POP3 Mailbox Checker Plugin (1 Viewer)

[charli181]

All,
I have jsut finished a plugin for RC2 that will display a Notification on screen if there a messages in a mailbox. This plugin does not allow you to read or retrieve them and is only there as a status. I have developed it to monitor my asterisk voicemail box and use my normal desktop and email client to retrieve the mail.

*****PLEASE NOTE that a message will appear if the mailbox contains 1 or more emails.******

Attached is the MPI and the install guide.

Let me know if there are problems or need help.


2/10/2007 .....

upon request from Level20peon,

A new option has been added to the configuration to allow you to only have one alert displayed when a message is received. This will stop the continuous alert being shown until the mailbox is cleared.

 

[charli181]

Thanks and-81 for you support helping getting things to work in MP

 

[level20peon]

The idea is good but this plugin as well as the MyEmail plugin lack an important ability in my opinion. They both display a message when there are mails in the incoming email folder. It doesn't matter whether these mails were already displayed or not. For example: If there is one mail (A) inside the incoming email folder and the plugin checks for new mails it displays something like "new email arrived". If it checks again after the poll interval and there still is JUST mail (A) inside the folder it again displays "new email arrived" even if it is not really a "new mail" but an old one that has already been reported on before. It just should notify me again if a new mail (B) arrives...

This is really annoying if you are watching a movie or doing something else and don't want to download your emails instantly. This also is the only reason why I am not using one of these plugins nowadays.


-level20peon

 

[charli181]

The idea is good but this plugin as well as the MyEmail plugin lack an important ability in my opinion. They both display a message when there are mails in the incoming email folder. It doesn't matter whether these mails were already displayed or not. For example: If there is one mail (A) inside the incoming email folder and the plugin checks for new mails it displays something like "new email arrived". If it checks again after the poll interval and there still is JUST mail (A) inside the folder it again displays "new email arrived" even if it is not really a "new mail" but an old one that has already been reported on before. It just should notify me again if a new mail (B) arrives...

This is really annoying if you are watching a movie or doing something else and don't want to download your emails instantly. This also is the only reason why I am not using one of these plugins nowadays.


-level20peon

I will add that into the code as an option in config if that is what you are after. Give ma a day or two as I have other things going on but will squeeze it in.

 

[charli181]

I have added the new option requested by Level20peon.

See first post for files and documentation and change log.

 

[level20peon]

Thanks a bunch charli181. I didn't think you are this fast. However I have thought about this whole email plugin and would like so suggest some more features:


The documentation says "Added option to only display alert once until the total mailbox message count changes." so what happens if the count reduces ie when I download my mails and it reduces to 0 ? It also would be nice to support multiple mail accounts.

It also would be nice to add a mail icon into the popup and play a sound file when a mail-message arrives (better would be a menu-option to enable either popup and / or sound).
I think you could improve this plugin substantially (This would make my "...if it reduces to 0" question obsolete) by not polling the simple amount of mail messages but their subject. This way you could realize this:

Mail (subject A) arrives -> plugin shows: 1 new mail message
Mail (subject B) arrives along with Mail (subject c) -> plugin shows: 2 new mail messages (3 total)

And last but not least (this should be no work at all after implementing the subject identification) maybe you should change the displayed message. It says "1 messages", "2 messages" rather than "1 new mail message", "2 new mail messages (3 total)" (singular, plural)


These improvements would make this plugin perfect in my opinion.


But up until now there are already two things that make me prefer this plugin to the myMail plugin:

1. This plugin is not shown as a menu entry so it just provides the informational service that I need (In my opinion a HTPC should be dedicated as such and things like email, phonecalls, messaging in generall should only appear in an informational way)
2. The feature you just added. I cannot believe that I am the only one who is being bothered by unneccessary popups during movies and similar activities. All other people using these plugins are downloading their mails instantly even if they are sitting on the couch and just want to relax by watching a movie ?


Anyway, thanks for your work and keep up being a part of this great community


-level20peon

 

[charli181]

The documentation says "Added option to only display alert once until the total mailbox message count changes." so what happens if the count reduces ie when I download my mails and it reduces to 0 ?

The way I have implemented the change is as follows :-

Mail A arrives, popup occurs and internal counter set to 1

Next poll occurs and mailbox message count is still 1 so no popup

Mail B & Mail C arrive before next poll

Next poll occurs and pop occurs showing 3 messages and internal counter is set to 3.

Now let say you only download/delete Mail B only between polls.

Next poll occurs and since the mailbox message count has changed to 2 a new pop will occur showing 2 messages and internal counter will be set to 2.

As for the your recommendations, I will look to implement them. I am new to C# and MP coding so please wait a couple of days for these ones.

Short list is

1. Add Mail Icon
2. Option to play sound/Popup or both
3. Investigate to Monitor Subject heading instead of Message count
4. Improve the Pop messaging to be singular/plural
5. Multiple Mailboxes

I personally will not use the display once as it is an informational popup as you stated but when I arrive home, the first thing I do is boot the HTPC up and if the alert only shows once and then disappears, I will not see if I have any voicemail messages in my mailbox. - yes it does annoy me sometimes, but it actually forces me to go listen to the voicemail message. (too Lazy.... )

In saying that, I am more than happy to further develop for everyones needs on this Plugin.

 

[reagan+carter]

charli181, you should check the source code of this alternative e-mail plugin, it already does what you want, never had the time to finish the IMAP part but POP3 is fully functional. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showpost.php?p=100045&postcount=54

 

[charli181]

charli181, you should check the source code of this alternative e-mail plugin, it already does what you want, never had the time to finish the IMAP part but POP3 is fully functional. https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showpost.php?p=100045&postcount=54

Looking at your source now. your plugin is great and has alot more features and should be considered as a replacement for the MYMail.

I thought of yours before I wrote this plugin but decided I did not want all the bells and whistles, just a notification window. Reading emails in my house is done elsewhere to stop confusion....WIFE & KIDS

If I may though with your permission use some extracts of your source to implement some of the features. Please let me know if this OK.

-Sean

 

[level20peon]

When I understood reagan+carter correctly he doesn't have time / doesn't want to work on his plugin anymore... maybe your two should combine your skills and create a plugin that contains all functionality but all configurable with checkboxes in an options tab ? So you, charli181 would have the simple style you prefer and everybody else would be really gratefull for being able to configure it to fit their individual needs.
Just suggesting...


-level20peon