SNNTP Class

Properties   Methods   Events   Configuration Settings   Errors  

The SNNTP Class is used to read, search, and post articles on Usenet news servers.

Syntax

class ipworkssmime.SNNTP

Remarks

The SNNTP Class is the S/MIME enabled equivalent of the IPWorks NNTP class. In addition to standard NNTP functions the SNNTP class can sign, encrypt, decrypt, and verify message signatures. The methods and properties for encrypting, signing, decrypting, and verifying signatures are identical to those provided with the S/MIME class. After setting the certificate properties, and specifying article_text, call the encrypt, sign or sign_and_encrypt method before posting and the result will be stored in article_text. When attempting to verify a signed message or when decrypting a message call the decrypt, verify_signature, or decrypt_and_verify_signature methods and the resulting text will be replaced in article_text.

The SNNTP Class implements a standard Usenet news reader as specified in RFC 977. It can be used to browse Usenet news groups and read and post articles.

The current_group property sets the current newsgroup. From then on, news articles from that group can be read by setting the article number in current_article and then calling the appropriate method. Properties such as article_count, first_article, last_article provide information about the current state.

The headers and text of the articles are received respectively through the on_header and on_transfer events. Additionally, up to max_lines from the article body are provided in the article_text property. The on_group_overview event returns information about a range of articles (overview_range) in current_group, and the on_group_list event is used when listing newsgroup names. The on_pi_trail event provides a trace of the interaction with the server.

The class supports posting of articles through the article_text and attached_file properties. The article text is specified in one or both of the above, and then the post_article method is called. Article headers are given in a series of properties like article_from, article_subject, organization, etc. that map directly to the USENET article header with the same name.