Provided by: libuser-identity-perl_1.03-1_all 
NAME
Mail::Identity - an e-mail role
INHERITANCE
Mail::Identity
is a User::Identity::Item
SYNOPSIS
use User::Identity;
use Mail::Identity;
my $me = User::Identity->new(...);
my $addr = Mail::Identity->new(address => 'x@y');
$me->add(email => $addr);
# Simpler
use User::Identity;
my $me = User::Identity->new(...);
my $addr = $me->add(email => 'x@y');
my $addr = $me->add(email => 'home', address => 'x@y');
# Conversion
my $ma = Mail::Address->new(...);
my $mi = Mail::Identity->coerce($ma);
DESCRIPTION
The "Mail::Identity" object contains the description of role played by a human when sending e-mail. Most
people have more than one role these days: for instance, a private and a company role with different
e-mail addresses.
An "Mail::Identity" object combines an e-mail address, user description ("phrase"), a signature, pgp-key,
and so on. All fields are optional, and some fields are smart. One such set of data represents one
role. "Mail::Identity" is therefore the smart cousine of the Mail::Address object.
Extends "DESCRIPTION" in User::Identity::Item.
METHODS
Extends "METHODS" in User::Identity::Item.
Constructors
Extends "Constructors" in User::Identity::Item.
$class->new( [$name], %options )
-Option --Defined in --Default
address <usernameP<@domain> or name>
charset <user's charset>
comment <user's fullname if phrase is different>
description User::Identity::Item undef
domain <from email or localhost>
language <from user>
location <random user's location>
name User::Identity::Item <phrase or user's fullName>
organization <location's organization>
parent User::Identity::Item undef
pgp_key undef
phrase <user's fullName>
signature undef
username <from address or user's nickname>
address => STRING
The e-mail address is constructed from the username/domain, but when both do not exist, the name is
taken.
charset => STRING
comment => STRING
description => STRING
domain => STRING
language => STRING
location => $name|OBJECT
The user's location which relates to this mail identity. This can be specified as location $name
(which will be looked-up when needed), or as User::Identity::Location object.
name => STRING
organization => STRING
Usually defined for e-mail addresses which are used by a company or other organization, but less
common for personal addresses. This value will be used to fill the "Organization" header field of
messages.
parent => OBJECT
pgp_key => STRING|FILENAME
phrase => STRING
signature => STRING
username => STRING
Attributes
Extends "Attributes" in User::Identity::Item.
$obj->address()
Returns the e-mail address for this role. If none was specified, it will be constructed from the
username and domain. If those are not present as well, then the name() is used when it contains a
"@", else the user's nickname is taken.
$obj->charset()
Returns the character set used in comment and phrase. When set to "undef", the strings (are already
encoded to) contain only ASCII characters. This defaults to the value of the user's charset, if a
user is defined.
$obj->comment( [STRING] )
E-mail address -when included in message MIME headers- can contain a comment. The RFCs advice not to
store useful information in these comments, but it you really want to, you can do it. The comment
defaults to the user's fullname if the phrase is not the fullname and there is a user defined.
Comments will be enclosed in parenthesis when used. Parenthesis (matching) or non-matching) which are
already in the string will carefully escaped when needed. You do not need to worry.
$obj->description()
Inherited, see "Attributes" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->domain()
The domain is the part of the e-mail address after the "@"-sign. When this is not defined, it can be
deducted from the email address (see address()). If nothing is known, "localhost" is returned.
$obj->language()
Returns the language which is used for the description fields of this e-mail address, which defaults
to the user's language.
$obj->location()
Returns the object which describes to which location this mail address relates. The location may be
used to find the name of the organization involved, or to create a signature. If no location is
specified, but a user is defined which has locations, one of those is randomly chosen.
$obj->name( [$newname] )
Inherited, see "Attributes" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->organization()
Returns the organization which relates to this e-mail identity. If not explicitly specified, it is
tried to be found via the location.
$obj->phrase()
The phrase is used in an e-mail address to explain who is sending the message. This usually is the
fullname (the user's fullname is used by default), description of your function (Webmaster), or any
other text.
When an email string is produced, the phase will be quoted if needed. Quotes which are within the
string will automatically be escaped, so you do no need to worry: input cannot break the outcome!
$obj->username()
Returns the username of this e-mail address. If none is specified, first it is tried to extract it
from the specified e-mail address. If there is also no username in the e-mail address, the user
identity's nickname is taken.
Collections
Extends "Collections" in User::Identity::Item.
$obj->add($collection, $role)
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->addCollection( $object | <[$type], %options> )
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->collection($name)
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->parent( [$parent] )
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->removeCollection($object|$name)
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
$any->type()
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
$obj->user()
Inherited, see "Collections" in User::Identity::Item
Searching
Extends "Searching" in User::Identity::Item.
$obj->find($collection, $role)
Inherited, see "Searching" in User::Identity::Item
DIAGNOSTICS
Error: $object is not a collection.
The first argument is an object, but not of a class which extends User::Identity::Collection. Cast
by addCollection()
Error: Cannot load collection module for $type ($class).
Either the specified $type does not exist, or that module named $class returns compilation errors.
If the type as specified in the warning is not the name of a package, you specified a nickname which
was not defined. Maybe you forgot the 'require' the package which defines the nickname. Cast by
addCollection()
Error: Creation of a collection via $class failed.
The $class did compile, but it was not possible to create an object of that class using the options
you specified. Cast by addCollection()
Error: Don't know what type of collection you want to add.
If you add a collection, it must either by a collection object or a list of options which can be used
to create a collection object. In the latter case, the type of collection must be specified. Cast
by addCollection()
Warning: No collection $name
The collection with $name does not exist and can not be created. Cast by add()
SEE ALSO
This module is part of User-Identity version 1.03, built on September 12, 2025. Website:
http://perl.overmeer.net/CPAN/
LICENSE
For contributors see file ChangeLog.
This software is copyright (c) 2003-2025 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 2025-10-03 Mail::Identity(3pm)