Mail::Message::Part(3)                     User Contributed Perl Documentation


NAME
       Mail::Message::Part - a part of a message, but a message by itself

INHERITANCE
        Mail::Message::Part
          is a Mail::Message
          is a Mail::Reporter

SYNOPSIS
         my Mail::Message $message = ...;
         if($message->isMultipart) {
            my Mail::Message::Part $part;

            foreach $part ($message->body->parts) {
               $part->print(\*OUT);
               my $attached_head = $part->head;
               my $attached_body = $part->body;      # encoded as read
               my $attached_body = $part->decoded;   # transfer-encoding removed
            }
         }

DESCRIPTION
       A "Mail::Message::Part" object contains a message which is included in
       the body of another message.  For instance attachments are parts.

       READ Mail::Message FIRST.  A part is a special message: it has a
       reference to its parent message, and will usually not be sub-classed
       into mail folder specific variants.

       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(%options)
           Create a message part.  Improves base, see "Constructors" in
           Mail::Reporter

            -Option    --Defined in     --Default
             body        Mail::Message    undef
             body_type   Mail::Message    Mail::Message::Body::Lines
             container                    <required>
             deleted     Mail::Message    false
             field_type  Mail::Message    undef
             head        Mail::Message    <empty header>
             head_type   Mail::Message    Mail::Message::Head::Complete
             labels      Mail::Message    +{}
             messageId   Mail::Message    undef
             message_id  Mail::Message    undef
             modified    Mail::Message    false
             trusted     Mail::Message    false

           body => $object
           body_type => $class
           container => BODY
             Reference to the parental Mail::Message::Body object where this
             part is a member of.  That object may be a
             Mail::Message::Body::Multipart or a Mail::Message::Body::Nested.

           deleted => BOOLEAN
           field_type => $class
           head => $object
           head_type => $class
           labels => \@pairs|\%settings
           messageId => $id
           message_id => $id
           modified => BOOLEAN
           trusted => BOOLEAN

   Attributes
       Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Message.

       $obj->bodyType()
           Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

       $obj->fieldType()
           Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

       $obj->headType()
           Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

       $obj->messageId()
           Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Message

   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, $container, $headers)
           Shape a message part around a $body.  Bodies have information about
           their content in them, which is used to construct a header for the
           message.  Next to that, more $headers can be specified.  No headers
           are obligatory.  No extra headers are fabricated automatically.
           Improves base, see "Constructing a message" in
           Mail::Message::Construct::Build

           >> example:

             my $multi = Mail::Message::Body::Multipart->new;
             my $part  = Mail::Message::Part->buildFromBody($body, $multi);

       $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|$text|\$text|\@lines, %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|\@addrs|\@fields] )
           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->partNumber()
           Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

       $obj->print( [$fh] )
           Inherited, see "The message" in Mail::Message

       $obj->printEscapedFrom($fh)
           Prints the message part, but all lines which start with 'From '
           will get a leading >.  See Mail::Message::Body::printEscapedFrom().

       $obj->send( [$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

       $obj->head( [$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

       $class->coerce( <$body|$message>, $multipart, @headers )
           Transforms a $body or $message to a real message part.  The
           $multipart refers to the parental body.

           When a $body is specified, extra @headers can be supplied as well.
           Bodies are coerced into message parts by calling buildFromBody().
           If you specify a $message residing in a folder, this message will
           automatically be cloned.  Improves base, see "Internals" in
           Mail::Message

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

       $obj->isTrusted()
           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->notImplemented()
           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

   Cleanup
       Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Message.

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

       $obj->destruct()
           Message parts can not be destructed per part: only whole messages
           can be forcefully freed from memory.  Of course, you can delete()
           separate parts, which only sets a flag not to write a part again.
           Furthermore, you may cosider rebuild() to get rit of deleted parts.
           Improves base, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Message

DETAILS
       Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Message.

DIAGNOSTICS
       Error: Cannot include forward source as $kind.
           Unknown alternative for the forward(include).  Valid choices are
           "NO", "INLINE", "ATTACH", and "ENCAPSULATE".  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: cannot include reply source as $kind.
           Unknown alternative for the "include" option of reply().  Valid
           choices are "NO", "INLINE", and "ATTACH".  Cast by reply()

       Error: cannot read message from a $source.
           Cast by read()

       Error: class $package does not implement method $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: 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: method forwardNo requires a To.
           Cast by forwardNo()

       Error: method forwardNo requires a body.
           Cast by forwardNo()

       Error: no container specified for part.
           Cast by new()

       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: select parts via '$what'?
           Cast by parts()

       Warning: skipped unknown key '$key' in build.
           Cast by build()

       Error: you cannot destruct message parts, only whole messages.
           Message parts can not be destructed per part: only whole messages
           can be forcefully freed from memory. Consider delete() or
           rebuild().  Cast by destruct()

SEE ALSO
       This module is part of Mail-Message version 4.05, built on April 10,
       2026. Website: http://perl.overmeer.net/mailbox/

LICENSE
       For contributors see file ChangeLog.

       This software is copyright (c) 2001-2026 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.

perl v5.42.2                      2026-04-11            Mail::Message::Part(3)