Class: Net::POP3
Overview
Net::POP3
What is This Library?
This library provides functionality for retrieving email via POP3, the Post Office Protocol version 3. For details of POP3, see [RFC1939] (www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1939.txt).
Examples
Retrieving Messages
This example retrieves messages from the server and deletes them on the server.
Messages are written to files named 'inbox/1', 'inbox/2', .... Replace 'pop.example.com' with your POP3 server address, and 'YourAccount' and 'YourPassword' with the appropriate account details.
require 'net/pop'
pop = Net::POP3.new('pop.example.com')
pop.start('YourAccount', 'YourPassword') # (1)
if pop.mails.empty?
puts 'No mail.'
else
i = 0
pop.each_mail do |m| # or "pop.mails.each ..." # (2)
File.open("inbox/#{i}", 'w') do |f|
f.write m.pop
end
m.delete
i += 1
end
puts "#{pop.mails.size} mails popped."
end
pop.finish # (3)
-
Call Net::POP3#start and start POP session.
-
Access messages by using POP3#each_mail and/or POP3#mails.
-
Close POP session by calling POP3#finish or use the block form of #start.
Shortened Code
The example above is very verbose. You can shorten the code by using some utility methods. First, the block form of Net::POP3.start can be used instead of POP3.new, POP3#start and POP3#finish.
require 'net/pop'
Net::POP3.start('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |pop|
if pop.mails.empty?
puts 'No mail.'
else
i = 0
pop.each_mail do |m| # or "pop.mails.each ..."
File.open("inbox/#{i}", 'w') do |f|
f.write m.pop
end
m.delete
i += 1
end
puts "#{pop.mails.size} mails popped."
end
end
POP3#delete_all is an alternative for #each_mail and #delete.
require 'net/pop'
Net::POP3.start('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |pop|
if pop.mails.empty?
puts 'No mail.'
else
i = 1
pop.delete_all do |m|
File.open("inbox/#{i}", 'w') do |f|
f.write m.pop
end
i += 1
end
end
end
And here is an even shorter example.
require 'net/pop'
i = 0
Net::POP3.delete_all('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |m|
File.open("inbox/#{i}", 'w') do |f|
f.write m.pop
end
i += 1
end
Memory Space Issues
All the examples above get each message as one big string. This example avoids this.
require 'net/pop'
i = 1
Net::POP3.delete_all('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |m|
File.open("inbox/#{i}", 'w') do |f|
m.pop do |chunk| # get a message little by little.
f.write chunk
end
i += 1
end
end
Using APOP
The net/pop library supports APOP authentication. To use APOP, use the Net::APOP class instead of the Net::POP3 class. You can use the utility method, Net::POP3.APOP(). For example:
require 'net/pop'
# Use APOP authentication if $isapop == true
pop = Net::POP3.APOP($is_apop).new('apop.example.com', 110)
pop.start(YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |pop|
# Rest of the code is the same.
end
Fetch Only Selected Mail Using 'UIDL' POP Command
If your POP server provides UIDL functionality, you can grab only selected mails from the POP server. e.g.
def need_pop?( id )
# determine if we need pop this mail...
end
Net::POP3.start('pop.example.com', 110,
'Your account', 'Your password') do |pop|
pop.mails.select { |m| need_pop?(m.unique_id) }.each do |m|
do_something(m.pop)
end
end
The POPMail#unique_id() method returns the unique-id of the message as a String. Normally the unique-id is a hash of the message.
Direct Known Subclasses
Constant Summary collapse
- Revision =
%q$Revision: 22000 $.split[1]
Instance Attribute Summary collapse
-
#address ⇒ Object
readonly
The address to connect to.
-
#open_timeout ⇒ Object
Seconds to wait until a connection is opened.
-
#port ⇒ Object
readonly
The port number to connect to.
-
#read_timeout ⇒ Object
Seconds to wait until reading one block (by one read(1) call).
Class Method Summary collapse
-
.APOP(isapop) ⇒ Object
Returns the APOP class if
isapop
is true; otherwise, returns the POP class. -
.auth_only(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false) ⇒ Object
Opens a POP3 session, attempts authentication, and quits.
-
.default_port ⇒ Object
The default port for POP3 connections, port 110.
-
.delete_all(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block) ⇒ Object
Starts a POP3 session and deletes all messages on the server.
-
.foreach(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block) ⇒ Object
Starts a POP3 session and iterates over each POPMail object, yielding it to the
block
. -
.socket_type ⇒ Object
:nodoc: obsolete.
