Counting the items in a large Zimbra TGZ backup can take a while. If you run the count on a desktop app’s main thread or inside a web request, everything else waits until it finishes. Aspose.Email for .NET adds asynchronous versions of its TGZ counting methods, so you can await the result and stop the count if it runs too long.

This tutorial is for .NET developers who already use async and await. If you only need a quick count in a console tool or a script, the regular version is simpler; see Count Messages in TGZ Files with TgzReader.GetItemsCount.

How to count items in Zimbra TGZ backups asynchronously

There are two asynchronous methods: one returns the total number of items in the archive, and the other returns the number of items of one type, such as messages or contacts. They return the same numbers as the regular methods. The difference is that your code is free to do other work while the archive is read.

Both methods also accept an optional cancellation token. That is how you add a timeout, connect a Cancel button, or stop the work when a web request is abandoned.

Getting started with Aspose.Email

Install Aspose.Email for .NET 26.9 or later from NuGet:

Install-Package Aspose.Email

You also need a Zimbra TGZ backup. The examples use a file named xhy.tgz.

Count Zimbra TGZ items asynchronously

The following program gets the total number of items, then counts messages and contacts.

using System;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Aspose.Email.Storage.Zimbra;

class Program
{
    static async Task Main()
    {
        var fileName = "xhy.tgz";
        using (var reader = new TgzReader(fileName))
        {
            int totalItems = await reader.GetTotalItemsCountAsync();
            int numberOfMessages = await reader.GetItemsCountAsync(ItemType.Message);
            int numberOfContacts = await reader.GetItemsCountAsync(ItemType.Contact);

            Console.WriteLine($"Total items: {totalItems}");
            Console.WriteLine($"Messages: {numberOfMessages}");
            Console.WriteLine($"Contacts: {numberOfContacts}");
        }
    }
}

The program prints the total number of items, followed by the number of messages and contacts in the backup.

A few things to notice:

  • Main is marked async so it can wait for the counts without blocking.
  • Each count finishes before the next one starts.
  • The using block releases the archive file once all three counts are done.

Stop a count with a timeout

To limit how long a count can run, create a cancellation token with a time limit and pass it in. This example gives up after 30 seconds:

using (var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(30)))
using (var reader = new TgzReader("xhy.tgz"))
{
    int numberOfMessages = await reader.GetItemsCountAsync(ItemType.Message, cts.Token);
    Console.WriteLine($"Messages: {numberOfMessages}");
}

Add using System.Threading; for the cancellation types.

The same token works for other situations. In a desktop app, keep the token source in a field and cancel it when the user clicks Cancel. In an ASP.NET Core app, pass the token that signals when the client disconnects, so the count stops if nobody is waiting for the answer.

When a count is cancelled, handle it the way you handle cancellation elsewhere in your async code, for example by showing a message or letting the user try again.

Next steps

After counting, you can export the backup asynchronously as well; the export method also accepts a cancellation token. The Working with Zimbra documentation and the TgzReader API reference cover the other things you can do with a TGZ backup. If you have questions, ask on the Aspose.Email support forum.

FAQs

  1. Why count asynchronously? While the archive is being read, your application can keep doing other work. A desktop app stays responsive, and a web server does not tie up a thread waiting.

  2. Can I cancel a count that takes too long? Yes. Both asynchronous counting methods accept an optional cancellation token.

  3. Which item types can I count? Messages, contacts, calendar items, and tasks.

  4. Is a cancellation token required? No. It is optional. If you do not pass one, the count runs to completion.

  5. Do I need to dispose the reader? Yes. Use a using block so the archive file is released when you finish.

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See Also