--- name: "Mail::Box::Message::Destructed" section: "3pm" platform: "linux" package: "perl-mail-box" version: "4.02-1" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/Mail::Box::Message::Destructed" --- # Mail::Box::Message::Destructed(3pm) a destructed message ## 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 deleted Mail::Message false field_type Mail::Message undef folder Mail::Box::Message 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 ยป 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.