-
.start(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block) ⇒ Object
Creates a new POP3 object and open the connection.
Instance Method Summary collapse
-
#apop? ⇒ Boolean
Does this instance use APOP authentication?.
-
#auth_only(account, password) ⇒ Object
Starts a pop3 session, attempts authentication, and quits.
-
#delete_all ⇒ Object
Deletes all messages on the server.
-
#each_mail(&block) ⇒ Object
(also: #each)
Yields each message to the passed-in block in turn.
-
#finish ⇒ Object
Finishes a POP3 session and closes TCP connection.
-
#initialize(addr, port = nil, isapop = false) ⇒ POP3
constructor
Creates a new POP3 object.
-
#inspect ⇒ Object
Provide human-readable stringification of class state.
-
#mails ⇒ Object
Returns an array of Net::POPMail objects, representing all the messages on the server.
-
#n_bytes ⇒ Object
Returns the total size in bytes of all the messages on the POP server.
-
#n_mails ⇒ Object
Returns the number of messages on the POP server.
-
#reset ⇒ Object
Resets the session.
-
#set_all_uids ⇒ Object
:nodoc: internal use only (called from POPMail#uidl).
-
#set_debug_output(arg) ⇒ Object
WARNING: This method causes a serious security hole.
-
#start(account, password) ⇒ Object
Starts a POP3 session.
-
#started? ⇒ Boolean
(also: #active?)
true
if the POP3 session has started.
Constructor Details
#initialize(addr, port = nil, isapop = false) ⇒ POP3
Creates a new POP3 object.
address
is the hostname or ip address of your POP3 server.
The optional port
is the port to connect to; it defaults to 110.
The optional isapop
specifies whether this connection is going to use APOP authentication; it defaults to false
.
This method does not open the TCP connection.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 342 def initialize( addr, port = nil, isapop = false ) @address = addr @port = port || self.class.default_port @apop = isapop @command = nil @socket = nil @started = false @open_timeout = 30 @read_timeout = 60 @debug_output = nil @mails = nil @n_mails = nil @n_bytes = nil end |
Instance Attribute Details
#address ⇒ Object (readonly)
The address to connect to.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 387 def address @address end |
#open_timeout ⇒ Object
Seconds to wait until a connection is opened. If the POP3 object cannot open a connection within this time, it raises a TimeoutError exception.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 395 def open_timeout @open_timeout end |
#port ⇒ Object (readonly)
The port number to connect to.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 390 def port @port end |
#read_timeout ⇒ Object
Seconds to wait until reading one block (by one read(1) call). If the POP3 object cannot complete a read() within this time, it raises a TimeoutError exception.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 400 def read_timeout @read_timeout end |
Class Method Details
.APOP(isapop) ⇒ Object
Returns the APOP class if isapop
is true; otherwise, returns the POP class. For example:
# Example 1
pop = Net::POP3::APOP($is_apop).new(addr, port)
# Example 2
Net::POP3::APOP($is_apop).start(addr, port) do |pop|
....
end
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 223 def POP3.APOP( isapop ) isapop ? APOP : POP3 end |
.auth_only(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false) ⇒ Object
Opens a POP3 session, attempts authentication, and quits.
This method raises POPAuthenticationError if authentication fails.
Example: normal POP3
Net::POP3.auth_only('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword')
Example: APOP
Net::POP3.auth_only('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword', true)
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 290 def POP3.auth_only( address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false ) new(address, port, isapop).auth_only account, password end |
.default_port ⇒ Object
The default port for POP3 connections, port 110
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 200 def POP3.default_port 110 end |
.delete_all(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block) ⇒ Object
Starts a POP3 session and deletes all messages on the server. If a block is given, each POPMail object is yielded to it before being deleted.
This method raises a POPAuthenticationError if authentication fails.
Example
Net::POP3.delete_all('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |m|
file.write m.pop
end
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 268 def POP3.delete_all( address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block ) start(address, port, account, password, isapop) {|pop| pop.delete_all(&block) } end |
.foreach(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block) ⇒ Object
Starts a POP3 session and iterates over each POPMail object, yielding it to the block
. This method is equivalent to:
Net::POP3.start(address, port, account, password) do |pop|
pop.each_mail do |m|
yield m
end
end
This method raises a POPAuthenticationError if authentication fails.
