=encoding utf8

=head1 NAME

Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message - one message on a IMAP4 server

=head1 INHERITANCE

 Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message
   is a Mail::Box::Net::Message
   is a Mail::Box::Message
   is a Mail::Message
   is a Mail::Reporter

=head1 SYNOPSIS

  my $folder = new Mail::Box::IMAP4 ...
  my $message = $folder->message(10);

=head1 DESCRIPTION

A C<Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message> represents one message on a IMAP4 server,
maintained by a L<Mail::Box::IMAP4|Mail::Box::IMAP4> folder. Each message is stored as
separate entity on the server, and maybe temporarily in your program
as well.

Extends L<"DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"DESCRIPTION">.

=head1 METHODS

Extends L<"METHODS" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"METHODS">.

=head2 Constructors

Extends L<"Constructors" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Constructors">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<clone>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Constructors">

=item $class-E<gt>B<new>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Reporter/"Constructors">

 -Option      --Defined in             --Default
  body          Mail::Message            undef
  body_type     Mail::Box::Message       Mail::Message::Body::Lines
  cache_body                             false
  cache_head                             false
  cache_labels                           false
  deleted       Mail::Message            false
  field_type    Mail::Message            undef
  folder        Mail::Box::Message       <required>
  head          Mail::Message            undef
  head_type     Mail::Message            Mail::Message::Head::Complete
  labels        Mail::Message            +{}
  messageId     Mail::Message            undef
  modified      Mail::Message            false
  size          Mail::Box::Message       undef
  trusted       Mail::Message            false
  unique        Mail::Box::Net::Message  <unique string>
  write_labels                           true

=over 2

=item body => $object

=item body_type => CODE|$class

=item cache_body => BOOLEAN

=item cache_head => BOOLEAN

=item cache_labels => BOOLEAN

All standard IMAP labels can be cached on the local server to improve
speed.  This has the same dangers as setting C<write_labels> to C<false>.
The caching starts when the first label of the message was read.

=item deleted => BOOLEAN

=item field_type => $class

=item folder => $folder

=item head => $object

=item head_type => $class

=item labels => \@pairs|\%settings

=item messageId => $id

=item modified => BOOLEAN

=item size => $bytes

=item trusted => BOOLEAN

=item unique => STRING

=item write_labels => BOOLEAN

When a label is changed or its value read, using L<label()|Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message/"METHODS">, that info
should be sent to the IMAP server.  But, this action could be superfluous,
for instance because the label was already set or clear, and communication
is expensive.  On the other hand, someone else may use IMAP to make
changes in the same folder, and will get the updates too late or never...

=back

=back

=head2 Attributes

Extends L<"Attributes" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Attributes">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<folder>( [$folder] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"Attributes">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<seqnr>( [$integer] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"Attributes">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<unique>( [STRING|undef] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Attributes">

=back

=head2 Constructing a message

Extends L<"Constructing a message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Constructing a message">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<bounce>( [<$rg_object|%options>] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Bounce/"Constructing a message">

=item $class-E<gt>B<build>( [$message|$part|$body], @fields, %options )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Build/"Constructing a message">

=item $class-E<gt>B<buildFromBody>($body, [$head], $headers)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Build/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forward>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardAttach>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardEncapsulate>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardInline>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardNo>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardPostlude>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardPrelude>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<forwardSubject>(STRING)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">

=item $class-E<gt>B<read>($fh|$text|\$text|\@lines, %options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Read/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<rebuild>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Rebuild/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<reply>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Reply/"Constructing a message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<replyPrelude>( [STRING|$field|$address|\@addrs|\@fields] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Reply/"Constructing a message">

=item $any-E<gt>B<replySubject>(STRING)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Reply/"Constructing a message">

=back

=head2 The message

Extends L<"The message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"The message">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<container>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<copyTo>($folder, %options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<endsOnNewline>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isDummy>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isPart>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<messageId>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<moveTo>($folder, %options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<partNumber>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<print>( [$fh] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<send>( [$mailer], %options )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<size>()

Returns the size of this message.  If the message is still on the remote
server, IMAP is used to ask for the size.  When the message is already loaded
onto the local system, the size of the parsed message is taken.  These
sizes can differ because the difference in line-ending representation.
Improves base, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<toplevel>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<write>( [$fh] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The message">

=back

=head2 The header

Extends L<"The header" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"The header">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<bcc>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<cc>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<date>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<destinations>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<from>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<get>($fieldname)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<guessTimestamp>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<head>( [$head] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<nrLines>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<sender>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<study>($fieldname)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<subject>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<timestamp>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<to>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The header">

