# Mail::Box::Manage::User - manage the folders of a user - perldoc - [phpMan]

## NAME
    [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown) - manage the folders of a user

## INHERITANCE
     [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown)
       is a [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)
       is a [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

     [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown) is extended by
       [Mail::Server::IMAP4::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AServer%3A%3AIMAP4%3A%3AUser/markdown)

## SYNOPSIS
     use [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown);
     use [User::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/User%3A%3AIdentity/markdown);

     my $id      = [User::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/User%3A%3AIdentity/markdown)->new(...);
     my $user    = [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown)->new
       ( identity  => $id
       , folderdir => "$ENV{HOME}/Mail"
       , inbox     => $ENV{MAIL}
       );

     my $inbox   = $user->open($user->inbox);
     my $top     = $user->topfolder;

## DESCRIPTION
    Where the [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown) takes care of some set of open folder, this extension will add
    knowledge about some related person. At the same time, it will try to cache some information
    about that person's folder files.

    Extends "DESCRIPTION" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

## METHODS
    Extends "METHODS" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

### Constructors
    Extends "Constructors" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown)->new($args)
        Use new(default_folder_type) to explicitly state which kind of folders you use.

         -Option             --Defined in        --Default
          autodetect           [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)  undef
          collection_type                          [Mail::Box::Collection](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3ACollection/markdown)
          default_folder_type  [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)  'mbox'
          delimiter                                "/"
          folder_id_type                           [Mail::Box::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AIdentity/markdown)
          folder_types         [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)  <all standard types>
          folderdir            [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)  [ '.' ]
          folderdirs           [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)  <synonym for C<folderdir>>
          identity                                 <required>
          inbox                                    undef
          log                  [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)      'WARNINGS'
          topfolder_name                           '='
          trace                [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)      'WARNINGS'

        autodetect => TYPE|ARRAY-OF-TYPES
        collection_type => CLASS
          Subfolders grouped together.

        default_folder_type => NAME|CLASS
        delimiter => STRING
          The separator used in folder names. This doesn't need to be the same as your directory
          system is using.

        folder_id_type => CLASS|OBJECT
        folder_types => NEW-TYPE | ARRAY-OF-NEW-TYPES
        folderdir => DIRECTORY
        folderdirs => [DIRECTORIES]
        identity => OBJECT
          The main difference between the [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown) and this class, is the concept of some
          person (or virtual person) who's files are being administered by this object. The OBJECT
          is an [User::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/User%3A%3AIdentity/markdown).

          The smallest identity that will do: "my $id = [User::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/User%3A%3AIdentity/markdown)->new('myname')"

        inbox => NAME
          The name of the user's inbox.

        log => LEVEL
        topfolder_name => STRING
        trace => LEVEL

### Attributes
    Extends "Attributes" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->defaultFolderType()
        Inherited, see "Attributes" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->folderTypes()
        Inherited, see "Attributes" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->folderdir()
        Inherited, see "Attributes" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->identity()
        Returns a [User::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/User%3A%3AIdentity/markdown) object.

    $obj->inbox( [$name] )
        (Set and) get the $name of the mailbox which is considered the folder for incoming mail. In
        many protocols, this folder is handled separately. For instance in IMAP this is the only
        case-insensitive folder name.

    $obj->registerType($type, $class, %options)
        Inherited, see "Attributes" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

### Manage open folders
    Extends "Manage open folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->close($folder, %options)
        Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->closeAllFolders(, %options)
        Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->isOpenFolder($folder)
        Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->open( [$foldername], %options )
        Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->openFolders()
        Inherited, see "Manage open folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

### Manage existing folders
    Extends "Manage existing folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

### Manage folders
    $obj->create($name, %options)
        Creates a new folder with the specified name. An folder's administrative structure
        ([Mail::Box::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AIdentity/markdown)) is returned, but the folder is not opened.

        In the accidental case that the folder already exists, a warning will be issued, and an
        empty list/undef returned.

        The %options are passed to [Mail::Box::create](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3Acreate/markdown)() of your default folder type, except for the
        options intended for this method itself.

         -Option       --Default
          create_real    <true>
          create_supers  <false>
          deleted        <false>
          id_options     []

        create_real => BOOLEAN
          When this option is false, the pysical folder will not be created, but only the
          administration is updated.

        create_supers => BOOLEAN
          When you create a folder where upper hierarchy level are missing, they will be created as
          well.

        deleted => BOOLEAN
          The folder starts as deleted.

        id_options => ARRAY
          Values passed to the instantiated [Mail::Box::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AIdentity/markdown). That object is very picky about the
          initiation values it accepts.

    $obj->delete($name)
        Remove all signs from the folder on the file-system. Messages still in the folder will be
        removed. This method returns a true value when the folder has been removed or not found, so
        "false" means failure.

        It is also possible to delete a folder using "$folder->delete", which will call this method
        here. OPTIONS, which are used for some other folder types, will be ignored here: the user's
        index contains the required details.

         -Option   --Defined in        --Default
          recursive  [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)  <folder's default>

        recursive => BOOLEAN

        example: how to delete a folder

         print "no xyz (anymore)\n" if $user->delete('xyz');

    $obj->folder($name)
        Returns the folder description, a [Mail::Box::Identity](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AIdentity/markdown).