Example
Net::POP3.foreach('pop.example.com', 110,
'YourAccount', 'YourPassword') do |m|
file.write m.pop
m.delete if $DELETE
end
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 247 def POP3.foreach( address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block ) # :yields: message start(address, port, account, password, isapop) {|pop| pop.each_mail(&block) } end |
.socket_type ⇒ Object
:nodoc: obsolete
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 204 def POP3.socket_type #:nodoc: obsolete Net::InternetMessageIO end |
.start(address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block) ⇒ Object
Creates a new POP3 object and open the connection. Equivalent to
Net::POP3.new(address, port, isapop).start(account, password)
If block
is provided, yields the newly-opened POP3 object to it, and automatically closes it at the end of the session.
Example
Net::POP3.start(addr, port, account, password) do |pop|
pop.each_mail do |m|
file.write m.pop
m.delete
end
end
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 326 def POP3.start( address, port = nil, account = nil, password = nil, isapop = false, &block ) # :yield: pop new(address, port, isapop).start(account, password, &block) end |
Instance Method Details
#apop? ⇒ Boolean
Does this instance use APOP authentication?
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 360 def apop? @apop end |
#auth_only(account, password) ⇒ Object
Starts a pop3 session, attempts authentication, and quits. This method must not be called while POP3 session is opened. This method raises POPAuthenticationError if authentication fails.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 299 def auth_only( account, password ) raise IOError, 'opening previously opened POP session' if started? start(account, password) { ; } end |
#delete_all ⇒ Object
Deletes all messages on the server.
If called with a block, yields each message in turn before deleting it.
Example
n = 1
pop.delete_all do |m|
File.open("inbox/#{n}") do |f|
f.write m.pop
end
n += 1
end
This method raises a POPError if an error occurs.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 551 def delete_all # :yield: message mails().each do |m| yield m if block_given? m.delete unless m.deleted? end end |
#each_mail(&block) ⇒ Object Also known as: each
Yields each message to the passed-in block in turn. Equivalent to:
pop3.mails.each do |popmail|
....
end
This method raises a POPError if an error occurs.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 529 def each_mail( &block ) # :yield: message mails().each(&block) end |
#finish ⇒ Object
Finishes a POP3 session and closes TCP connection.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 458 def finish raise IOError, 'POP session not yet started' unless started? do_finish end |
#inspect ⇒ Object
Provide human-readable stringification of class state.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 365 def inspect "#<#{self.class} #{@address}:#{@port} open=#{@started}>" end |
#mails ⇒ Object
Returns an array of Net::POPMail objects, representing all the messages on the server. This array is renewed when the session restarts; otherwise, it is fetched from the server the first time this method is called (directly or indirectly) and cached.
This method raises a POPError if an error occurs.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 507 def mails return @mails.dup if @mails if n_mails() == 0 # some popd raises error for LIST on the empty mailbox. @mails = [] return [] end @mails = command().list.map {|num, size| POPMail.new(num, size, self, command()) } @mails.dup end |
#n_bytes ⇒ Object
Returns the total size in bytes of all the messages on the POP server.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 495 def n_bytes return @n_bytes if @n_bytes @n_mails, @n_bytes = command().stat @n_bytes end |
#n_mails ⇒ Object
Returns the number of messages on the POP server.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 488 def n_mails return @n_mails if @n_mails @n_mails, @n_bytes = command().stat @n_mails end |
#reset ⇒ Object
Resets the session. This clears all "deleted" marks from messages.
This method raises a POPError if an error occurs.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 561 def reset command().rset mails().each do |m| m.instance_eval { @deleted = false } end end |
#set_all_uids ⇒ Object
:nodoc: internal use only (called from POPMail#uidl)
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 570 def set_all_uids #:nodoc: internal use only (called from POPMail#uidl) command().uidl.each do |num, uid| @mails.find {|m| m.number == num }.uid = uid end end |
#set_debug_output(arg) ⇒ Object
WARNING: This method causes a serious security hole. Use this method only for debugging.
Set an output stream for debugging.
Example
pop = Net::POP.new(addr, port)
pop.set_debug_output $stderr
pop.start(account, passwd) do |pop|
....
end
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 382 def set_debug_output( arg ) @debug_output = arg end |
#start(account, password) ⇒ Object
Starts a POP3 session.
When called with block, gives a POP3 object to the block and closes the session after block call finishes.
This method raises a POPAuthenticationError if authentication fails.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 421 def start( account, password ) # :yield: pop raise IOError, 'POP session already started' if @started if block_given? begin do_start account, password return yield(self) ensure do_finish end else do_start account, password return self end end |
#started? ⇒ Boolean Also known as: active?
true
if the POP3 session has started.
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# File 'lib/net/pop.rb', line 409 def started? @started end |