12.5 multifile -- Support for files containing distinct parts
Keywords: lib

# 12.5 `multifile` -- Support for files containing distinct parts

The `MultiFile` object enables you to treat sections of a text file as file-like input objects, with `''` being returned by `readline()` when a given delimiter pattern is encountered. The defaults of this class are designed to make it useful for parsing MIME multipart messages, but by subclassing it and overriding methods it can be easily adapted for more general use.

`MultiFile` (fp[, seekable])
  Create a multi-file. You must instantiate this class with an input object argument for the `MultiFile` instance to get lines from, such as as a file object returned by `open()`.

  `MultiFile` only ever looks at the input object's `readline()`, `seek()` and `tell()` methods, and the latter two are only needed if you want random access to the individual MIME parts. To use `MultiFile` on a non-seekable stream object, set the optional seekable argument to false; this will prevent using the input object's `seek()` and `tell()` methods.

It will be useful to know that in `MultiFile`'s view of the world, text is composed of three kinds of lines: data, section-dividers, and end-markers. MultiFile is designed to support parsing of messages that may have multiple nested message parts, each with its own pattern for section-divider and end-marker lines.

Subsections

- 12.5.1 MultiFile Objects
- 12.5.2 `MultiFile` Example