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.IX Title "Mail::SPF::Mech 3"
.TH Mail::SPF::Mech 3 2026-04-02 "perl v5.42.1" "User Contributed Perl Documentation"
.\" For nroff, turn off justification.  Always turn off hyphenation; it makes
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.nh
.SH NAME
Mail::SPF::Mech \- SPF record mechanism base class
.SH VERSION
.IX Header "VERSION"
version 3.20260331
.SH DESCRIPTION
.IX Header "DESCRIPTION"
An object of class \fBMail::SPF::Mech\fR represents a mechanism within an SPF
record.  Mail::SPF::Mech cannot be instantiated directly.  Create an instance
of a concrete sub\-class instead.
.SS Constructors
.IX Subsection "Constructors"
The following constructors are provided:
.IP "\fBnew(%options)\fR: returns \fIMail::SPF::Mech\fR" 4
.IX Item "new(%options): returns Mail::SPF::Mech"
\&\fIAbstract\fR.  Creates a new SPF record mechanism object.
.Sp
\&\f(CW%options\fR is a list of key/value pairs representing any of the following
options:
.RS 4
.IP \fBtext\fR 4
.IX Item "text"
A \fIstring\fR denoting the unparsed text of the mechanism.
.IP \fBqualifier\fR 4
.IX Item "qualifier"
A single\-character \fIstring\fR denoting the qualifier of the mechanism.  Any of
the following may be specified: \fB\*(Aq+\*(Aq\fR (\f(CW\*(C`Pass\*(C'\fR), \fB\*(Aq\-\*(Aq\fR (\f(CW\*(C`Fail\*(C'\fR),
\&\fB\*(Aq~\*(Aq\fR (\f(CW\*(C`SoftFail\*(C'\fR), \fB\*(Aq?\*(Aq\fR (\f(CW\*(C`Neutral\*(C'\fR).  See RFC 4408, 4.6.2 and 2.5, for
their meanings.  Defaults to \fB\*(Aq+\*(Aq\fR.
.IP \fBname\fR 4
.IX Item "name"
A \fIstring\fR denoting the name of the mechanism.  \fIRequired\fR if a generic
\&\fIMail::SPF::Mech\fR object (as opposed to a specific sub\-class) is being
constructed.
.IP \fBip_network\fR 4
.IX Item "ip_network"
A \fINetAddr::IP\fR object denoting an optional IP address network parameter of
the mechanism.  Can be either an IPv4 or an IPv6 address, with an optional
network prefix length.  IPv4\-mapped IPv6 addresses (e.g. \*(Aq::ffff:192.168.0.1\*(Aq)
must \fInot\fR be specified directly, but as plain IPv4 addresses.
.IP \fBdomain_spec\fR 4
.IX Item "domain_spec"
Either a plain \fIstring\fR or a \fIMail::SPF::MacroString\fR object denoting an
optional \f(CW\*(C`domain\-spec\*(C'\fR parameter of the mechanism.
.IP \fBipv4_prefix_length\fR 4
.IX Item "ipv4_prefix_length"
.PD 0
.IP \fBipv6_prefix_length\fR 4
.IX Item "ipv6_prefix_length"
.PD
A \fIstring\fR denoting an optional IPv4 or IPv6 network prefix length for the
\&\f(CW\*(C`domain_spec\*(C'\fR of the mechanism.  Note that these options do not apply to the
\&\f(CW\*(C`ip_network\*(C'\fR option, which already includes an optional network prefix
length.
.RE
.RS 4
.Sp
Other options may be specified by sub\-classes of Mail::SPF::Mech.
.RE
.ie n .IP "\fBnew_from_string($text, \fR\fB%options\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIMail::SPF::Mech\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::ENothingToParse\fR, \fIMail::SPF::EInvalidMech\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBnew_from_string($text, \fR\f(CB%options\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIMail::SPF::Mech\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::ENothingToParse\fR, \fIMail::SPF::EInvalidMech\fR" 4
.IX Item "new_from_string($text, %options): returns Mail::SPF::Mech; throws Mail::SPF::ENothingToParse, Mail::SPF::EInvalidMech"
\&\fIAbstract\fR.  Creates a new SPF record mechanism object by parsing the string and
any options given.
