---
name: "Mail::Box::Locker::Multi"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-mail-box"
version: "4.02-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Mail::Box::Locker::Multi"
---

# Mail::Box::Locker::Multi(3pm)

lock a folder in all ways which work

## NAME

Mail::Box::Locker::Multi - lock a folder in all ways which work

## INHERITANCE

```
 Mail::Box::Locker::Multi
   is a Mail::Box::Locker
   is a Mail::Reporter
```

## SYNOPSIS

```
  See Mail::Box::Locker
```

## DESCRIPTION

The `"::Multi"` locker locks a folder in each way it can.  This way, the chance is highest that any other program will leave the folder alone during our access to it.

NFS-lock and Flock are tried.  More may be added when the ways to lock are extended.  DotLock overlaps with NFS-lock, but NFS-lock is safer, so that version is preferred.

Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Locker.

## METHODS

Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Locker.

### Constructors

Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::Locker.

- $class-\>**new**(%options)

  You may also pass all `%options` understood by the initiated lockers used by the multi locker. Improves base, see "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Locker

  ```
   -Option --Defined in       --Default
    expires  Mail::Box::Locker  1 hour
    file     Mail::Box::Locker  undef
    folder   Mail::Box::Locker  <C<undef>>
    method   Mail::Box::Locker  'MULTI'
    timeout  Mail::Box::Locker  10
    use                         <all possible>
  ```

  - expires =\> $seconds

    - file =\> $file

    - folder =\> $folder

    - method =\> $name\|CLASS\|\\@names

    - timeout =\> $seconds\|'NOTIMEOUT'

    - use =\> ARRAY-of-(NAMES\|LOCKER)

    Array of locker type NAMES or LOCKER objects to be used to lock one folder.  The type NAMES are converted into objects.  When you create your own LOCKER objects, be sure to set the timeout very short (preferably to 1).

    Some locking types are not available on some platforms, so they will not be excluded from the default list (NFS POSIX Flock).

  » example: using a subset of multi-lockers

  ```
    my $locker = Mail::Box::Locker::Multi->new(use => ['DOTLOCK','FLOCK']);
  ```

### Attributes

Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Locker.

- $obj-\>**expires**( \[SECONDS\] )

  Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**filename**( \[$filename\] )

  Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**folder**( \[$folder\] )

  Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**lockers**()

  Returns a list with all locker objects used by this object.

- $obj-\>**name**()

  Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**timeout**( \[SECONDS\] )

  Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Locker

### Locking

Extends "Locking" in Mail::Box::Locker.

- $obj-\>**hasLock**()

  Inherited, see "Locking" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**isLocked**()

  Inherited, see "Locking" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**lock**($folder)

  Inherited, see "Locking" in Mail::Box::Locker

- $obj-\>**unlock**()

  Inherited, see "Locking" in Mail::Box::Locker

### Error handling

Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Box::Locker.

- $obj-\>**AUTOLOAD**()

  Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

- $obj-\>**notImplemented**()

  Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

### Cleanup

Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Locker.

- $obj-\>**DESTROY**()

  Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Locker

## DIAGNOSTICS

- Error: class $package does not implement method $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. Cast by `notImplemented()`

## SEE ALSO

This module is part of Mail-Box version 4.02, built on April 10, 2026. Website: *http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/*

## LICENSE

For contributors see file ChangeLog.

This software is copyright (c) 2001-2026 by Mark Overmeer.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.