Mail::Box::MH::Message(3)

NAME
Mail::Box::MH::Message - one message in an MH-folder

INHERITANCE
 Mail::Box::MH::Message
   is a Mail::Box::Dir::Message
   is a Mail::Box::Message
   is a Mail::Message
   is a Mail::Reporter

SYNOPSIS
 my $folder = new Mail::Box::MH ...
 my $message = $folder->message(10);

DESCRIPTION
A "Mail::Box::MH::Message" represents one message in an Mail::Box::MH folder . Each message is stored in a separate file, as for all Mail::Box::Dir folder types.

Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

METHODS
Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

  Constructors
Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

$obj->clone(%options)
    Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Message

Mail::Box::MH::Message->new(%options)
    Inherited, see "METHODS" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message

  Constructing a message
Extends "Constructing a message" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

$obj->bounce( [<$rg_object|%options>] )
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Bounce

Mail::Box::MH::Message->build( [$message|$part|$body], $content )
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Build

Mail::Box::MH::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::MH::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::MH::Message->replySubject(STRING)
    Inherited, see "Constructing a message" in Mail::Message::Construct::Reply

  The message
Extends "The message" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

$obj->container()
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

$obj->copyTo($folder, %options)
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->filename( [$filename] )
    Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Box::Dir::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] )
    The order of this message in the folder, counted from zero. Do not change the number (unless you understand the implications).

    WARNING: This sequence number has nothing to do with the message's filename, which in case of MH folders are also numbers! If you need that one, use the File::Basename subroutine basename of the filename.

$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::Dir::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::Dir::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::Dir::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::Dir::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::Dir::Message.

$obj->clonedFrom()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

Mail::Box::MH::Message->coerce($message, %options)
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->create($filename)
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message

$obj->diskDelete()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Message

$obj->isDelayed()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message

$obj->loadBody()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message

$obj->loadHead()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message

$obj->parser()
    Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Box::Dir::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::Dir::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, $callback] )
Mail::Box::MH::Message->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )
    Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->errors()
    Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
Mail::Box::MH::Message->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
    Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->logPriority($level)
Mail::Box::MH::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::MH::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::Dir::Message.

$obj->DESTROY()
    Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter

$obj->destruct()
    Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Message

DETAILS
Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

  Structure of a Message
Extends "Structure of a Message" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

  Message object implementation
Extends "Message object implementation" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

  Message class implementation
Extends "Message class implementation" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

  Labels
Extends "Labels" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

Predefined labels

Extends "Predefined labels" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

Status and X-Status fields

Extends "Status and X-Status fields" in Mail::Box::Dir::Message.

The .mh_sequences file

Typically, the file which contains the labels is called ".mh_sequences". The MH messages are numbered from 1. As example content for ".mh_sequences":

 cur: 93
 unseen: 32 35-56 67-80

To generalize labels on messages, two are treated specially:

•   cur

    The "cur" specifies the number of the message where the user stopped reading mail from this folder at last access. Internally in these modules referred to as label "current".

•   unseen

    With "unseen" is listed which message was never read. This must be a mistake in the design of MH: it must be a source of confusion. People should never use labels with a negation in the name:

     if($seen)           if(!$unseen)    #yuk!
     if(!$seen)          if($unseen)
     unless($seen)       unless($unseen) #yuk!

    So: label "unseen" is translated into "seen" for internal use.

DIAGNOSTICS

Error: Cannot coerce a $class object into a $class object
Error: Cannot create parser for $filename.
    For some reason (the previous message have told you already) it was not possible to create a message parser for the specified filename.

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: Cannot write message to $filename: $!
    When a modified or new message is written to disk, it is first written to a temporary file in the folder directory. For some reason, it is impossible to create this file.

Error: Failed to move $new to $filename: $!
    When a modified or new message is written to disk, it is first written to a temporary file in the folder directory. Then, the new file is moved to replace the existing file. Apparently, the latter fails.

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.
    For some reason, the header of the message could be read, but the body cannot. Probably the file has disappeared or the permissions were changed during the progress of the program.

Error: Unable to read delayed head.
    Mail::Box tries to be lazy with respect to parsing messages. When a directory organized folder is opened, only the filenames of messages are collected. At first use, the messages are read from their file. Apperently, a message is used for the first time here, but has disappeared or is unreadible for some other reason.

Error: coercion starts with some object

SEE ALSO
This module is part of Mail-Box distribution version 3.011, 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/