4 protocol. The connection is
created and protocol version (IMAP4 or IMAP4rev1) is determined when
the instance is initialized.
If \var{host} is not specified, \code{''} (the local host) is used.
If \var{port} is omitted, the standard IMAP4 port (143) is used.
\end{classdesc}
Two exceptions are defined as attributes of the \class{IMAP4} class:
\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.error}
Exception raised on any errors. The reason for the exception is
passed to the constructor as a string.
\end{excdesc}
\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.abort}
IMAP4 server errors cause this exception to be raised. This is a
sub-class of \exception{IMAP4.error}. Note that closing the instance
and instantiating a new one will usually allow recovery from this
exception.
\end{excdesc}
\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.readonly}
This exception is raised when a writable mailbox has its status changed by the server. This is a
sub-class of \exception{IMAP4.error}. Some other client now has write permission,
and the mailbox will need to be re-opened to re-obtain write permission.
\end{excdesc}
The following utility functions are defined:
\begin{funcdesc}{Internaldate2tuple}{datestr}
Converts an IMAP4 INTERNALDATE string to Coordinated Universal
Time. Returns a \refmodule{time} module tuple.
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{funcdesc}{Int2AP}{num}
Converts an integer into a string representation using characters
from the set [\code{A} .. \code{P}].
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{funcdesc}{ParseFlags}{flagstr}
Converts an IMAP4 \samp{FLAGS} response to a tuple of individual
flags.
\end{funcdesc}
\begin{funcdesc}{Time2Internaldate}{date_time}
Converts a \refmodule{time} module tuple to an IMAP4
\samp{INTERNALDATE} representation. Returns a string in the form:
\code{"DD-Mmm-YYYY HH:MM:SS +HHMM"} (including double-quotes).
\end{funcdesc}
Note that IMAP4 message numbers change as the mailbox changes; in
particular, after an \samp{EXPUNGE} command performs deletions the
remaining messages are renumbered. So it is highly advisable to use
UIDs instead, with the UID command.
At the end of the module, there is a test section that contains a more
extensive example of usage.
\begin{seealso}
\seetext{Documents describing the protocol, and sources and binaries
for servers implementing it, can all be found at the
University of Washington's \emph{IMAP Information Center}
(\url{http://www.cac.washington.edu/imap/}).}
\end{seealso}
\subsection{IMAP4 Objects \label{imap4-objects}}
All IMAP4rev1 commands are represented by methods of the same name,
either upper-case or lower-case.
All arguments to commands are converted to strings, except for
\samp{AUTHENTICATE}, and the last argument to \samp{APPEND} which is
passed as an IMAP4 literal. If necessary (the string contains IMAP4
protocol-sensitive characters and isn't enclosed with either
parentheses or double quotes) each string is quoted. However, the
\var{password} argument to the \samp{LOGIN} command is always quoted.
If you want to avoid having an argument string quoted
(eg: the \var{flags} argument to \samp{STORE}) then enclose the string in
parentheses (eg: \code{r'(\e Deleted)'}).
Each command returns a tuple: \code{(\var{type}, [\var{data},
...])} where \var{type} is usually \code{'OK'} or \code{'NO'},
and \var{data} is either the text from the command response, or
mandated results from the command.
An \class{IMAP4} instance has the following methods:
\begin{methoddesc}{append}{mailbox, flags, date_time, message}
Append message to named mailbox.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{authenticate}{func}
Authenticate command --- requires response processing. This is
currently unimplemented, and raises an exception.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{check}{}
Checkpoint mailbox on server.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{close}{}
Close currently selected mailbox. Deleted messages are removed from
writable mailbox. This is the recommended command before
\samp{LOGOUT}.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{copy}{message_set, new_mailbox}
Copy \var{message_set} messages onto end of \var{new_mailbox}.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{create}{mailbox}
Create new mailbox named \var{mailbox}.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{delete}{mailbox}
Delete old mailbox named \var{mailbox}.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{expunge}{}
Permanently remove deleted items from selected mailbox. Generates an
\samp{EXPUNGE} response for each deleted message. Returned data
contains a list of \samp{EXPUNGE} message numbers in order
received.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{fetch}{message_set, message_parts}
Fetch (parts of) messages. \var{message_parts} should be
a string of message part names enclosed within parentheses,
eg: \samp{"(UID BODY[TEXT])"}. Returned data are tuples
of message part envelope and data.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{list}{\optional{directory\optional{, pattern}}}
List mailbox names in \var{directory} matching
\var{pattern}. \var{directory} defaults to the top-level mail
folder, and \var{pattern} defaults to match anything. Returned data
contains a list of \samp{LIST} responses.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{login}{user, password}
Identify the client using a plaintext password.
