---
title: "client.imports"
description: "Every method in this namespace: its signature, its parameters, what it returns and an example."
url: "https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/imports"
area: "Ruby"
category: "Reference"
---

# client.imports

Every method in this namespace: its signature, its parameters, what it returns and an example.

## Methods

Bring an old mailbox across from a Google Takeout, .mbox, .eml, .zip or .tgz export, with progress and a list of what did not come through.

### `imports.list`

List one page of mailbox imports

```ruby
list(address_id: nil, limit: nil, cursor: nil, api_key: nil) -> OpenEmail::Page
```

Returns one page of the imports in the workspace, newest first. Nothing is dropped from the history, so following `next_cursor` while `has_more?` is true reaches the very first import, and `list_all` and `iterate` do that walk for you. Each carries its status, the bytes read so far out of the total, and running counts of messages seen, imported, skipped as duplicates, left out by your options and not imported.

A key limited to particular addresses sees only imports into those addresses.

Scopes: `threads:read`.

**Parameters**

- `address_id` (`String`): Only imports into this address.
- `limit` (`Integer`): Rows per page, a whole number from 1 to 100. The server defaults to 25.
- `cursor` (`String`): The `next_cursor` from the previous page, an import id. One that names no import this key can see is a 400 `invalid_cursor`.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

An `OpenEmail::Page` of import Hashes, with `items`, `has_more?` and `next_cursor`.

**Example**

```ruby
page = client.imports.list(limit: 50)

page.items.each do |item|
  puts "#{item[:address]} #{item[:status]} #{item[:counts][:imported]}"
end
```

**Notes**

- A GET is retried automatically on network failure and on 408, 429 and 5xx responses, up to the client's `max_retries`.

Also available in: API [`GET /imports`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#get-imports); TypeScript [`imports.list()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#list); Python [`imports.list()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#list); CLI [`openemail imports list`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-list).

### `imports.list_all`

Collect every mailbox import into one array

```ruby
list_all(address_id: nil, limit: nil, cursor: nil, api_key: nil) -> Array<Hash>
```

Follows `next_cursor` from page to page and returns every import in the workspace, newest first, narrowed to one address when `address_id:` is given. A key limited to particular addresses sees only imports into those addresses.

Scopes: `threads:read`.

**Parameters**

- `address_id` (`String`): Only imports into this address.
- `limit` (`Integer`): Page size per request, from 1 to 100, defaulting to 25 on the server.
- `cursor` (`String`): An import id to start after, skipping everything newer.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for every page of this walk.

**Returns**

An Array of import Hashes holding every import across all pages.

**Example**

```ruby
imports = client.imports.list_all

failed = imports.select { |item| item[:status] == "failed" }

puts "#{failed.length} of #{imports.length} imports failed"
```

**Notes**

- A failure on any page raises out of the whole call, and none of the pages already read are returned.

Also available in: API [`GET /imports`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#get-imports); TypeScript [`imports.listAll()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#listAll); Python [`imports.list_all()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#listAll).

### `imports.iterate`

Stream mailbox imports one at a time

```ruby
iterate(address_id: nil, limit: nil, cursor: nil, api_key: nil, &block) -> Enumerator<Hash>
```

Returns an Enumerator that yields imports individually, newest first, or yields each one to a block when given one, and requests the next page only once the current one is drained. Breaking out of the loop stops the requests.

Scopes: `threads:read`.

**Parameters**

- `address_id` (`String`): Only imports into this address.
- `limit` (`Integer`): Page size per request, from 1 to 100, defaulting to 25 on the server.
- `cursor` (`String`): An import id to start after, skipping everything newer.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for every page of this walk.

**Returns**

An Enumerator of import Hashes (or yields each one to a block), one import per step.

**Example**

```ruby
running = client.imports.iterate(address_id: "addr_2b7e").find { |item| item[:status] == "running" }

puts running[:id], running[:counts][:imported] if running
```

**Notes**

- The Enumerator is lazy, so an abandoned loop costs only the pages you consumed.

Also available in: API [`GET /imports`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#get-imports); TypeScript [`imports.iterate()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#iterate); Python [`imports.iterate()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#iterate).

### `imports.get`

Read one mailbox import

```ruby
get(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

Returns one import with its status, byte progress and counts. Poll it while `status` is `queued` or `running`; it settles on `completed`, `failed` or `cancelled`.

An id from another workspace answers exactly like one that never existed, with 404.

Scopes: `threads:read`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A Hash with `id`, `addressId`, `address`, `status`, `options`, `files`, `formats`, `chunkBytes`, `totalBytes`, `processedBytes`, `counts`, `labelsCreated`, `labelsSkipped`, `lastError`, `uploadDeleted`, `createdAt`, `startedAt` and `finishedAt`. `counts` holds `seen`, `imported`, `duplicate`, `filtered`, `failed` and `threads`.

**Example**

