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.Dd $Mdocdate$
.Dt mboxu 5
.Os
.
.Sh NAME
.Nm mboxu
.Nd readable mbox format
.
.
.Sh DESCIPTION
.Pp
.Nm
is a simple and readable mbox-like format, in which messages are encoded in UTF-8.
In addition,
.Nm
forbids the inclusion of multipart messages inside the mbox database.
Only the
.Em canonical
part, formatted in plain-text UTF-8, is included inside the mbox file.
Other parts, such as images, should be stored in separate local files and referenced via an
.Ql Attachment
header:
.
.Bd -literal -offset indent
Attachment: att/review.pdf
.Ed
.
.Pp
Paths in the
.Ql Attachment
header are relative to the location of the mbox database, unless they begin with a forward slash.
.Pp
.Nm
is readable by most modern mail readers.
Attachments are not directly visible, but can be accessed manually through the
.Ql Attachment
headers.
.
.Sh RATIONALE
.Pp
RFC 4155 requires messages stored in mbox databases to follow the standard syntax and format of e-mail messages defined in RFC 2822 (but without the carriage return).
It also requires messages to be seven-bit text, such as ASCII or presumably UTF-7.
.Pp
This makes it difficult to use mbox for anything other than storing received mail on an internet mail server.
.Pp
.Nm
simplifies the mbox format in order to expand its usage to the storage of other data than real internet mail.
It has two goals:
.Bl -enum
.It
to be easily writable and readable by humans, and
.It
to be easily generated and parsed by machines.
.El
.
.Sh AUTHORS
.Pp
.Nm
is created by John Ankarström
.Aq Mt john (at) ankarstrom.se .
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