Provided by: libmail-message-perl_3.019-1_all 
NAME
Mail::Message::Field::Flex - one line of a message header
INHERITANCE
Mail::Message::Field::Flex
is a Mail::Message::Field
is a Mail::Reporter
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
This is the flexible implementation of a field: it can easily be extended because it stores its data in a
hash and the constructor ("new") and initializer ("init") are split. However, you pay the price in
performance. Mail::Message::Field::Fast is faster (as the name predicts).
Extends "DESCRIPTION" in Mail::Message::Field.
OVERLOADED
Extends "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Message::Field.
overload: "" stringification
Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Message::Field
overload: 0+ numification
Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Message::Field
overload: <=> numeric comparison
Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Message::Field
overload: bool boolean
Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Message::Field
overload: cmp string comparison
Inherited, see "OVERLOADED" in Mail::Message::Field
METHODS
Extends "METHODS" in Mail::Message::Field.
Constructors
Extends "Constructors" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->clone()
Inherited, see "Constructors" in Mail::Message::Field
$class->new($line | ($name, ($body|$object|\@objects), [@attributes], [\%options|\@options]))
If you stick to this flexible class of header fields, you have a bit more facilities than with
Mail::Message::Field::Fast. Amongst it, you can specify options with the creation. Possible
arguments:
• new $line
Pass a $line as it could be found in a file: a (possibly folded) line which is terminated by a
new-line.
• new $name, ($body|$object|\@objects), [@attributes], [\%options|\@options]
A set of values which shape the line.
To be able to distinguish the different parameters, you will have to specify the @options as ARRAY of
option PAIRS, or HASH of %options. The @attributes are a flat LIST of key-value PAIRS. The $body is
specified as one string, one $object, or an ARRAY of @objects. See Mail::Message::Field. Improves
base, see "Constructors" in Mail::Message::Field
-Option --Defined in --Default
attributes +[ ]
comment undef
log Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS'
trace Mail::Reporter 'WARNINGS'
attributes => \@attributes|\%attributes
An ARRAY with contains of key-value pairs representing @attributes, or reference to a HASH
containing these pairs. This is an alternative notation for specifying @attributes directly as
method arguments.
comment => $text
A pre-formatted list of attributes.
log => LEVEL
trace => LEVEL
Attributes
Extends "Attributes" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->logSettings()
Inherited, see "Attributes" in Mail::Reporter
The field
Extends "The field" in Mail::Message::Field.
$any->isStructured()
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->length()
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->nrLines()
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->print( [$fh] )
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->size()
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->string( [$wrap] )
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->toDisclose()
Inherited, see "The field" in Mail::Message::Field
Access to the name
Extends "Access to the name" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->Name()
Inherited, see "Access to the name" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->name()
Inherited, see "Access to the name" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->wellformedName( [STRING] )
Inherited, see "Access to the name" in Mail::Message::Field
Access to the body
Extends "Access to the body" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->body()
Inherited, see "Access to the body" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->folded()
Inherited, see "Access to the body" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->foldedBody( [$body] )
Inherited, see "Access to the body" in Mail::Message::Field
$any->stripCFWS( [STRING] )
Inherited, see "Access to the body" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->unfoldedBody( [$body, [$wrap]] )
Inherited, see "Access to the body" in Mail::Message::Field
Access to the content
Extends "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->addresses()
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->attribute( $name, [$value] )
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->attributes()
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->comment( [STRING] )
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->study()
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
$any->toDate( [$time] )
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->toInt()
Inherited, see "Access to the content" in Mail::Message::Field
Other methods
Extends "Other methods" in Mail::Message::Field.
$any->dateToTimestamp(STRING)
Inherited, see "Other methods" in Mail::Message::Field
Internals
Extends "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->consume( $line | <$name,<$body|$objects>> )
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->defaultWrapLength( [$length] )
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field
$any->fold( $name, $body, [$maxchars] )
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->setWrapLength( [$length] )
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->stringifyData(STRING|ARRAY|$objects)
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field
$obj->unfold(STRING)
Inherited, see "Internals" in Mail::Message::Field
Error handling
Extends "Error handling" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->AUTOLOAD()
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->addReport($object)
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$any->defaultTrace( [$level]|[$loglevel, $tracelevel]|[$level, $callback] )
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->errors()
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$any->log( [$level, [$strings]] )
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$any->logPriority($level)
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->notImplemented()
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->report( [$level] )
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->reportAll( [$level] )
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->trace( [$level] )
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
$obj->warnings()
Inherited, see "Error handling" in Mail::Reporter
Cleanup
Extends "Cleanup" in Mail::Message::Field.
$obj->DESTROY()
Inherited, see "Cleanup" in Mail::Reporter
DETAILS
Extends "DETAILS" in Mail::Message::Field.
DIAGNOSTICS
Warning: Field content is not numerical: $content
The numeric value of a field is requested (for instance the "Lines" or "Content-Length" fields should
be numerical), however the data contains weird characters. Cast by toInt()
Error: Field name too long (max $length), in '$name'
It is not specified in the RFCs how long a field name can be, but at least it should be a few
characters shorter than the line wrap. Cast by fold()
Warning: Illegal character in field name $name
A new field is being created which does contain characters not permitted by the RFCs. Using this
field in messages may break other e-mail clients or transfer agents, and therefore mutulate or
extinguish your message. Cast by consume()
Error: Package $package does not implement $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()
SEE ALSO
This module is part of Mail-Message version 3.019, built on November 24, 2025. Website:
http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/
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.
perl v5.40.1 2025-12-07 Mail::Message::Field::Flex(3pm)