```ruby
item = client.imports.get("imp_3f9c2a7b1e4d8f60a5c7b92d")

puts "#{item[:status]} #{item[:processedBytes]} / #{item[:totalBytes]}"
```

**Notes**

- `lastError` is set only when `status` is `failed`.

Also available in: API [`GET /imports/{id}`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#get-imports-id); TypeScript [`imports.get()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#get); Python [`imports.get()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#get); CLI [`openemail imports get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-get).

### `imports.create`

Create a mailbox import and get its upload plan

```ruby
create(body = nil, api_key: nil, **fields) -> Hash
```

Creates an import into one address of the workspace and returns it with `status` set to `uploading`. Each file is uploaded in parts of `chunkBytes`, `files[i][:chunks]` of them, through `upload_chunk`, and `start` then queues the import.

The import reads Google Takeout archives, .mbox files from Apple Mail, Thunderbird and most desktop apps, .eml files, and .zip or .tgz archives holding any of those, up to 100 GB a file and 50 files an import. Threads, dates and labels come across. Imported mail is quiet: it runs no rules, forwards, notifications, summaries or webhooks.

`import_files` does create, upload and start in one call.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `addressId` (`String`, required): The address the mail belongs to. It must be an address this workspace owns and this key may act for.
- `files` (`Array<Hash>`, required): Each file as a Hash with `name` and `bytes`, its size, 1 to 50 of them, each at most 100 GB.
- `options.keepInbox` (`Boolean`): Default true: mail that was in the old inbox lands in Inbox with its unread state. False files everything under Archive. It goes inside the `options` Hash, as do the next two.
- `options.includeSpam` (`Boolean`): Default false.
- `options.includeTrash` (`Boolean`): Default false.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A Hash for the import, shaped like the one `get` returns, with `status` set to `uploading`, `chunkBytes` and each file's `chunks`.

**Example**

```ruby
item = client.imports.create(
  addressId: "addr_2b7e",
  files: [{name: "takeout-001.zip", bytes: 2_147_483_648}],
  options: {keepInbox: true, includeSpam: false}
)

puts item[:chunkBytes], item[:files][0][:chunks]
```

**Notes**

- An address with an import already queued or running is 409 `already_running`.
- Not retried automatically.

Also available in: API [`POST /imports`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#post-imports); TypeScript [`imports.create()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#create); Python [`imports.create()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#create); CLI [`openemail imports create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-create).

### `imports.upload_state`

See which parts of the upload have arrived

```ruby
upload_state(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

For each file, the indexes of the parts already stored, so an interrupted upload sends only what is missing. Empty once the import has left the `uploading` state.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A Hash with `id`, `status` and `received`, one sorted Array of part indexes per file.

**Example**

```ruby
state = client.imports.upload_state("imp_3f9c2a7b1e4d8f60a5c7b92d")

puts state[:received][0].length
```

Also available in: API [`GET /imports/{id}/upload`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#get-imports-id-upload); TypeScript [`imports.uploadState()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#uploadState); Python [`imports.upload_state()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#uploadState); CLI [`openemail imports upload-state`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-upload-state).

### `imports.upload_chunk`

Upload one part of an import file

```ruby
upload_chunk(id, file, chunk, data, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

Stores one part of file `file`: the bytes from `chunk * chunkBytes` up to the next part. Every part is exactly `chunkBytes` long except the last, and a part of the wrong length is 400 `bad_chunk`. Sending a part again replaces it, so a failed part can simply be retried.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `file` (`Integer`, required): The file index, in the order given to `create`.
- `chunk` (`Integer`, required): The part index, from 0.
- `data` (`String, IO or Pathname`, required): The part as a binary String, or an IO or a Pathname whose whole content is the part. It is sent as it is, so slice the part out of the file first.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A Hash echoing `file`, `chunk` and the `bytes` stored.

**Example**

```ruby
size = File.size("takeout-001.zip")
item = client.imports.create(addressId: "addr_2b7e", files: [{name: "takeout-001.zip", bytes: size}])
part = File.binread("takeout-001.zip", item[:chunkBytes], 0)

client.imports.upload_chunk(item[:id], 0, 0, part)
```

**Notes**

- Retried automatically on network failure and on 408, 429 and 5xx responses, since a repeated part replaces itself.

Also available in: API [`PUT /imports/{id}/files/{file}/chunks/{chunk}`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#put-imports-id-files-file-chunks-chunk); TypeScript [`imports.uploadChunk()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#uploadChunk); Python [`imports.upload_chunk()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#uploadChunk); CLI [`openemail imports upload-chunk`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-upload-chunk).

### `imports.start`

Queue an import once its files are uploaded

```ruby
start(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

Checks that every part of every file has arrived, recognises each file's format and queues the import. A file still missing parts is 412 `missing_chunks`, and a file that is not an archive or a mailbox is 400 `unsupported_file`. Calling it on an import that has already left `uploading` returns it unchanged.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

The import Hash, shaped like the one `get` returns, with `status` set to `queued`.

