=encoding utf8

=head1 NAME

Mail::Message::Dummy - a placeholder for a missing messages

=head1 INHERITANCE

 Mail::Message::Dummy
   is a Mail::Message
   is a Mail::Reporter

=head1 SYNOPSIS

=head1 DESCRIPTION

Dummy messages are used by modules which maintain ordered lists
of messages, usually based on message-id.  A good example is
L<Mail::Box::Thread::Manager|Mail::Box::Thread::Manager>, which detects related messages by
scanning the known message headers for references to other messages.
As long as the referenced messages are not found inside the mailbox,
their place is occupied by a dummy.

Be careful when using modules which may create dummies.  Before trying to
access the header or body use L<isDummy()|Mail::Message/"The message"> to check if the message is a
dummy message.

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

=head1 METHODS

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

=head2 Constructors

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

=over 4

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

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

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

Create a new dummy message to occupy the space for
a real message with the specified C<$message_id>.
Improves base, see L<Mail::Reporter/"Constructors">

 -Option    --Defined in     --Default
  body        Mail::Message    <not used>
  body_type   Mail::Message    Mail::Message::Body::Lines
  deleted     Mail::Message    false
  field_type  Mail::Message    <not used>
  head        Mail::Message    <not used>
  head_type   Mail::Message    <not used>
  labels      Mail::Message    +{}
  messageId   Mail::Message    <required>
  message_id  Mail::Message    undef
  modified    Mail::Message    <always false>
  trusted     Mail::Message    <always true>

=over 2

=item body => $object

=item body_type => $class

=item deleted => BOOLEAN

=item field_type => $class

=item head => $object

=item head_type => $class

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

=item messageId => $id

=item message_id => $id

=item modified => BOOLEAN

=item trusted => BOOLEAN

=back

» example: 

  my $message = Mail::Message::Dummy->new($msgid);
  if($message->isDummy) {...}

=back

=head2 Attributes

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

=over 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

=back

=head2 Constructing a message

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

=over 4

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

Inherited, see L<Mail::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<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>()

Inherited, 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::Message|Mail::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::Message|Mail::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::Message|Mail::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)

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

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

Inherited, 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::Message|Mail::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::Message|Mail::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<isDelayed>()

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

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

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

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

Inherited, see L<Mail::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">

=back

=head2 Error handling

Extends L<"Error handling" in Mail::Message|Mail::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::Message|Mail::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::Message/"Cleanup">

=back

=head1 DETAILS

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

=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: the messageId is required for a dummy.

A dummy message occupies the place for a real message.  When a dummy is created,
the id of the message which place it is holding must be known.
Cast by C<new()>

=item Error: you cannot take the body of a dummy message.

Cast by C<body()>

=item Error: you cannot take the head/body of a dummy message.

Dummy messages are place-holders in message threads: the thread detected
the existence of the message, because it found the message-id in a
Reply-To or References field, however it did not find the header and
body of the message yet.  Use L<isDummy()|Mail::Message/"The message"> to check whether the thread
node returned a dummy or not.
Cast by C<head()>

=back

=head1 SEE ALSO

This module is part of Mail-Box version 4.02,
built on April 10, 2026. Website: F<http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/>

=head1 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.

