---
name: "Mail::Box::Parser::C"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-mail-box-parser-c"
version: "4.01-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Mail::Box::Parser::C"
---

# Mail::Box::Parser::C(3pm)

Parsing folders for MailBox with C routines

## NAME

Mail::Box::Parser::C - Parsing folders for MailBox with C routines

## INHERITANCE

```
 Mail::Box::Parser::C
   is a Mail::Box::Parser
   is a Mail::Reporter
 Mail::Box::Parser::C
   is a DynaLoader
```

## SYNOPSIS

## DESCRIPTION

The Mail::Box::Parser::C implements parsing of messages in ANSI C, using Perl's XS extension facility.

This is an optional module for MailBox, and will (once installed) automatically be used by MailBox to parse e-mail message content when the message is supplied as file-handle.  In all other cases, MailBox will use Mail::Box::Parser::Perl.

**Be aware:** This module versions 4.00 and up is not fully compatible with older releases: mainly the exception handling has changed.  When you need to upgrade, please read *https://github.com/markov2/perl5-Mail-Box/wiki/* **Version 3 is still maintained** and may see new releases as well.

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

## METHODS

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

### Constructors

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

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

  Inherited, see "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Parser

  ```
   -Option           --Defined in       --Default
    file                                  undef
    filename                              <required>
    fix_header_errors  Mail::Box::Parser  false
    mode                                  'r'
    trusted            Mail::Box::Parser  false
  ```

  - file =\> $filehandle

    Any IO::File or `"GLOB"` `$filehandle` which can be used to read the data from.  In case this option is specified, the `"filename"` is informational only.

  - filename =\> FILENAME

    The name of the file to be read.

  - fix\_header\_errors =\> BOOLEAN

    - mode =\> $mode

    File open `$mode`, which defaults to `'r'`, which means \`read-only'. See `"perldoc -f open"` for possible modes.  Only applicable when no `"file"` is specified.

  - trusted =\> BOOLEAN

    ### Attributes

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

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

  The number internally used by the C implementation to administer a single mail folder access.

- $any-\>**defaultParserType**( \[$class\] )

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

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

  Only returns a value when passed as instantiation parameter.  Otherwise, the used file-handle stays in 'C-space'.  The connection between C and Perl is via the **boxnr()**.

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

  Returns the name of the file this parser is working on.

- $obj-\>**fixHeaderErrors**( \[BOOLEAN\] )

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

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

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

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

### Parsing

Extends "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser.

- $obj-\>**bodyAsFile**( $fh \[$chars, \[$lines\]\] )

  Inherited, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

- $obj-\>**bodyAsList**( \[$chars, \[$lines\]\] )

  Inherited, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

- $obj-\>**bodyAsString**( \[$chars, \[$lines\]\] )

  Inherited, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

- $obj-\>**bodyDelayed**( \[$chars, \[$lines\]\] )

  Inherited, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

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

  Inherited, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

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

  Inherited, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

- $obj-\>**start**(%options)

  Start the parser by opening a file.

  ```
   -Option--Default
    file    undef
  ```

  - file =\> FILEHANDLE\|undef

    The file is already open, for instance because the data must be read from STDIN.

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

  Stop the parser, which will include a close of the file.  The lock on the folder will not be removed (is not the responsibility of the parser). Improves base, see "Parsing" in Mail::Box::Parser

### Error handling

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

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

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

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

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

### Cleanup

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

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

  Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter

## 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()`

- Error: filename or handle required to create a parser.

  Cast by `new()`

- Error: parser $type does not extend $pkg.

  Cast by `defaultParserType()`

- Warning: unexpected end of header in $source: $line

  While parsing a message from the specified source (usually a file name), the parser found a syntax error.  According to the MIME specification in the RFCs, each header line must either contain a colon, or start with a blank to indicate a folded field.  Apparently, this header contains a line which starts on the first position, but not with a field name.

  By default, parsing of the header will be stopped.  If there are more header lines after the erroneous line, they will be added to the body of the message. In case of new(fix\_header\_errors) set, the parsing of the header will be continued. The erroneous line will be added to the preceding field. Cast by `readHeader()`

## SEE ALSO

This module is part of Mail-Box-Parser-C version 4.01, built on February 25, 2026. Website: *http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/*

## LICENSE

For contributors see file ChangeLog.

This software is copyright (c) 2002-2026 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.