Mail::Box::Message::Destructed(3)

NAME
Mail::Box::Message::Destructed - a destructed message

INHERITANCE
 Mail::Box::Message::Destructed
   is a Mail::Box::Message
   is a Mail::Message
   is a Mail::Reporter

SYNOPSIS
  $folder->message(3)->destruct;

DESCRIPTION
When a message folder is read, each message will be parsed into Perl structures. Especially the header structure can consume a huge amount of memory (message bodies can be moved to external temporary files). Destructed messages have forcefully cleaned-up all header and body information, and are therefore much smaller. Some useful information is still in the object.

BE WARNED: once a message is destructed, it cannot be revived. Destructing enforces irreversable deletion from the folder. If you have a folder opened for read-only, the message will stay in that folder, but otherwise it may be deleted.

Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Message.

METHODS
Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Message.

  Constructors
Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->clone(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Message

$class->new($msgid, %options)
    You cannot instantiate a destructed message object. Destruction is done by calling Mail::Box::Message::destruct(). Improves base, see "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter

     -Option    --Defined in        --Default
      body        Mail::Message       undef
      body_type   Mail::Box::Message  <from folder>
      deleted     Mail::Message       false
      field_type  Mail::Message       undef
      folder      Mail::Box::Message  <required>
      head        Mail::Message       undef
      head_type   Mail::Message       Mail::Message::Head::Complete
      labels      Mail::Message       +{}
      messageId   Mail::Message       undef
      message_id  Mail::Message       undef
      modified    Mail::Message       false
      size        Mail::Box::Message  undef
      trusted     Mail::Message       false

    body => $object
    body_type => CODE|$class
    deleted => BOOLEAN
    field_type => $class
    folder => $folder
    head => $object
    head_type => $class
    labels => \@pairs|\%settings
    messageId => $id
    message_id => $id
    modified => BOOLEAN
    size => $bytes
    trusted => BOOLEAN

  Attributes
Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->bodyType()
    Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

$obj->fieldType()
    Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

$obj->folder( [$folder] )
    Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->headType()
    Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

$obj->messageId()
    Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

$obj->seqnr( [$integer] )
    Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Message

  Constructing a message
Extends "Constructing a message" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->bounce( [<$rg_object|%options>] )
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Bounce

$class->build( [$message|$part|$body], @fields, %options )
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Build

$class->buildFromBody($body, [$head], $headers)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Build

$obj->forward(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardAttach(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardEncapsulate(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardInline(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardNo(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardPostlude()
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardPrelude()
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$obj->forwardSubject(STRING)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward

$class->read($fh|$text|\$text|\@lines, %options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Read

$obj->rebuild(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Rebuild

$obj->reply(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Reply

$obj->replyPrelude( [STRING|$field|$address|\@addrs|\@fields] )
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Reply

$any->replySubject(STRING)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Reply

  The message
Extends "The message" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->container()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->copyTo($folder, %options)
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->endsOnNewline()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->isDummy()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->isPart()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->moveTo($folder, %options)
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->partNumber()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->print( [$fh] )
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->send( [$mailer], %options )
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->size()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->toplevel()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->write( [$fh] )
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

  The header
Extends "The header" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->bcc()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->cc()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->date()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->destinations()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->from()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->get($fieldname)
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->guessTimestamp()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->head( [$head] )
    When "undef" is specified for $head, no change has to take place and the method returns silently. In all other cases, this method will complain that the header has been removed. Improves base, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->nrLines()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->sender()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->study($fieldname)
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->subject()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->timestamp()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

$obj->to()
    Inherited, see "The header" in Mail::Message

  The body
Extends "The body" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->body( [$body] )
    When "undef" is specified for $body, no change has to take place and the method returns silently. In all other cases, this method will complain that the body data has been removed. Improves base, see "The body" in Mail::Message

$obj->contentType()
    Inherited, see "The body" in Mail::Message

$obj->decoded(%options)
    Inherited, see "The body" in Mail::Message

$obj->encode(%options)
    Inherited, see "The body" in Mail::Message

$obj->isMultipart()
    Inherited, see "The body" in Mail::Message

$obj->isNested()
    Inherited, see "The body" in Mail::Message

$obj->parts( [<'ALL'|'ACTIVE'|'DELETED'|'RECURSE'|$filter>] )
    Inherited, see "The body" in Mail::Message

  Flags
Extends "Flags" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->delete()
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->deleted( [BOOLEAN] )
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->isDeleted()
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->isModified()
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->label($label|PAIRS)
    It is possible to delete a destructed message, but not to undelete it. Improves base, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->labels()
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->labelsToStatus()
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->modified( [$flag] )
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

$obj->statusToLabels()
    Inherited, see "Flags" in Mail::Message

  The whole message as text
Extends "The whole message as text" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->file()
    Inherited, see "The whole message as text" in Mail::Message::Construct::Text

$obj->lines()
    Inherited, see "The whole message as text" in Mail::Message::Construct::Text

