--- name: "Mail::Message::Dummy" 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::Message::Dummy" --- # Mail::Message::Dummy(3pm) a placeholder for a missing messages ## NAME Mail::Message::Dummy - a placeholder for a missing messages ## INHERITANCE ``` Mail::Message::Dummy is a Mail::Message is a Mail::Reporter ``` ## SYNOPSIS ## DESCRIPTION Dummy messages are used by modules which maintain ordered lists of messages, usually based on message-id. A good example is Mail::Box::Thread::Manager, which detects related messages by scanning the known message headers for references to other messages. As long as the referenced messages are not found inside the mailbox, their place is occupied by a dummy. Be careful when using modules which may create dummies. Before trying to access the header or body use **isDummy()** to check if the message is a dummy message. 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 - $class-\>**new**($message\_id, %options) Create a new dummy message to occupy the space for a real message with the specified `$message_id`. Improves base, see "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter ``` -Option --Defined in --Default body Mail::Message body_type Mail::Message Mail::Message::Body::Lines deleted Mail::Message false field_type Mail::Message head Mail::Message head_type Mail::Message labels Mail::Message +{} messageId Mail::Message message_id Mail::Message undef modified Mail::Message trusted Mail::Message ``` - body =\> $object - body\_type =\> $class - deleted =\> BOOLEAN - field\_type =\> $class - head =\> $object - head\_type =\> $class - labels =\> \\@pairs\|\\%settings - messageId =\> $id - message\_id =\> $id - modified =\> BOOLEAN - trusted =\> BOOLEAN ยป example: ``` my $message = Mail::Message::Dummy->new($msgid); if($message->isDummy) {...} ``` ### Attributes Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Message. - $obj-\>**bodyType**() Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**fieldType**() Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**headType**() Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message - $obj-\>**messageId**() Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message ### 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-\>**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-\>**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-\>**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::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**() Inherited, 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()` - Error: the messageId is required for a dummy. A dummy message occupies the place for a real message. When a dummy is created, the id of the message which place it is holding must be known. Cast by `new()` - Error: you cannot take the body of a dummy message. Cast by `body()` - Error: you cannot take the head/body of a dummy message. Dummy messages are place-holders in message threads: the thread detected the existence of the message, because it found the message-id in a Reply-To or References field, however it did not find the header and body of the message yet. Use **isDummy()** to check whether the thread node returned a dummy or not. 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.