Mail::Box::Message(3)

NAME
Mail::Box::Message - manage one message within a mail-folder

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

 Mail::Box::Message is extended by
   Mail::Box::Dir::Message
   Mail::Box::File::Message
   Mail::Box::Message::Destructed
   Mail::Box::Net::Message

SYNOPSIS
  # Usually these message objects are created indirectly
  use Mail::Box::Manager;
  my $manager = Mail::Box::Manager->new;
  my $folder  = $manager->open(folder => 'Mail/Drafts');
  my $msg     = $folder->message(1);
  $msg->delete;
  $msg->size;   # and much more

DESCRIPTION
These pages do only describe methods which relate to folders. If you access the knowledge of a message, then read Mail::Message.

During its life, a message will pass through certain stages. These stages were introduced to reduce the access-time to the folder. Changing from stage, the message's body and head objects may change.

Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Message.

METHODS
Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Message.

  Constructors
Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Message.

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

$class->new(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter

     -Option    --Defined in     --Default
      body        Mail::Message    undef
      body_type                    <from folder>
      deleted     Mail::Message    false
      field_type  Mail::Message    undef
      folder                       <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                         undef
      trusted     Mail::Message    false

    body => $object
    body_type => CODE|$class
        If the body of a message is used delay-loaded, the message must what type of message to become when it finally gets parsed. The folder which is delaying the load must specify the algorithm to determine that type.

    deleted => BOOLEAN
    field_type => $class
    folder => $folder
        The $folder where this message appeared in. The argument is an instance of (a sub-class of) a Mail::Box.

    head => $object
    head_type => $class
    labels => \@pairs|\%settings
    messageId => $id
    message_id => $id
    modified => BOOLEAN
    size => $bytes
        The size of the message, which includes head and body, but without the message separators which may be used by the folder type.

    trusted => BOOLEAN

  Attributes
Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Message.

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

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

$obj->folder( [$folder] )
    In which folder did we detect this message/dummy? This is a reference to the folder-object.

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

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

$obj->seqnr( [$integer] )
    Get the number of this message is the current folder. It starts counting from zero. Do not change the number.

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

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

$obj->copyTo($folder, %options)
    Copy the message to the indicated opened $folder, without deleting the original. The coerced message (the clone in the destination folder) is returned.

     -Option      --Default
      shallow       false
      shallow_body  false
      shallow_head  false
      share         false

    shallow => BOOLEAN
        Used for clone(shallow).

    shallow_body => BOOLEAN
        Used for clone(shallow_body).

    shallow_head => BOOLEAN
        Used for clone(shallow_head).

    share => BOOLEAN
        Try to share the physical storage of the message between the two folders. Sometimes, they even may be of different types. When not possible, this options will be silently ignored.

    » example:

      my $draft = $mgr->open(folder => 'Draft');
      $message->copyTo($draft, share => 1);

$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)
    Move the message from this folder to the $folder specified. This will create a copy using clone() first. Then, this original message is flagged to get deleted. So until the source folder is closed, two copies of the message may stay in memory.

    The newly created message clone (part of the destination folder) is returned. All %options are passed to copyTo()

     -Option      --Default
      shallow_body  undef
      share         <true unless shallow_body exists>

    shallow_body => BOOLEAN
        Only create a shallow body, which means that the header can not be reused. A message can therefore not be shared in storage unless explicitly stated.

    share => BOOLEAN
        When there is a chance that the original message can be undeleted, then this must be set to "false". Otherwise a shallow clone will be made, which will share the header which can be modified in the undeleted message.

    » example: of moving a message

      my $trash = Mail::Box::Mbox->new(folder => 'trash');
      my $t = $msg->moveTo($trash);

    is equivalent to

      my $t = $msg->copyTo($trash, share => 1);
      $msg->delete;

$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::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] )
    Inherited, 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::Message.

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

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

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

$obj->modified( [BOOLEAN] )
    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::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::Message.

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

$class->coerce($message, %options)
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->diskDelete()
    Remove a message from disk. This is not from the folder, but everything else, like parts of the message which are stored outside from the folder.

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

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

$obj->readBody( $parser, $head, [$bodytype] )
    Read the body of one message. The $parser gives access to the folder file. The $head has been read with readHead(). The optional $bodytype supplies the class name of the body to be created, or a code reference to a routine which can produce a body type based on the head (passed as first argument).

    By default, the $bodytype will call Mail::Box::determineBodyType() where the message will be added to. Improves base, see "Internals" in Mail::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::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::Message.

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

$obj->destruct()
    Removes most of the memory occupied by the message by detaching the header and body. Then, the object changes into a Mail::Box::Message::Destructed which will catch all attempts to access the header and body. Be careful with the usage of this method. Improves base, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Message

DETAILS
Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::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: cannot coerce a $type object into a $me object.
    Cast by coerce()

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: coercion starts with some object, not '$type'.
    Cast by coerce()

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: please install Email::Simple.
    Cast by coerce()

Error: please install MIME::Entity.
    Cast by coerce()

Error: please install Mail::Internet.
    Cast by coerce()

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

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

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.