The \var{password} will be quoted.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{logout}{}
Shutdown connection to server. Returns server \samp{BYE} response.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{lsub}{\optional{directory\optional{, pattern}}}
List subscribed mailbox names in directory matching pattern.
\var{directory} defaults to the top level directory and
\var{pattern} defaults to match any mailbox.
Returned data are tuples of message part envelope and data.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{noop}{}
Send \samp{NOOP} to server.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{open}{host, port}
Opens socket to \var{port} at \var{host}.
You may override this method.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{partial}{message_num, message_part, start, length}
Fetch truncated part of a message.
Returned data is a tuple of message part envelope and data.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{recent}{}
Prompt server for an update. Returned data is \code{None} if no new
messages, else value of \samp{RECENT} response.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{rename}{oldmailbox, newmailbox}
Rename mailbox named \var{oldmailbox} to \var{newmailbox}.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{response}{code}
Return data for response \var{code} if received, or
\code{None}. Returns the given code, instead of the usual type.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{search}{charset, criterium\optional{, ...}}
Search mailbox for matching messages. Returned data contains a space
separated list of matching message numbers. \var{charset} may be
\code{None}, in which case no \samp{CHARSET} will be specified in the
request to the server. The IMAP protocol requires that at least one
criterium be specified; an exception will be raised when the server
returns an error.
Example:
\begin{verbatim}
# M is a connected IMAP4 instance...
msgnums = M.search(None, 'FROM', '"LDJ"')
# or:
msgnums = M.search(None, '(FROM "LDJ")')
\end{verbatim}
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{select}{\optional{mailbox\optional{, readonly}}}
Select a mailbox. Returned data is the count of messages in
\var{mailbox} (\samp{EXISTS} response). The default \var{mailbox}
is \code{'INBOX'}. If the \var{readonly} flag is set, modifications
to the mailbox are not allowed.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{socket}{}
Returns socket instance used to connect to server.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{status}{mailbox, names}
Request named status conditions for \var{mailbox}.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{store}{message_set, command, flag_list}
Alters flag dispositions for messages in mailbox.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{subscribe}{mailbox}
Subscribe to new mailbox.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{uid}{command, arg\optional{, ...}}
Execute command args with messages identified by UID, rather than
message number. Returns response appropriate to command. At least
one argument must be supplied; if none are provided, the server will
return an error and an exception will be raised.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{unsubscribe}{mailbox}
Unsubscribe from old mailbox.
\end{methoddesc}
\begin{methoddesc}{xatom}{name\optional{, arg\optional{, ...}}}
Allow simple extension commands notified by server in
\samp{CAPABILITY} response.
\end{methoddesc}
The following attributes are defined on instances of \class{IMAP4}:
\begin{memberdesc}{PROTOCOL_VERSION}
The most recent supported protocol in the
\samp{CAPABILITY} response from the server.
\end{memberdesc}
\begin{memberdesc}{debug}
Integer value to control debugging output. The initialize value is
taken from the module variable \code{Debug}. Values greater than
three trace each command.
\end{memberdesc}
\subsection{IMAP4 Example \label{imap4-example}}
Here is a minimal example (without error checking) that opens a
mailbox and retrieves and prints all messages:
\begin{verbatim}
import getpass, imaplib, string
M = imaplib.IMAP4()
M.login(getpass.getuser(), getpass.getpass())
M.select()
typ, data = M.search(None, 'ALL')
for num in string.split(data[0]):
typ, data = M.fetch(num, '(RFC822)')
print 'Message %s\n%s\n' % (num, data[0][1])
M.logout()
\end{verbatim}