(CkPython) Reading Unread POP3 Email

The POP3 protocol does not provide the ability to ask the server which emails are "unread". Furthermore, a pure POP3 server does not even keep this information. Some servers, such as Exchange Server, expose both POP3 and IMAP interfaces. In these cases, information about read/unread status exists on the server, but it is only available via the IMAP protocol. Email clients such as Outlook and Thunderbird keep read/unread information on the client computer. This example demonstrates how UIDLs can be saved to track and read "unread" email.

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import sys
import chilkat

# This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
# See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

# The mailman object is used for receiving (POP3) 
# and sending (SMTP) email.
mailman = chilkat.CkMailMan()

# Set the POP3 server's hostname
mailman.put_MailHost("pop.someMailServer.com")

# Set the POP3 login/password.
mailman.put_PopUsername("***")
mailman.put_PopPassword("***")

# You may keep a list of already-seen UIDLs in a text file:
# If this is the first time you're running this example,
# create an empty text file named "seenUidls.txt"
saSeenUidls = chilkat.CkStringArray()
success = saSeenUidls.LoadFromFile("seenUidls.txt")
if (success != True):
    print("failed to load seenUidls.txt")
    sys.exit()

# Get the complete list of UIDLs on the mail server.
# saUidls is a CkStringArray
saUidls = mailman.GetUidls()
if (mailman.get_LastMethodSuccess() == False):
    print(mailman.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

# Create a new string array object (it's an object, not an actual array)
# and add the UIDLs from saUidls that aren't already seen.
saUnseenUidls = chilkat.CkStringArray()

i = 0
n = saUidls.get_Count()
while i < n :
    if (saSeenUidls.Contains(saUidls.getString(i)) != True):
        success = saUnseenUidls.Append(saUidls.getString(i))

    i = i + 1

if (saUnseenUidls.get_Count() == 0):
    print("No unseen emails!")

    sys.exit()

# Download in full the unseen emails:
# bundle is a CkEmailBundle
bundle = mailman.FetchMultiple(saUnseenUidls)
if (mailman.get_LastMethodSuccess() == False):
    print(mailman.lastErrorText())

    sys.exit()

i = 0
while i < bundle.get_MessageCount() :
    # email is a CkEmail
    email = bundle.GetEmail(i)
    print(email.ck_from())
    print(email.subject())
    print("----")

    i = i + 1

# Save saUidls to "seenUidls.txt"
success = saUidls.SaveToFile("seenUidls.txt")