# class RMail::Message

The RMail::Message is an object representation of a standard Internet email message, including MIME multipart messages.

An RMail::Message object represents a message header (held in the contained RMail::Header object) and a message body. The message body may either be a single String for single part messages or an Array of RMail::Message objects for MIME multipart messages.

### Attributes

epilogue[RW]

Access the epilogue string for this message. The epilogue string is relevant only for multipart messages. It is the text that occurs after all parts of the message and is generally nil.

preamble[RW]

Access the preamble string for this message. The preamble string is relevant only for multipart messages. It is the text that occurs just before the first part of the message, and is generally nil or simple English text describing the nature of the message.

### Public Class Methods

new() click to toggle source

Create a new, empty, RMail::Message.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 44
    def initialize
      @header = RMail::Header.new
      @body = nil
      @epilogue = nil
      @preamble = nil
    end

### Public Instance Methods

==(other) click to toggle source

Test if this message is structured exactly the same as the other message. This is useful mainly for testing.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 53
    def ==(other)
      @preamble == other.preamble &&
        @epilogue == other.epilogue &&
        @header == other.header &&
        @body == other.body
    end

add_part(part) click to toggle source

Add a part to the message. After this message is called, the multipart? method will return true and the body method will return an array of parts.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 91
    def add_part(part)
      if @body.nil?
        @body = [part]
      elsif @body.is_a?(Array)
        @body.push(part)
      else
        @body = [@body, part]
      end
    end

body() click to toggle source

Returns the body of the message as a String or Array.

If multipart? returns true, it will be an array of RMail::Message objects. Otherwise it will be a String.

See also header.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 66
    def body
      return @body
    end

body=(s) click to toggle source

Sets the body of the message to the given value. It should either be a String or an Array of RMail:Message objects.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 72
    def body=(s)
      @body = s
    end

decode() click to toggle source

Decode the body of this message.

If the body of this message is encoded with `quoted-printable` or `base64`, this function will decode the data into its original form and return it as a String. If the body is not encoded, it is returned unaltered.

This only works when the message is not a multipart. The `Content-Transfer-Encoding:` header field is consulted to determine the encoding of the body part.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 111
    def decode
      raise TypeError, "Can not decode a multipart message." if multipart?
      case header.fetch('content-transfer-encoding', '7bit').strip.downcase
      when 'quoted-printable'
        Utils.quoted_printable_decode(@body)
      when 'base64'
        Utils.base64_decode(@body)
      else
        @body
      end
    end

each() { |line| ... } click to toggle source

Call the supplied block for each line of the message. Each line will contain a trailing newline (`\n`).

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 161
    def each()
      # FIXME: this is incredibly inefficient!  The only users of this
      # is RMail::Deliver -- get them to use a RMail::Serialize object.
      to_s.each("\n") { |line|
        yield line
      }
    end

each_part() { |part| ... } click to toggle source

Return each part of this message

FIXME: not tested

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 152
    def each_part
      raise TypeError, "not a multipart message" unless multipart?
      @body.each do |part|
        yield part
      end
    end

header() click to toggle source

Returns the RMail::Header object.

See also body.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 79
    def header()
      return @header
    end

multipart?() click to toggle source

Return true if the message consists of multiple parts.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 84
    def multipart?
      @body.is_a?(Array)
    end

part(i) click to toggle source

Get the indicated part from a multipart message.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 124
    def part(i)
      raise TypeError,
        "Can not get part on a single part message." unless multipart?
      @body[i]
    end

to_s() click to toggle source

Returns the entire message in a single string. This uses the RMail::Serialize class.

    # File lib/rmail/message.rb, line 144
    def to_s()
      require 'rmail/serialize'
      RMail::Serialize.new('').serialize(self)
    end