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On Sep 25, 3:22*pm, tinn...@isbd.co.uk wrote:
> I can't get the list_folders() method of the mailbox.Maildir class to
> do anything remotely useful. *It seems to do nothing at all. *I have a
> directory which contains a number of maildir malboxes:-
>
> * * chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex
> * * total 24
> * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 charles.rustin
> * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 greg
> * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 maureenMcgoldrick
> * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 ram
> * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 sarahLagley
> * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 symonSmith
> * * chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex/ram
> * * total 12
> * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 cur
> * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 new
> * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 tmp
>
> If I run the following code:-
>
> * * #!/usr/bin/python
> * * #
> * * #
> * * # Mail archiving utility
> * * #
> * * import mailbox
>
> * * topLevel=mailbox.Maildir("/home/chris/Mail/apex")
> * * print topLevel.list_folders()
>
> It just outputs "[]".
>
> Am I doing something totally wrong or is list_folders() completely broken?
>
> --
> Chris Green

The Maildir++ spec states that folders need to begin with a period.
The list_folders method enforces that:

def list_folders(self):
"""Return a list of folder names."""
result = []
for entry in os.listdir(self._path):
if len(entry) > 1 and entry[0] == '.' and \
os.path.isdir(os.path.join(self._path, entry)):
result.append(entry[1:])
return result

The above example is from 2.6. Your structure is simply a list of
Maildir compliant directories below '/home/chris/Mail/apex.' They're
not, in the Maildir++ sense of the word, folders.

--
Thanks,

Jeff
mcjeff.blospot.com

Jeff McNeil <> wrote:
> On Sep 25, 3:22Â*pm, tinn...@isbd.co.uk wrote:
> > I can't get the list_folders() method of the mailbox.Maildir class to
> > do anything remotely useful. Â*It seems to do nothing at all. Â*I have a
> > directory which contains a number of maildir malboxes:-
> >
> > Â* Â* chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex
> > Â* Â* total 24
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 charles.rustin
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 greg
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 maureenMcgoldrick
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 ram
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 sarahLagley
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 symonSmith
> > Â* Â* chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex/ram
> > Â* Â* total 12
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 cur
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 new
> > Â* Â* drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 tmp
> >
> > If I run the following code:-
> >
> > Â* Â* #!/usr/bin/python
> > Â* Â* #
> > Â* Â* #
> > Â* Â* # Mail archiving utility
> > Â* Â* #
> > Â* Â* import mailbox
> >
> > Â* Â* topLevel=mailbox.Maildir("/home/chris/Mail/apex")
> > Â* Â* print topLevel.list_folders()
> >
> > It just outputs "[]".
> >
> > Am I doing something totally wrong or is list_folders() completely broken?
> >
> > --
> > Chris Green
>
> The Maildir++ spec states that folders need to begin with a period.
> The list_folders method enforces that:
>
> def list_folders(self):
> """Return a list of folder names."""
> result = []
> for entry in os.listdir(self._path):
> if len(entry) > 1 and entry[0] == '.' and \
> os.path.isdir(os.path.join(self._path, entry)):
> result.append(entry[1:])
> return result
>
> The above example is from 2.6. Your structure is simply a list of
> Maildir compliant directories below '/home/chris/Mail/apex.' They're
> not, in the Maildir++ sense of the word, folders.
>
So where does it say in the Python documentation that list_folders()
works only with Maildir++? It's a big and non-obvious limitation to
my mind.

My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.

