IMAP has already been done (no new questions yet)
I do not have any wire listeners yet.
'some of the relevant properties of VCL components:
with IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSL
.Destination=pop.gmail.com:995
.Host=pop.gmail.com
.Port=995
with .SSLOptions
.Method=sslvTLSv1
.Mode=sslmUnassigned
with IdPOP3
.AuthType=patUserPass
.AutoLogin=True
.Host=pop.gmail.com
.IOHandler=IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSL
.Port=995
.UseTLS=utUseImplicitTLS

---

'ssleay32 version 1.0.2.14
'the event log shows:
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatus> Resolving hostname pop.gmail.com.
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatus> Connecting to 173.194.70.108.
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo SSL status: "before/connect initialization"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "before/connect initialization"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 write client hello A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 read server hello A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 read server certificate A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 read server key exchange A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 read server done A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 write client key exchange A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 write change cipher spec A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 write finished A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 flush data"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 read server session ticket A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSLv3 read finished A"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSL negotiation finished successfully"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSL negotiation finished successfully"
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> Cipher: name = ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA; description = ECDHE-RSA-AES128-SHA SSLv3 Kx=ECDH Au=RSA Enc=AES(128) Mac=SHA1
; bits = 128; version = TLSv1/SSLv3;
IdPOP3Status> Connected.
IdPOP3Connected
IdPOP3WorkBegin> 0
IdPOP3Work> READ 6
...............................
IdPOP3Work> READ 106
IdPOP3WorkEnd>
IdPOP3Status> Disconnecting.
IdSSLIOHandlerSocketOpenSSLStatusInfo> SSL status: "SSL negotiation finished successfully"
IdPOP3Disconnected>
IdPOP3Status> Disconnected.
'and then this exception
malformed command w142mb665842711pfs
Can you guess from the above log info what is wrong?
How do I catch TId Exception properly? so it tells me what COMMAND causes it. TIA.

//this is the log file contents:
Stat Connected.
Recv 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: +OK Gpop ready for requests from NNN.NNN.NNN.NNN z8mb235611285opg<EOL>
Sent 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: CAPA<EOL>
Recv 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: +OK Capability list follows<EOL>USER<EOL>RESP-CODES<EOL>EXPIRE 0<EOL>LOGIN-DELAY 300<EOL>TOP<EOL>UIDL<EOL>X-GOOGLE-RICO<EOL>SASL PLAIN XOAUTH2 OAUTHBEARER<EOL>.<EOL>
Sent 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: USER xxxx@xxxxxxxx.com<EOL>
Recv 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: +OK send PASS<EOL>
Sent 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: PASS <EOL>
Recv 2/8/2018 6:56:55 PM: -ERR malformed command z6mb245413260oof<EOL>
Stat Disconnected.
{/code}
so it's the wrong password client gave me. I wish I knew about logging feature of TIdPOP3.
<div class="jive-quote">This sequence implies that you are doing something in your code to make
TIdPOP3 try to communicate with POP3 before it is actually ready to do
so.  The SSL/TLS handshake is clearly not fully complete, so a portion
of it is being sent to the server at the wrong stage, causing the
server to treat it as a malformed command, which TIdPOP3 reacts to by
closing the connection.
 
Please show your actual code.  Are you using the OnConnected event to
issue commands?  If you are, you shouldn't be.  It is triggered as soon
as the TCP connection is established, before the SSL/TLS handshake is
performed.  Don't issue any POP3 commands until after the Connect()
method exits first.</div>

void __fastcall TFormMain::BtnDnldEmlsClick(TObject *){
try{
IdPOP3->Connect();
MemoLog->Lines->Add("---connected---");//not logged
nMsgs = IdPOP3->CheckMessages();
...
}catch(Exception &e){
MemoLog->Lines->Add(e.Message);//"malformed command ...."
}
}//TFormMain::BtnDnldEmlsClick
{/code}

Remy, thank you very much for your prompt reply; you just made my week better...
Best regards,
Boba TC

Tons of thanks go to Remy.