.SS "Class methods"
.IX Subsection "Class methods"
The following class methods are provided:
.IP "\fBdefault_qualifier\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "default_qualifier: returns string"
Returns the default qualifier, i.e. \fB\*(Aq+\*(Aq\fR.
.IP "\fBdefault_ipv4_prefix_length\fR: returns \fIinteger\fR" 4
.IX Item "default_ipv4_prefix_length: returns integer"
Returns the default IPv4 network prefix length, i.e. \fB32\fR.
.IP "\fBdefault_ipv6_prefix_length\fR: returns \fIinteger\fR" 4
.IX Item "default_ipv6_prefix_length: returns integer"
Returns the default IPv6 network prefix length, i.e. \fB128\fR.
.IP "\fBqualifier_pattern\fR: returns \fIRegexp\fR" 4
.IX Item "qualifier_pattern: returns Regexp"
Returns a regular expression that matches any legal mechanism qualifier, i.e. \fB\*(Aq+\*(Aq\fR,
\&\fB\*(Aq\-\*(Aq\fR, \fB\*(Aq~\*(Aq\fR, or \fB\*(Aq?\*(Aq\fR.
.IP "\fBname\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "name: returns string"
\&\fIAbstract\fR.  Returns the name of the mechanism.
.Sp
This method is abstract and must be implemented by sub\-classes of
Mail::SPF::Mech.
.IP "\fBname_pattern\fR: returns \fIRegexp\fR" 4
.IX Item "name_pattern: returns Regexp"
Returns a regular expression that matches any legal mechanism name.
.SS "Instance methods"
.IX Subsection "Instance methods"
The following instance methods are provided:
.IP "\fBtext\fR: returns \fIstring\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::ENoUnparsedText\fR" 4
.IX Item "text: returns string; throws Mail::SPF::ENoUnparsedText"
Returns the unparsed text of the mechanism.  Throws a
\&\fIMail::SPF::ENoUnparsedText\fR exception if the mechanism was created
synthetically instead of being parsed, and no text was provided.
.IP "\fBqualifier\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "qualifier: returns string"
Returns the qualifier of the mechanism.  See the description of the \f(CW\*(C`new\*(C'\fR
constructor\*(Aqs \f(CW\*(C`qualifier\*(C'\fR option.
.IP "\fBparams\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "params: returns string"
\&\fIAbstract\fR.  Returns the mechanism\*(Aqs parameters formatted as a string.
.Sp
A sub\-class of Mail::SPF::Mech does not have to implement this method if it
supports no parameters.
.IP "\fBstringify\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "stringify: returns string"
Formats the mechanism\*(Aqs qualifier, name, and parameters as a string and returns
it.  (A qualifier that matches the default of \fB\*(Aq+\*(Aq\fR is omitted.)  You can
simply use a Mail::SPF::Mech object as a string for the same effect, see
"OVERLOADING".
.ie n .IP "\fBdomain($server, \fR\fB$request\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBdomain($server, \fR\f(CB$request\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "domain($server, $request): returns string"
Returns the target domain of the mechanism.  Depending on whether the mechanism
does have an explicit \f(CW\*(C`domain_spec\*(C'\fR parameter, this is either the
macro\-expanded \f(CW\*(C`domain_spec\*(C'\fR parameter, or the request\*(Aqs authority domain
(see "authority_domain" in Mail::SPF::Request) otherwise.  Both a
\&\fIMail::SPF::Server\fR and a \fIMail::SPF::Request\fR object are required for
resolving the target domain.