$obj->printStructure( [$fh|undef],[$indent] )
    Inherited, see "The whole message as text" in Mail::Message::Construct::Text

$obj->string()
    Inherited, see "The whole message as text" in Mail::Message::Construct::Text

  Internals
Extends "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->clonedFrom()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$class->coerce($message)
    Coerce a Mail::Box::Message into destruction. Improves base, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

    » example: of coercion to death

      Mail::Box::Message::Destructed->coerce($folder->message(1));
      $folder->message(1)->destruct;  # same

      my $msg = $folder->message(1);
      Mail::Box::Message::Destructed->coerce($msg);
      $msg->destruct;                 # same

$obj->diskDelete()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->isDelayed()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->isTrusted()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->readBody( $parser, $head, [$bodytype] )
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->readFromParser( $parser, [$bodytype] )
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->readHead( $parser, [$class] )
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->recursiveRebuildPart($part, %options)
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Construct::Rebuild

$obj->storeBody($body)
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->takeMessageId( [STRING] )
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

  Error handling
Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->AUTOLOAD()
    Inherited, see "METHODS" in Mail::Message::Construct

$obj->notImplemented()
    Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$any->shortSize( [$value] )
    Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Message

$obj->shortString()
    Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Message

  Cleanup
Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->DESTROY()
    Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->destruct()
    Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Message

DETAILS
Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::Message.

DIAGNOSTICS

Error: Cannot include forward source as $kind.
    Unknown alternative for the forward(include). Valid choices are "NO", "INLINE", "ATTACH", and "ENCAPSULATE". Cast by forward()

Error: No default mailer found to send message.
    The message send() mechanism had not enough information to automatically find a mail transfer agent to sent this message. Specify a mailer explicitly using the "via" options. Cast by send()

Error: You cannot take the head/body of a destructed message
    The message originated from a folder, but its memory has been freed-up forcefully by means of Mail::Box::Message::destruct(). Apparently, your program still tries to get to the header or body data after this destruction, which is not possible. Cast by head()

Error: cannot include reply source as $kind.
    Unknown alternative for the "include" option of reply(). Valid choices are "NO", "INLINE", and "ATTACH". Cast by reply()

Error: cannot read message from a $source.
    Cast by read()

Error: class $package does not implement method $method.
    Fatal error: the specific $package (or one of its superclasses) does not implement this method where it should. This message means that some other related classes do implement this method however the class at hand does not. Probably you should investigate this and probably inform the author of the package. Cast by notImplemented()

Error: destructed message can not be undeleted
    Once a message is destructed, it can not be revived. Destruction is an optimization in memory usage: if you need an undelete functionality, then you can not use Mail::Box::Message::destruct(). Cast by label()

Error: destructed message has no labels except 'deleted', requested is $label.
    Cast by label()

Error: destructed message has no labels except 'deleted', trying to set @labels.
    Cast by label()

Error: method bounce requires To, Cc, or Bcc.
    The message bounce() method forwards a received message off to someone else without modification; you must specified it's new destination. If you have the urge not to specify any destination, you probably are looking for reply(). When you wish to modify the content, use forward(). Cast by bounce()

Error: method forwardAttach requires a preamble.
    Cast by forwardAttach()

Error: method forwardEncapsulate requires a preamble.
    Cast by forwardEncapsulate()

Error: method forwardNo requires a To.
    Cast by forwardNo()

Error: method forwardNo requires a body.
    Cast by forwardNo()

Error: no rebuild rule $name defined.
    Cast by rebuild()

Error: only build() Mail::Message's; they are not in a folder yet.
    You may wish to construct a message to be stored in a some kind of folder, but you need to do that in two steps. First, create a normal Mail::Message, and then add it to the folder. During this Mail::Box::addMessage() process, the message will get coerce()-d into the right message type, adding storage information and the like. Cast by build()

Error: select parts via '$what'?
    Cast by parts()

Warning: skipped unknown key '$key' in build.
    Cast by build()

Error: you cannot coerce a $class into destruction.
    Only real Mail::Box::Message objects can get destructed into Mail::Box::Message::Destructed objects. Mail::Message free their memory immediately when the last reference is lost. Cast by coerce()

Error: you cannot instantiate a destructed message.
    You cannot instantiate a destructed message object directly. Destruction is done by calling Mail::Box::Message::destruct() on any existing folder message. Cast by new()

Error: you cannot set the body on a destructed message.
    Cast by body()

Error: you cannot set the head on a destructed message.
    Cast by head()

Error: you cannot set the modified flag on a destructed message.
    Cast by modified()

Error: you cannot take the body of a destructed message.
    Cast by body()

Error: you cannot take the head of a destructed message.
    Cast by head()

SEE ALSO
This module is part of Mail-Box version 4.02, built on April 10, 2026. Website: http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/

LICENSE
For contributors see file ChangeLog.

This software is copyright (c) 2001-2026 by Mark Overmeer.

This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.