---
name: "Mail::Box::MH::Labels"
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::MH::Labels"
---

# Mail::Box::MH::Labels(3pm)

maintain MH message related labels

## NAME

Mail::Box::MH::Labels - maintain MH message related labels

## INHERITANCE

```
 Mail::Box::MH::Labels
   is a Mail::Reporter
```

## SYNOPSIS

```
  my $labels = Mail::Box::MH::Labels->new;
  $labels->read(...)
  $labels->write(...)
```

## DESCRIPTION

MH type message folders use one dedicated file per folder-directory to list special tags to messages in that folder.  By doing this, mail agents may avoid parsing all the messages, which is very resource consuming.

Labels can be used to group messages, for instance to reflect which messages have been read or which look like spam.  Some labels are predefined, but more can be added without limitation.

Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Reporter.

## METHODS

Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Reporter.

### Constructors

Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter.

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

  Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter

  ```
   -Option  --Default
    filename  <required>
  ```

  - filename =\> $file

    The `$file` which is used in each directory to store the headers of all mails. The filename must be an absolute path.

### Attributes

Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Reporter.

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

  Returns the name of the index file.

### Error handling

Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter.

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

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

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

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

### Cleanup

Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter.

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

  Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter

### The Label Table

- $obj-\>**append**($messages)

  Append the label information about the specified `$messages` to the end of the label file.  The information will not be merged with the information already present in the label file.

- $obj-\>**get**($msgnr)

  Look if there is label info for message `$msgnr`.

- $obj-\>**print**($fh, $messages)

  Print the labels of the specified messages to the opened file.

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

  Read all label information from the file.  When the file does not exist, this will return `"undef"`.

- $obj-\>**write**(@messages)

  Write the labels related to the specified `@messages` to the label file.

## DIAGNOSTICS

- Error: MH labels require a filename.

  Cast by `new()`

- Fault: cannot append to MH labels file $file: $!

  Cast by `append()`

- Fault: cannot write MH labels file to $file: $!

  Cast by `write()`

- 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()`

- Fault: error while closing MH labels file $file after append: $!

  Cast by `append()`

- Fault: error while closing MH labels file $file after write: $!

  Cast by `write()`

## 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.