--
Chris Green

On Sep 25, 4:13*pm, tinn...@isbd.co.uk wrote:
> Jeff McNeil <j...@jmcneil.net> wrote:
> > On Sep 25, 3:22*pm, tinn...@isbd.co.uk wrote:
> > > I can't get the list_folders() method of the mailbox.Maildir class to
> > > do anything remotely useful. *It seems to do nothing at all. *I have a
> > > directory which contains a number of maildir malboxes:-
>
> > > * * chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex
> > > * * total 24
> > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 charles.rustin
> > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 greg
> > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 maureenMcgoldrick
> > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 ram
> > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 sarahLagley
> > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 symonSmith
> > > * * chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex/ram
> > > * * total 12
> > > * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 cur
> > > * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 new
> > > * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 tmp
>
> > > If I run the following code:-
>
> > > * * #!/usr/bin/python
> > > * * #
> > > * * #
> > > * * # Mail archiving utility
> > > * * #
> > > * * import mailbox
>
> > > * * topLevel=mailbox.Maildir("/home/chris/Mail/apex")
> > > * * print topLevel.list_folders()
>
> > > It just outputs "[]".
>
> > > Am I doing something totally wrong or is list_folders() completely broken?
>
> > > --
> > > Chris Green
>
> > The Maildir++ spec states that folders need to begin with a period.
> > The list_folders method enforces that:
>
> > * * def list_folders(self):
> > * * * * """Return a list of folder names."""
> > * * * * result = []
> > * * * * for entry in os.listdir(self._path):
> > * * * * * * if len(entry) > 1 and entry[0] == '.' and \
> > * * * * * * * *os.path.isdir(os.path.join(self._path, entry)):
> > * * * * * * * * result.append(entry[1:])
> > * * * * return result
>
> > The above example is from 2.6. *Your structure is simply a list of
> > Maildir compliant directories below '/home/chris/Mail/apex.' They're
> > not, in the Maildir++ sense of the word, folders.
>
> So where does it say in the Python documentation that list_folders()
> works only with Maildir++? *It's a big and non-obvious limitation to
> my mind.
>
> My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
> compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
> standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.
>
> --
> Chris Green


The doc says that "Folders of the style introduced by the Courier mail
transfer agent are also supported. Any subdirectory of the main
mailbox is considered a folder if '.' is the first character in its
name." It's not an explicit endorsement of Maildir++, but it touches
on what it considers a folder definition. I'm treading on hazy memory
here, but I believe Maildir++ is the definition provided by the
Courier folks.

--
Thanks,

Jeff
mcjeff.blogspot.com

On Sep 25, 4:28*pm, Jeff McNeil <j...@jmcneil.net> wrote:
> On Sep 25, 4:13*pm, tinn...@isbd.co.uk wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Jeff McNeil <j...@jmcneil.net> wrote:
> > > On Sep 25, 3:22*pm, tinn...@isbd.co.uk wrote:
> > > > I can't get the list_folders() method of the mailbox.Maildir class to
> > > > do anything remotely useful. *It seems to do nothing at all. *I have a
> > > > directory which contains a number of maildir malboxes:-
>
> > > > * * chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex
> > > > * * total 24
> > > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 charles.rustin
> > > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 greg
> > > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 maureenMcgoldrick
> > > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 ram
> > > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 sarahLagley
> > > > * * drwx------ 5 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:46 symonSmith
> > > > * * chris$ ls -l /home/chris/Mail/apex/ram
> > > > * * total 12
> > > > * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 cur
> > > > * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 new
> > > > * * drwx------ 2 chris chris 4096 2009-04-30 09:45 tmp
>
> > > > If I run the following code:-
>
> > > > * * #!/usr/bin/python
> > > > * * #
> > > > * * #
> > > > * * # Mail archiving utility
> > > > * * #
> > > > * * import mailbox
>
> > > > * * topLevel=mailbox.Maildir("/home/chris/Mail/apex")
> > > > * * print topLevel.list_folders()
>
> > > > It just outputs "[]".
>
> > > > Am I doing something totally wrong or is list_folders() completely broken?
>
> > > > --
> > > > Chris Green
>
> > > The Maildir++ spec states that folders need to begin with a period.
> > > The list_folders method enforces that:
>
> > > * * def list_folders(self):
> > > * * * * """Return a list of folder names."""
> > > * * * * result = []
> > > * * * * for entry in os.listdir(self._path):
> > > * * * * * * if len(entry) > 1 and entry[0] == '.' and \
> > > * * * * * * * *os.path.isdir(os.path.join(self._path, entry)):
> > > * * * * * * * * result.append(entry[1:])
> > > * * * * return result
>
> > > The above example is from 2.6. *Your structure is simply a list of
> > > Maildir compliant directories below '/home/chris/Mail/apex.' They're
> > > not, in the Maildir++ sense of the word, folders.
>
> > So where does it say in the Python documentation that list_folders()
> > works only with Maildir++? *It's a big and non-obvious limitation to
> > my mind.
>
> > My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
> > compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
> > standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.
>
> > --
> > Chris Green
>
> The doc says that "Folders of the style introduced by the Courier mail
> transfer agent are also supported. Any subdirectory of the main
> mailbox is considered a folder if '.' is the first character in its
> name." *It's not an explicit endorsement of Maildir++, but it touches
> on what it considers a folder definition. I'm treading on hazy memory
> here, but I believe Maildir++ is the definition provided by the
> Courier folks.
>
> --
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
> mcjeff.blogspot.com

http://wiki.mutt.org/?MuttFaq/Maildir

That might help as well. You can have Mutt setup your folders using
that extended method.

