Mail::Box::Locker::Flock(3)

NAME
Mail::Box::Locker::Flock - lock a folder using kernel file-locking

INHERITANCE
 Mail::Box::Locker::Flock
   is a Mail::Box::Locker
   is a Mail::Reporter

SYNOPSIS
  See the generic Mail::Box::Locker interface

DESCRIPTION
The "::Flock" object locks the folder by creating an exclusive lock on the file using the kernel's "flock" facilities. This lock is created on a separate file-handle to the folder file, so not the handle which is reading.

File locking does not work in some situations, for instance for operating systems do not support "flock".

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

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

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

$class->new(%options)
    Inherited, 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  'FLOCK'
      timeout  Mail::Box::Locker  10

    expires => $seconds
    file => $file
    folder => $folder
    method => $name|CLASS|\@names
    timeout => $seconds|'NOTIMEOUT'

  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->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()
    Acquire a lock on the folder. Improves base, 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()

Warning: folder $name already flocked.
    The folder is already locked, but you attempt to lock it again. The behavior of double flock's is platform dependent, and therefore should not be attempted. The second lock is ignored (but the unlock isn't). Cast by lock()

Fault: unable to check lock file $file for $folder: $!
    To check whether the $file is used to "flock" a $folder, the file must be opened. Apparently this fails, which does not mean that the folder is locked neither that it is unlocked. Cast by isLocked()

Fault: unable to open flock file $file for $folder: $!
    For "flock"-ing a $folder it must be opened, which does not succeed for the specified reason. Cast by lock()

Fault: will never get a flock at $file for $folder: $!
    Tried to "flock" the $folder, but it did not succeed. The error code received from the OS indicates that it will not succeed ever, so we do not need to try again. Cast by lock()

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.