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    <not used>
 body_type   Mail::Message    Mail::Message::Body::Lines
 deleted     Mail::Message    false
 field_type  Mail::Message    <not used>
 head        Mail::Message    <not used>
 head_type   Mail::Message    <not used>
 labels      Mail::Message    +{}
 log         Mail::Reporter   'WARNINGS'
 messageId   Mail::Message    <required>
 modified    Mail::Message    <always false>
 trace       Mail::Reporter   'WARNINGS'
 trusted     Mail::Message    <always true>

body => $object

body_type => $class

deleted => BOOLEAN

field_type => $class

head => $object

head_type => $class

labels => ARRAY|HASH

log => LEVEL

messageId => $id

modified => BOOLEAN

trace => LEVEL

trusted => BOOLEAN

» example:

my $message = Mail::Message::Dummy->new($msgid);
if($message->isDummy) {...}

Attributes

Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Message.

$obj->logSettings()

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Reporter

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|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

$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->messageId()

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(...)

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->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

$obj->addReport($object)

Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$any->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )

Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->errors()

Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$any->log( [$level, [$strings]] )

Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$any->logPriority($level)

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

$any->shortSize( [$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::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 coerce a $class object into a $class object

Cast by coerce()

Error: Cannot include forward source as $include.

Unknown alternative for the forward(include). Valid choices are NO, INLINE, ATTACH, and ENCAPSULATE. Cast by forward()

Error: Cannot include reply source as $include.

Unknown alternative for the include option of reply(). Valid choices are NO, INLINE, and ATTACH. Cast by reply()

Error: Message-Id 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: 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: No address to create forwarded to.

If a forward message is created, a destination address must be specified. 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: 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: 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. Cast by notImplemented()

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()

Error: coercion starts with some object

Cast by coerce()

SEE ALSO

This module is part of Mail-Box version 3.012, built on November 27, 2025. Website: http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/

LICENSE

For contributors see file ChangeLog.

This software is copyright (c) 2001-2025 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.

cpanm Mail::Box

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install Mail::Box