    $obj->folderCollection($name)
        Returns a pair: the folder collection ([Mail::Box::Collection](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3ACollection/markdown)) and the base name of $name.

    $obj->rename($oldname, $newname, %options)
        Rename the folder with name $oldname to $newname. Both names are full pathnames.

         -Option       --Default
          create_supers  <false>

        create_supers => BOOLEAN
          When you rename a folder to a place where upper hierarchy levels are missing, they will
          get be defined, but with the deleted flag set.

    $obj->topfolder()
        Returns the top folder of the user's mailbox storage.

### Move messages to folders
    Extends "Move messages to folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->appendMessage( [$folder|$foldername], $messages, %options )
        Inherited, see "Move messages to folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->copyMessage( [$folder|$foldername], $messages, %options )
        Inherited, see "Move messages to folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->moveMessage( [$folder|$foldername], $messages, %options )
        Inherited, see "Move messages to folders" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

### Manage message threads
    Extends "Manage message threads" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->threads( [$folders], %options )
        Inherited, see "Manage message threads" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

### Internals
    Extends "Internals" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->decodeFolderURL($url)
        Inherited, see "Internals" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->toBeThreaded($folder, $messages)
        Inherited, see "Internals" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

    $obj->toBeUnthreaded($folder, $messages)
        Inherited, see "Internals" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown)

### Error handling
    Extends "Error handling" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->AUTOLOAD()
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->addReport($object)
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )
    [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown)->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->errors()
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
    [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown)->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->logPriority($level)
    [Mail::Box::Manage::User](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManage%3A%3AUser/markdown)->logPriority($level)
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->logSettings()
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->notImplemented()
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->report( [$level] )
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->reportAll( [$level] )
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->trace( [$level] )
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

    $obj->warnings()
        Inherited, see "Error handling" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

### Cleanup
    Extends "Cleanup" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

    $obj->DESTROY()
        Inherited, see "Cleanup" in [Mail::Reporter](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3AReporter/markdown)

## DETAILS
    Extends "DETAILS" in [Mail::Box::Manager](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3AManager/markdown).

## DIAGNOSTICS
    Error: Cannot create $name: higher levels missing
        Unless you set create(create_supers), all higher level folders must exist before this new
        one can be created.

    Error: Cannot rename $name to $new: higher levels missing
        Unless you set create(create_supers), all higher level folders must exist before this new
        one can be created.

    Error: Folder $name is already open.
        You cannot ask the manager for a folder which is already open. In some older releases
        (before MailBox 2.049), this was permitted, but then behaviour changed, because many nasty
        side-effects are to be expected. For instance, an [Mail::Box::update](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3Aupdate/markdown)() on one folder handle
        would influence the second, probably unexpectedly.

    Error: Folder $name is not a [Mail::Box](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox/markdown); cannot add a message.
        The folder where the message should be appended to is an object which is not a folder type
        which extends [Mail::Box](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox/markdown). Probably, it is not a folder at all.

    Warning: Folder does not exist, failed opening $type folder $name.
        The folder does not exist and creating is not permitted (see open(create)) or did not
        succeed. When you do not have sufficient access rights to the folder (for instance wrong
        password for POP3), this warning will be produced as well.

        The manager tried to open a folder of the specified type. It may help to explicitly state
        the type of your folder with the "type" option. There will probably be another warning or
        error message which is related to this report and provides more details about its cause. You
        may also have a look at new(autodetect) and new(folder_types).

    Warning: Folder type $type is unknown, using autodetect.
        The specified folder type (see open(type), possibly derived from the folder name when
        specified as url) is not known to the manager. This may mean that you forgot to require the
        [Mail::Box](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox/markdown) extension which implements this folder type, but probably it is a typo. Usually,
        the manager is able to figure-out which type to use by itself.

    Error: Illegal folder URL '$url'.
        The folder name was specified as URL, but not according to the syntax. See decodeFolderURL()
        for an description of the syntax.

    Error: No foldername specified to open.
        open() needs a folder name as first argument (before the list of options), or with the
        "folder" option within the list. If no name was found, the MAIL environment variable is
        checked. When even that does not result in a usable folder, then this error is produced. The
        error may be caused by an accidental odd-length option list.

    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 remove folder $dir
    Error: Use appendMessage() to add messages which are not in a folder.
        You do not need to copy this message into the folder, because you do not share the message
        between folders.

    Warning: Use moveMessage() or copyMessage() to move between open folders.
        The message is already part of a folder, and now it should be appended to a different
        folder. You need to decide between copy or move, which both will clone the message (not the
        body, because they are immutable).

    Warning: Will never create a folder $name without having write access.
        You have set open(create), but only want to read the folder. Create is only useful for
        folders which have write or append access modes (see [Mail::Box::new](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Mail%3A%3ABox%3A%3Anew/markdown)(access)).

## SEE ALSO
    This module is part of Mail-Box distribution version 3.010, built on July 18, 2023. Website:
    <http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/>

## LICENSE
    Copyrights 2001-2023 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://dev.perl.org/licenses/>