**Example**

```ruby
queued = client.imports.start("imp_3f9c2a7b1e4d8f60a5c7b92d")

puts queued[:status]
```

**Notes**

- Retried automatically on network failure and on 408, 429 and 5xx responses, since calling it again returns the import unchanged.

Also available in: API [`POST /imports/{id}/start`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#post-imports-id-start); TypeScript [`imports.start()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#start); Python [`imports.start()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#start); CLI [`openemail imports start`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-start).

### `imports.cancel`

Cancel a mailbox import

```ruby
cancel(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

Stops an import at its next checkpoint. Mail already imported stays in the mailbox. A finished import is 409 `not_cancellable`.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

The import Hash, shaped like the one `get` returns, with `status` set to `cancelled`.

**Example**

```ruby
client.imports.cancel("imp_3f9c2a7b1e4d8f60a5c7b92d")
```

Also available in: API [`POST /imports/{id}/cancel`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#post-imports-id-cancel); TypeScript [`imports.cancel()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#cancel); Python [`imports.cancel()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#cancel); CLI [`openemail imports cancel`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-cancel).

### `imports.list_failures`

List what an import could not bring across

```ruby
list_failures(id, after: nil, limit: nil, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

Each message or archive entry that did not come across, with the reason: `too-large` (over 50 MB), `unparseable`, `no-date`, `storage-error`, `unreadable-entry`, `encrypted-entry` or `archive-limit`. Page with `after:`, passing the `nextCursor` of the previous page.

Scopes: `threads:read`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `after` (`Integer`): The `nextCursor` of the previous page.
- `limit` (`Integer`): At most 100, the default.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A Hash, not an `OpenEmail::Page`, with `data`, an Array of Hashes with `id`, `seq`, `reason`, `subject`, `sender`, `messageId`, `source`, `bytes`, `detail` and `createdAt`, and `nextCursor`, an Integer or nil on the last page.

**Example**

```ruby
failures = client.imports.list_failures("imp_3f9c2a7b1e4d8f60a5c7b92d")

failures[:data].each { |failure| puts "#{failure[:reason]} #{failure[:subject]}" }
```

Also available in: API [`GET /imports/{id}/failures`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#get-imports-id-failures); TypeScript [`imports.listFailures()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#listFailures); Python [`imports.list_failures()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#listFailures); CLI [`openemail imports list-failures`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-list-failures).

### `imports.delete_upload`

Delete the files uploaded for an import

```ruby
delete_upload(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

Removes the uploaded archive. Mail already imported stays in the mailbox. An import still uploading is cancelled at the same time, and one that is queued or running is 409 `still_running`.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Import id, `imp_` followed by 24 hex characters.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

The import Hash, shaped like the one `get` returns, with `uploadDeleted` set to true.

**Example**

```ruby
client.imports.delete_upload("imp_3f9c2a7b1e4d8f60a5c7b92d")
```

Also available in: API [`DELETE /imports/{id}/upload`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#delete-imports-id-upload); TypeScript [`imports.deleteUpload()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#deleteUpload); Python [`imports.delete_upload()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#deleteUpload); CLI [`openemail imports delete-upload`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-delete-upload).

### `imports.import_files`

Create, upload and start an import in one call

```ruby
import_files(input = nil, api_key: nil, **fields, &block) -> Hash
```

Creates the import, uploads every file part by part and starts it, reporting progress to a block or through `onProgress`. Pass each file's `data` as a binary String, an IO or a Pathname; parts are sliced from it, so a Pathname or an open File is never read into memory at once.

It returns once the import is queued. Poll `get` to follow it.

Scopes: `threads:write`.

**Parameters**

- `addressId` (`String`, required): The address the mail belongs to.
- `files` (`Array<Hash>`, required): Each file as a Hash with `name` and `data`, where `data` is a binary String, an IO or a Pathname.
- `options` (`Hash`): `keepInbox`, `includeSpam` and `includeTrash`, as for `create`.
- `onProgress` (`Proc`): Anything that responds to `call`, called after each part with the bytes uploaded and the total. A block given to the call does the same job and is used instead when both are given.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client API key for this call only.

**Returns**

The import Hash, shaped like the one `get` returns, with `status` set to `queued`.

**Example**

```ruby
files = [{name: "takeout-001.zip", data: Pathname("takeout-001.zip")}]

item = client.imports.import_files(addressId: "addr_2b7e", files:) do |done, total|
  puts "#{(done * 100.0 / total).round}%"
end

puts item[:id], item[:status]
```

**Notes**

- If a part fails after its retries, the import is left in `uploading`; `upload_state` then tells you which parts to send before calling `start`.

Also available in: API [`POST /imports`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/imports#post-imports); TypeScript [`imports.importFiles()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/imports#importFiles); Python [`imports.import_files()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/imports#importFiles); CLI [`openemail imports import-files`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/imports#imports-import-files).