--- name: "Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message" section: "3pm" platform: "linux" package: "libmail-box-imap4-perl" version: "3.009-1" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message" --- # Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message(3pm) one message on a IMAP4 server ## NAME Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message - one message on a IMAP4 server ## INHERITANCE ``` Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message is a Mail::Box::Net::Message is a Mail::Box::Message is a Mail::Message is a Mail::Reporter ``` ## SYNOPSIS ``` my $folder = new Mail::Box::IMAP4 ... my $message = $folder->message(10); ``` ## DESCRIPTION A `"Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message"` represents one message on a IMAP4 server, maintained by a Mail::Box::IMAP4 folder. Each message is stored as separate entity on the server, and maybe temporarily in your program as well. Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. ## METHODS Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. ### Constructors Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. - $obj-\>**clone**(%options) Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Message - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**new**(%options) ``` -Option --Defined in --Default body Mail::Message undef body_type Mail::Box::Message Mail::Message::Body::Lines cache_body cache_head cache_labels deleted Mail::Message field_type Mail::Message undef folder Mail::Box::Message head Mail::Message undef head_type Mail::Message Mail::Message::Head::Complete labels Mail::Message {} log Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS' messageId Mail::Message undef modified Mail::Message size Mail::Box::Message undef trace Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS' trusted Mail::Message unique Mail::Box::Net::Message write_labels ``` - body =\> OBJECT - body\_type =\> CODE\|CLASS - cache\_body =\> BOOLEAN - cache\_head =\> BOOLEAN - cache\_labels =\> BOOLEAN All standard IMAP labels can be cached on the local server to improve speed. This has the same dangers as setting `"write_labels"` to false. The caching starts when the first label of the message was read. - deleted =\> BOOLEAN - field\_type =\> CLASS - folder =\> FOLDER - head =\> OBJECT - head\_type =\> CLASS - labels =\> ARRAY\|HASH - log =\> LEVEL - messageId =\> STRING - modified =\> BOOLEAN - size =\> INTEGER - trace =\> LEVEL - trusted =\> BOOLEAN - unique =\> STRING - write\_labels =\> BOOLEAN When a label is changed or its value read, using **label()**, that info should be sent to the IMAP server. But, this action could be superfluous, for instance because the label was already set or clear, and communication is expensive. On the other hand, someone else may use IMAP to make changes in the same folder, and will get the updates too late or never... ### Constructing a message Extends "Constructing a message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. - $obj-\>**bounce**( \[\<$rg\_object\|%options\>\] ) Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Bounce - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**build**( \[$message\|$part\|$body\], $content ) Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Build - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**buildFromBody**($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 - $obj-\>**forwardSubject**(STRING) Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Forward - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**read**($fh\|STRING\|SCALAR\|ARRAY, %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**( \[STRING\|$field\|$address\|ARRAY-$of-$things\] ) Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Reply - $obj-\>**replySubject**(STRING) - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**replySubject**(STRING) Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Reply ### The message Extends "The message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. - $obj-\>**container**() Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**copyTo**($folder, %options) Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Message - $obj-\>**folder**( \[$folder\] ) Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Message - $obj-\>**isDummy**() Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**isPart**() Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**messageId**() 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-\>**seqnr**( \[$integer\] ) Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Message - $obj-\>**size**() Returns the size of this message. If the message is still on the remote server, IMAP is used to ask for the size. When the message is already loaded onto the local system, the size of the parsed message is taken. These sizes can differ because the difference in line-ending representation. - $obj-\>**toplevel**() Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**unique**( \[STRING\|undef\] ) Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message - $obj-\>**write**( \[$fh\] ) Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message ### The header Extends "The header" in Mail::Box::Net::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::Box::Net::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::Box::Net::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) With only one argument, the value related to `$label` is returned. With more that one argument, the list is interpreted a label-value PAIRS to be set. The IMAP protocol defines its own names for the labels, which must be set immediately to inform other IMAP clients which may have the same folder open. But that can be changed with new(write\_labels). Some labels are translated to the corresponding IMAP system labels. - $obj-\>**labels**() Get the names of all labels (LIST context, not efficient in IMAP4), or a reference to a hash with labels. You should only use the returned hash to read the labels, because changes made to it will not be passed to the remote server. See **labels()** to set values. - $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::Box::Net::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::Net::Message. - $obj-\>**clonedFrom**() Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**coerce**($message, %options) Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**diskDelete**() Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message - $obj-\>**fetch**( \[$info, ...