NAME

Mail::Box::File::Message - one message in a Mbox folder

INHERITANCE

Mail::Box::File::Message
  is a Mail::Box::Message
  is a Mail::Message
  is a Mail::Reporter

Mail::Box::File::Message is extended by
  Mail::Box::Mbox::Message

SYNOPSIS

my $folder  = new Mail::Box::File folder => $ENV{MAIL}, ...;
my $message = $folder->message(0);

DESCRIPTION

Maintain one message in an file based folder, any Mail::Box::File extension.

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(%options)

Messages in file-based folders use the following options for creation: Improves base, see "Constructors" in Mail::Reporter

-Option    --Defined in        --Default
 body        Mail::Message       undef
 body_type   Mail::Box::Message  <from folder>
 deleted     Mail::Message       false
 field_type  Mail::Message       undef
 folder      Mail::Box::Message  <required>
 from_line                       undef
 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       false
 size        Mail::Box::Message  undef
 trace       Mail::Reporter      'WARNINGS'
 trusted     Mail::Message       false
body => $object
body_type => CODE|$class
deleted => BOOLEAN
field_type => $class
folder => $folder
from_line => $line

The $line which begins each message in the file. Some people detest this line, but this is just how things were invented...

head => $object
head_type => $class
labels => ARRAY|HASH
log => LEVEL
messageId => $id
modified => BOOLEAN
size => $bytes
trace => LEVEL
trusted => BOOLEAN

Attributes

Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Message.

$obj->folder( [$folder] )

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->fromLine( [$line] )

Many people detest file-style folders because they store messages all in one file, where a line starting with From leads the header. If we receive a message from a file-based folder, we store that line. If we write to such a file, but there is no such line stored, then we try to generate one.

If $line is provided, then the starting line is set to this value.

$obj->logSettings()

Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->seqnr( [$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|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::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->escapedBody()

Mbox folders contain multiple messages in one file, using a separator line to keep them apart. Typically, these lines start with "From ". Lines within the message could interfere with this separator, and should therefore be translated.

This method will return the escaped text of the body as reference.

$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->size()

Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->toplevel()

Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->write( [$fh] )

Write one message to a file handle. It is the message including the leading 'From ' line and trailing blank. The From-line may interfere with lines in the body: those lines are escaped with an extra '>'. Improves base, see "The message" in Mail::Message

» example:

$msg->write(\*FILE);    # print the message with encaps to FILE
$msg->write;            # message with encaps to selected filehandle
$msg->print(\*FILE);    # the message without encaps.

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] )

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::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::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::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, %options)

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->diskDelete()

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->fileLocation()

Returns the location of the whole message including the from-line. In LIST context, both begin and end are returned. In SCALAR context, only the begin is passed back.

$obj->isDelayed()

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->loadBody()

$obj->moveLocation($distance)

The message is relocated in the file, being moved over $distance bytes. Setting a new location will update the according information in the header and body.

$obj->readBody( $parser, $head, [$bodytype] )

Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->readFromParser($parser)

Read one message from a Mail::Box::File based folder, including the leading message separator. Improves base, 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

$obj->addReport($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::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 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: 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: Unable to read delayed body.

Cast by loadBody()

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.