=back

=head2 The body

Extends L<"The body" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"The body">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<body>( [$body] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<contentType>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<decoded>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<encode>(%options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isMultipart>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isNested>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<parts>( [<'ALL'|'ACTIVE'|'DELETED'|'RECURSE'|$filter>] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"The body">

=back

=head2 Flags

Extends L<"Flags" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Flags">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<delete>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<deleted>( [BOOLEAN] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isDeleted>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isModified>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<label>($label|PAIRS)

With only one argument, the value related to C<$label> is returned.  With
more that one argument, the list is interpreted a label-value C<PAIRS>
to be set.

The IMAP protocol defines its own names for the labels, which must
be set immediately to inform other IMAP clients which may have the
same folder open. But that can be changed with L<new(write_labels)|Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message/"METHODS">.
Some labels are translated to the corresponding IMAP system labels.
Improves base, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<labels>()

Get the names of all labels (LIST context, not efficient in IMAP4), or
a reference to a hash with labels.  You should only use the returned
hash to read the labels, because changes made to it will not be passed
to the remote server.  See L<labels()|Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message/"METHODS"> to set values.
Improves base, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<labelsToStatus>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<modified>( [BOOLEAN] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<statusToLabels>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Flags">

=back

=head2 The whole message as text

Extends L<"The whole message as text" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"The whole message as text">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<file>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Text/"The whole message as text">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<lines>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Text/"The whole message as text">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<printStructure>( [$fh|undef],[$indent] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Text/"The whole message as text">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<string>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Text/"The whole message as text">

=back

=head2 Internals

Extends L<"Internals" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Internals">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<clonedFrom>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $class-E<gt>B<coerce>($message, %options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<diskDelete>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<fetch>( [$info, ...] )

Use the IMAP's C<UID FETCH IMAP> command to get some data about this
message.  The C<$info> request is passed to L<Mail::Box::IMAP4::fetch()|Mail::Box::IMAP4/"Internals">.
Without C<$info>, C<ALL> information is retrieved and returned as a HASH.

=item $obj-E<gt>B<isDelayed>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<loadBody>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<readBody>( $parser, $head, [$bodytype] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<readFromParser>( $parser, [$bodytype] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<readHead>( $parser, [$class] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<recursiveRebuildPart>($part, %options)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct::Rebuild/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<storeBody>($body)

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<takeMessageId>( [STRING] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Internals">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<writeDelayed>($imap)

Write all delayed information, like label changes, to the server.  This
is done under force, so should even be done for folders opened without
write-access. This method is called indirectly by a L<Mail::Box::write()|Mail::Box/"Internals">
or L<Mail::Box::close()|Mail::Box/"The folder">.

The C<$imap> argument is a Mail::IMAPClient which has the right folder
already selected.

Writing changes to the remote folder is not without hassle: IMAP4
(or is it only L<Mail::IMAPClient> doesn't support replacing header
or body.  Therefore, when either of them change, the whole message is
rewritten to the server (which is supported), and the original flagged
for deletion.

=back

=head2 Error handling

Extends L<"Error handling" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Error handling">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<AUTOLOAD>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message::Construct/"METHODS">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<notImplemented>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Reporter/"Error handling">

=item $any-E<gt>B<shortSize>( [$value] )

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Error handling">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<shortString>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Message/"Error handling">

=back

=head2 Cleanup

Extends L<"Cleanup" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Cleanup">.

=over 4

=item $obj-E<gt>B<DESTROY>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Reporter/"Cleanup">

=item $obj-E<gt>B<destruct>()

Inherited, see L<Mail::Box::Message/"Cleanup">

=back

=head1 DETAILS

Extends L<"DETAILS" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"DETAILS">.

=head2 Structure of a Message

Extends L<"Structure of a Message" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Structure of a Message">.

=head2 Message object implementation

Extends L<"Message object implementation" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Message object implementation">.

=head2 Message class implementation

Extends L<"Message class implementation" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Message class implementation">.

=head2 Labels

Extends L<"Labels" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Labels">.

=head3 Predefined labels

Extends L<"Predefined labels" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Predefined labels">.

=head3 Status and X-Status fields

Extends L<"Status and X-Status fields" in Mail::Box::Net::Message|Mail::Box::Net::Message/"Status and X-Status fields">.