\] ) Use the IMAP's `"UID FETCH IMAP"` command to get some data about this message. The `$info` request is passed to **Mail::Box::IMAP4::fetch()**. Without `$info`, `"ALL"` information is retrieved and returned as a HASH. - $obj-\>**isDelayed**() Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**loadBody**() Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Net::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 - $obj-\>**writeDelayed**($imap) Write all delayed information, like label changes, to the server. This is done under force, so should even be done for folders opened without write-access. This method is called indirectly by a **Mail::Box::write()** or **Mail::Box::close()**. The `$imap` argument is a Mail::IMAPClient which has the right folder already selected. Writing changes to the remote folder is not without hassle: IMAP4 (or is it only Mail::IMAPClient doesn't support replacing header or body. Therefore, when either of them change, the whole message is rewritten to the server (which is supported), and the original flagged for deletion. ### Error handling Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. - $obj-\>**AUTOLOAD**() Inherited, see "METHODS" in Mail::Message::Construct - $obj-\>**addReport**($object) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**defaultTrace**( \[$level\]\|\[$loglevel, $tracelevel\]\|\[$level, $callback\] ) - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**defaultTrace**( \[$level\]\|\[$loglevel, $tracelevel\]\|\[$level, $callback\] ) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**errors**() Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**log**( \[$level, \[$strings\]\] ) - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**log**( \[$level, \[$strings\]\] ) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**logPriority**($level) - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**logPriority**($level) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**logSettings**() Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**notImplemented**() Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**report**( \[$level\] ) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**reportAll**( \[$level\] ) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**shortSize**( \[$value\] ) - Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message-\>**shortSize**( \[$value\] ) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**shortString**() Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**trace**( \[$level\] ) Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**warnings**() Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter ### Cleanup Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. - $obj-\>**DESTROY**() Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter - $obj-\>**destruct**() Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Message ## DETAILS Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. ### Structure of a Message Extends "Structure of a Message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. ### Message object implementation Extends "Message object implementation" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. ### Message class implementation Extends "Message class implementation" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. ### Labels Extends "Labels" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. *Predefined labels* Extends "Predefined labels" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. *Status and X-Status fields* Extends "Status and X-Status fields" in Mail::Box::Net::Message. *IMAP protocol flags* Labels (or flags) are known to all folder formats, but differ how they are stored. Some folder types use message header lines to keep the labels, other use a separate file. The IMAP protocol does not specify how the labels are kept on the server, but does specify how they are named. The label names as defined by the IMAP protocol are standardized into the MailBox standard to hide folder differences. The following translations are always performed: ``` \Seen => seen \Answered => replied \Flagged => flagged \Deleted => deleted \Draft => draft \Recent => NOT old ``` **. Example: of label translations** ``` $imap->message(3)->label(replied => 1, draft => 0); ``` will result in a IMAP protocol statements like ``` A003 STORE 4 +FLAGS (\Answered) A003 STORE 4 -FLAGS (\Draft) ``` *Other labels* Of course, your program may be in need for more labels than those provided by the protocol. You can still use these: they stay locally (and are lost when the folder is closed). Some IMAP4 extensions permit more labels than the basic RFC, but that is not yet supported by this implementation. *Caching labels* When you ask for one or more flags of a message more than once, you may improve the overall performance by setting new(cache\_labels) to `"YES"`. However, this may cause inconsistencies when multiple clients use the same folder on the IMAP server. You may also delay the label updates to the server until the folder is closed (or for ever when read-only is required). When **Mail::Box::write()** or **Mail::Box::close()** is called, it is decided whether to throw all changes away or write after all. ## DIAGNOSTICS - Error: Cannot coerce a $class object into a $class object - Error: Cannot include forward source as $include. Unknown alternative for the forward(include). Valid choices are `"NO"`, `"INLINE"`, `"ATTACH"`, and `"ENCAPSULATE"`. - Error: Cannot include reply source as $include. Unknown alternative for the `"include"` option of **reply()**. Valid choices are `"NO"`, `"INLINE"`, and `"ATTACH"`. - 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()**. - Error: Method forwardAttach requires a preamble - Error: Method forwardEncapsulate requires a preamble - Error: No address to create forwarded to. If a forward message is created, a destination address must be specified. - 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. - Error: No rebuild rule $name defined. - 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. - Error: Package $package does not implement $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. - Error: Unable to read delayed body. - Error: Unable to read delayed head. - Error: coercion starts with some object ## SEE ALSO This module is part of Mail-Box-IMAP4 distribution version 3.009, built on April 18, 2025. Website: *http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/* ## LICENSE Copyrights 2001-2025 by \[Mark Overmeer\]. For other contributors see ChangeLog. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. See *http://dev.perl.org/licenses/*