--
Thanks,

Jeff
mcjeff.blogspot.com

Jeff McNeil <> wrote:
> > > The Maildir++ spec states that folders need to begin with a period.
> > > The list_folders method enforces that:
> >
> > > Â* Â* def list_folders(self):
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* """Return a list of folder names."""
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* result = []
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* for entry in os.listdir(self._path):
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* if len(entry) > 1 and entry[0] == '.' and \
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*os.path.isdir(os.path.join(self._path, entry)):
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* result.append(entry[1:])
> > > Â* Â* Â* Â* return result
> >
> > > The above example is from 2.6. Â*Your structure is simply a list of
> > > Maildir compliant directories below '/home/chris/Mail/apex.' They're
> > > not, in the Maildir++ sense of the word, folders.
> >
> > So where does it say in the Python documentation that list_folders()
> > works only with Maildir++? Â*It's a big and non-obvious limitation to
> > my mind.
> >
> > My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
> > compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
> > standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.
> >
> > --
> > Chris Green
>
>
> The doc says that "Folders of the style introduced by the Courier mail
> transfer agent are also supported. Any subdirectory of the main

"... are also supported." says to me that 'standard' ones are
supported as well and they're *not*.

> mailbox is considered a folder if '.' is the first character in its
> name." It's not an explicit endorsement of Maildir++, but it touches
> on what it considers a folder definition. I'm treading on hazy memory
> here, but I believe Maildir++ is the definition provided by the
> Courier folks.
>
So why isn't the class called mailbox.Maildir++ ?

--
Chris Green

Jeff McNeil <> wrote:
> > > My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
> > > compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
> > > standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.
> >
> > > --
> > > Chris Green
> >
> > The doc says that "Folders of the style introduced by the Courier mail
> > transfer agent are also supported. Any subdirectory of the main
> > mailbox is considered a folder if '.' is the first character in its
> > name." Â*It's not an explicit endorsement of Maildir++, but it touches
> > on what it considers a folder definition. I'm treading on hazy memory
> > here, but I believe Maildir++ is the definition provided by the
> > Courier folks.
> >
> > --
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Jeff
> > mcjeff.blogspot.com
>
> http://wiki.mutt.org/?MuttFaq/Maildir
>
> That might help as well. You can have Mutt setup your folders using
> that extended method.
>
Thanks, but no thanks. It creates 'folders' which aren't proper
hierarchical directories at all and breaks all sorts of standard
Unix/Linux ways of handling data. It's basically *horrible* and
to be avoided at all costs if you actually want to have a local mail
spool. It's OK if it's hidden behind an IMAP mail server or something
but otherwise no.

--
Chris Green

Tim Roberts <> wrote:
> wrote:
> >
> >My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
> >compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
> >standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.
>
> The Maildir specification does not allow for subfolders. That was added in
> Maildir++, and the subfolder names start with a dot. It's not a "wierd
> extension thereof".

No sub-folders within maildir folders but that's not what I was expecting.

I was just expecting to be able to list my maildir mailboxes.

--
Chris Green

In article <h9o1bf$cmt$>,
<> wrote:
>Tim Roberts <> wrote:
>> wrote:
>>>
>>>My maildir hierarchy is created by mutt which is a *very* standards
>>>compliant MUA, surely standard python libraries should work with
>>>standard maildirs not some wierd extension thereof.
>>
>> The Maildir specification does not allow for subfolders. That was added in
>> Maildir++, and the subfolder names start with a dot. It's not a "wierd
>> extension thereof".
>
>No sub-folders within maildir folders but that's not what I was expecting.
>
>I was just expecting to be able to list my maildir mailboxes.

Now you know why *my* mutt uses mboxes.
--
Aahz () <*> http://www.pythoncraft.com/

"....Normal is what cuts off your sixth finger and your tail..." --Siobhan