.ie n .IP "\fBmatch($server, \fR\fB$request\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIboolean\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::Result::Error\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBmatch($server, \fR\f(CB$request\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIboolean\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::Result::Error\fR" 4
.IX Item "match($server, $request): returns boolean; throws Mail::SPF::Result::Error"
\&\fIAbstract\fR.  Checks whether the mechanism matches the parameters of the given
request (see Mail::SPF::Request) and returns \fBtrue\fR if it does, or \fBfalse\fR
otherwise.  In any case, takes both a \fIMail::SPF::Server\fR and a
\&\fIMail::SPF::Request\fR object.
.Sp
This method is abstract and must be implemented by sub\-classes of
Mail::SPF::Mech.
.ie n .IP "\fBmatch_in_domain($server, \fR\fB$request\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIboolean\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::Result::Error\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBmatch_in_domain($server, \fR\f(CB$request\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIboolean\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::Result::Error\fR" 4
.IX Item "match_in_domain($server, $request): returns boolean; throws Mail::SPF::Result::Error"
.PD 0
.ie n .IP "\fBmatch_in_domain($server, \fR\fB$request\fR\fB, \fR\fB$domain\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIboolean\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::Result::Error\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBmatch_in_domain($server, \fR\f(CB$request\fR\fB, \fR\f(CB$domain\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIboolean\fR; throws \fIMail::SPF::Result::Error\fR" 4
.IX Item "match_in_domain($server, $request, $domain): returns boolean; throws Mail::SPF::Result::Error"
.PD
Checks whether the mechanism\*(Aqs target domain name (that is, any of its DNS \f(CW\*(C`A\*(C'\fR
or \f(CW\*(C`AAAA\*(C'\fR records) matches the given request\*(Aqs IP address (see
"ip_address" in Mail::SPF::Request), and returns \fBtrue\fR if it does, or \fBfalse\fR
otherwise.  If an explicit domain is specified, it is used instead of the
mechanism\*(Aqs target domain.  The mechanism\*(Aqs IP network prefix lengths are
respected when matching DNS address records against the request\*(Aqs IP address.
See RFC 4408, 5, for the exact algorithm used.
.Sp
This method exists mainly for the convenience of sub\-classes of
Mail::SPF::Mech.
.ie n .IP "\fBexplain($server, \fR\fB$request\fR\fB, \fR\fB$result\fR\fB)\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBexplain($server, \fR\f(CB$request\fR\fB, \fR\f(CB$result\fR\fB)\fR" 4
.IX Item "explain($server, $request, $result)"
Locally generates an explanation for why the mechanism caused the given result,
and stores it in the given request object\*(Aqs state.
.Sp
There is no need to override this method in sub\-classes.  See the
"explanation_template" method.
.ie n .IP "\fBexplanation_template($server, \fR\fB$request\fR\fB, \fR\fB$result\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.el .IP "\fBexplanation_template($server, \fR\f(CB$request\fR\fB, \fR\f(CB$result\fR\fB)\fR: returns \fIstring\fR" 4
.IX Item "explanation_template($server, $request, $result): returns string"
Returns a macro string template for a locally generated explanation for why the
mechanism caused the given result object.
.Sp
Sub\-classes should either define an \f(CW\*(C`explanation_templates_by_result_code\*(C'\fR
hash constant with their own templates, or override this method.
.SH OVERLOADING
.IX Header "OVERLOADING"
If a Mail::SPF::Mech object is used as a \fIstring\fR, the \f(CW\*(C`stringify\*(C'\fR method is
used to convert the object into a string.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.IX Header "SEE ALSO"
Mail::SPF::Mech::All,
Mail::SPF::Mech::IP4,
Mail::SPF::Mech::IP6,
Mail::SPF::Mech::A,
Mail::SPF::Mech::MX,
Mail::SPF::Mech::PTR,
Mail::SPF::Mech::Exists,
Mail::SPF::Mech::Include
.PP
Mail::SPF, Mail::SPF::Record, Mail::SPF::Term
.PP
<http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4408>
.PP
For availability, support, and license information, see the README file
included with Mail::SPF.
.SH AUTHORS
.IX Header "AUTHORS"
Julian Mehnle <julian@mehnle.net>, Shevek <cpan@anarres.org>