=head3 IMAP protocol flags

Labels (or flags) are known to all folder formats, but differ how they
are stored.  Some folder types use message header lines to keep the
labels, other use a separate file.  The IMAP protocol does not specify
how the labels are kept on the server, but does specify how they are named.

The label names as defined by the IMAP protocol are standardized into
the MailBox standard to hide folder differences.  The following translations
are always performed:

  \Seen     => seen
  \Answered => replied
  \Flagged  => flagged
  \Deleted  => deleted
  \Draft    => draft
  \Recent   => NOT old

=head4 » Example: of label translations

  $imap->message(3)->label(replied => 1, draft => 0);

will result in a IMAP protocol statements like

  A003 STORE 4 +FLAGS (\Answered)
  A003 STORE 4 -FLAGS (\Draft)

=head3 Other labels

Of course, your program may be in need for more labels than those provided
by the protocol.  You can still use these: they stay locally (and are
lost when the folder is closed).  Some IMAP4 extensions permit more labels
than the basic RFC, but that is not yet supported by this implementation.

=head3 Caching labels

When you ask for one or more flags of a message more than once, you may
improve the overall performance by setting L<new(cache_labels)|Mail::Box::IMAP4::Message/"METHODS"> to C<YES>.
However, this may cause inconsistencies when multiple clients use the
same folder on the IMAP server.

You may also delay the label updates to the server until the
folder is closed (or for ever when read-only is required).  When
L<Mail::Box::write()|Mail::Box/"Internals"> or L<Mail::Box::close()|Mail::Box/"The folder"> is called, it is decided
whether to throw all changes away or write after all.

=head1 DIAGNOSTICS

=over 4

=item Error: Cannot include forward source as $kind.

Unknown alternative for the L<forward(include)|Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">.  Valid choices are
C<NO>, C<INLINE>, C<ATTACH>, and C<ENCAPSULATE>.
Cast by C<forward()>

=item Error: No default mailer found to send message.

The message L<send()|Mail::Message/"The message"> mechanism had not enough information to automatically
find a mail transfer agent to sent this message.  Specify a mailer
explicitly using the C<via> options.
Cast by C<send()>

=item Error: cannot coerce a $type object into a $me object.

Cast by C<coerce()>

=item Error: cannot include reply source as $kind.

Unknown alternative for the C<include> option of L<reply()|Mail::Message::Construct::Reply/"Constructing a message">.  Valid
choices are C<NO>, C<INLINE>, and C<ATTACH>.
Cast by C<reply()>

=item Error: cannot read message from a $source}.

Cast by C<read()>

=item Error: class $package does not implement method $method.

Fatal error: the specific C<$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 C<notImplemented()>

=item Error: coercion starts with some object, not '$type'.

Cast by C<coerce()>

=item Error: method bounce requires To, Cc, or Bcc.

The message L<bounce()|Mail::Message::Construct::Bounce/"Constructing a message"> 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 L<reply()|Mail::Message::Construct::Reply/"Constructing a message">. When you wish to modify the content, use
L<forward()|Mail::Message::Construct::Forward/"Constructing a message">.
Cast by C<bounce()>

=item Error: method forwardAttach requires a preamble.

Cast by C<forwardAttach()>

=item Error: method forwardEncapsulate requires a preamble.

Cast by C<forwardEncapsulate()>

=item Error: method forwardNo requires a To.

Cast by C<forwardNo()>

=item Error: method forwardNo requires a body.

Cast by C<forwardNo()>

=item Error: no rebuild rule $name defined.

Cast by C<rebuild()>

=item 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 L<Mail::Message|Mail::Message>, and then add it to the folder.  During this
L<Mail::Box::addMessage()|Mail::Box/"The folder"> process, the message will get L<coerce()|Mail::Message/"Internals">-d
into the right message type, adding storage information and the like.
Cast by C<build()>

=item Error: please install Email::Simple.

Cast by C<coerce()>

=item Error: please install MIME::Entity.

Cast by C<coerce()>

=item Error: please install Mail::Internet.

Cast by C<coerce()>

=item Error: select parts via '$what'?

Cast by C<parts()>

=item Warning: skipped unknown key '$key' in build.

Cast by C<build()>

=item Error: unable to read delayed body for $msgid.

Cast by C<loadBody()>

=item Error: unable to read delayed head for $msgid.

Cast by C<loadBody()>

=back

=head1 SEE ALSO

This module is part of Mail-Box-IMAP4 version 4.01,
built on December 13, 2025. Website: F<http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/>

=head1 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.

