Message (JavaMail API documentation)
Date: 2018-10-22

javax.mail

## Class Message

- java.lang.Object
- - javax.mail.Message

- All Implemented Interfaces:
    Part
  Direct Known Subclasses:
    MimeMessage

      public abstract class Message
      extends java.lang.Object
      implements Part

  This class models an email message. This is an abstract class. Subclasses provide actual implementations.

  Message implements the Part interface. Message contains a set of attributes and a "content". Messages within a folder also have a set of flags that describe its state within the folder.

  Message defines some new attributes in addition to those defined in the `Part` interface. These attributes specify meta-data for the message - i.e., addressing and descriptive information about the message.

  Message objects are obtained either from a Folder or by constructing a new Message object of the appropriate subclass. Messages that have been received are normally retrieved from a folder named "INBOX".

  A Message object obtained from a folder is just a lightweight reference to the actual message. The Message is 'lazily' filled up (on demand) when each item is requested from the message. Note that certain folder implementations may return Message objects that are pre-filled with certain user-specified items. To send a message, an appropriate subclass of Message (e.g., MimeMessage) is instantiated, the attributes and content are filled in, and the message is sent using the `Transport.send` method.

  See Also:
    `Part`

- - ### Nested Class Summary

    Nested Classes
    Modifier and Type | Class and Description
    --- | ---
    `static class` | `Message.RecipientType` This inner class defines the types of recipients allowed by the Message class.

  - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field and Description
    --- | ---
    `protected boolean` | `expunged` True if this message has been expunged.
    `protected Folder` | `folder` The containing folder, if this message is obtained from a folder
    `protected int` | `msgnum` The number of this message within its folder, or zero if the message was not retrieved from a folder.
    `protected Session` | `session` The Session object for this Message

    - ### Fields inherited from interface javax.mail.Part

      `ATTACHMENT, INLINE`

  - ### Constructor Summary

    Constructors
    Modifier | Constructor and Description
    --- | ---
    `protected` | `Message()` No-arg version of the constructor.
    `protected` | `Message(Folder folder, int msgnum)` Constructor that takes a Folder and a message number.
    `protected` | `Message(Session session)` Constructor that takes a Session.

  - ### Method Summary

    All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods Concrete Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `abstract void` | `addFrom(Address[] addresses)` Add these addresses to the existing "From" attribute
    `void` | `addRecipient(Message.RecipientType type, Address address)` Add this recipient address to the existing ones of the given type.
    `abstract void` | `addRecipients(Message.RecipientType type, Address[] addresses)` Add these recipient addresses to the existing ones of the given type.
    `Address[]` | `getAllRecipients()` Get all the recipient addresses for the message.
    `abstract Flags` | `getFlags()` Returns a `Flags` object containing the flags for this message.
    `Folder` | `getFolder()` Get the folder from which this message was obtained.
    `abstract Address[]` | `getFrom()` Returns the "From" attribute.
    `int` | `getMessageNumber()` Get the Message number for this Message.
    `abstract java.util.Date` | `getReceivedDate()` Get the date this message was received.
    `abstract Address[]` | `getRecipients(Message.RecipientType type)` Get all the recipient addresses of the given type.
    `Address[]` | `getReplyTo()` Get the addresses to which replies should be directed.
    `abstract java.util.Date` | `getSentDate()` Get the date this message was sent.
    `Session` | `getSession()` Return the Session used when this message was created.
    `abstract java.lang.String` | `getSubject()` Get the subject of this message.
    `boolean` | `isExpunged()` Checks whether this message is expunged.
    `boolean` | `isSet(Flags.Flag flag)` Check whether the flag specified in the `flag` argument is set in this message.
    `boolean` | `match(SearchTerm term)` Apply the specified Search criterion to this message.
    `abstract Message` | `reply(boolean replyToAll)` Get a new Message suitable for a reply to this message.
    `abstract void` | `saveChanges()` Save any changes made to this message into the message-store when the containing folder is closed, if the message is contained in a folder.
    `protected void` | `setExpunged(boolean expunged)` Sets the expunged flag for this Message.
    `void` | `setFlag(Flags.Flag flag, boolean set)` Set the specified flag on this message to the specified value.
    `abstract void` | `setFlags(Flags flag, boolean set)` Set the specified flags on this message to the specified value.
    `abstract void` | `setFrom()` Set the "From" attribute in this Message.
    `abstract void` | `setFrom(Address address)` Set the "From" attribute in this Message.
    `protected void` | `setMessageNumber(int msgnum)` Set the Message number for this Message.
    `void` | `setRecipient(Message.RecipientType type, Address address)` Set the recipient address.
    `abstract void` | `setRecipients(Message.RecipientType type, Address[] addresses)` Set the recipient addresses.
    `void` | `setReplyTo(Address[] addresses)` Set the addresses to which replies should be directed.
    `abstract void` | `setSentDate(java.util.Date date)` Set the sent date of this message.
    `abstract void` | `setSubject(java.lang.String subject)` Set the subject of this message.

    - ### Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

      `clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait`

    - ### Methods inherited from interface javax.mail.Part

      `addHeader, getAllHeaders, getContent, getContentType, getDataHandler, getDescription, getDisposition, getFileName, getHeader, getInputStream, getLineCount, getMatchingHeaders, getNonMatchingHeaders, getSize, isMimeType, removeHeader, setContent, setContent, setDataHandler, setDescription, setDisposition, setFileName, setHeader, setText, writeTo`

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### msgnum

          protected int msgnum

      The number of this message within its folder, or zero if the message was not retrieved from a folder.

    - #### expunged

          protected boolean expunged

      True if this message has been expunged.

    - #### folder

          protected Folder folder

      The containing folder, if this message is obtained from a folder

    - #### session

          protected Session session

      The Session object for this Message

  - ### Constructor Detail

    - #### Message

          protected Message()

      No-arg version of the constructor.

    - #### Message

          protected Message(Folder folder,
                            int msgnum)

      Constructor that takes a Folder and a message number. Used by Folder implementations.
      Parameters:
        `folder` - containing folder
        `msgnum` - this message's sequence number within this folder

    - #### Message

          protected Message(Session session)

      Constructor that takes a Session. Used for client created Message objects.
      Parameters:
        `session` - A Session object

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### getSession

          public Session getSession()

      Return the Session used when this message was created.
      Returns:
        the message's Session
      Since:
        JavaMail 1.5

    - #### getFrom

          public abstract Address[] getFrom()
                                     throws MessagingException

      Returns the "From" attribute. The "From" attribute contains the identity of the person(s) who wished this message to be sent.

      In certain implementations, this may be different from the entity that actually sent the message.

      This method returns `null` if this attribute is not present in this message. Returns an empty array if this attribute is present, but contains no addresses.

      Returns:
        array of Address objects
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`

    - #### setFrom

          public abstract void setFrom()
                                throws MessagingException

      Set the "From" attribute in this Message. The value of this attribute is obtained from the property "mail.user". If this property is absent, the system property "user.name" is used.
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.

    - #### setFrom

          public abstract void setFrom(Address address)
                                throws MessagingException

      Set the "From" attribute in this Message.
      Parameters:
        `address` - the sender
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.

    - #### addFrom

          public abstract void addFrom(Address[] addresses)
                                throws MessagingException

      Add these addresses to the existing "From" attribute
      Parameters:
        `addresses` - the senders
      Throws:
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.
        `MessagingException`

    - #### getRecipients

          public abstract Address[] getRecipients(Message.RecipientType type)
                                           throws MessagingException

      Get all the recipient addresses of the given type.

      This method returns `null` if no recipients of the given type are present in this message. It may return an empty array if the header is present, but contains no addresses.

      Parameters:
        `type` - the recipient type
      Returns:
        array of Address objects
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
      See Also:
        `Message.RecipientType.TO`, `Message.RecipientType.CC`, `Message.RecipientType.BCC`

    - #### getAllRecipients

          public Address[] getAllRecipients()
                                     throws MessagingException

      Get all the recipient addresses for the message. The default implementation extracts the TO, CC, and BCC recipients using the `getRecipients` method.

      This method returns `null` if none of the recipient headers are present in this message. It may Return an empty array if any recipient header is present, but contains no addresses.

      Returns:
        array of Address objects
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
      See Also:
        `Message.RecipientType.TO`, `Message.RecipientType.CC`, `Message.RecipientType.BCC`, `getRecipients(javax.mail.Message.RecipientType)`

    - #### setRecipients

          public abstract void setRecipients(Message.RecipientType type,
                                             Address[] addresses)
                                      throws MessagingException

      Set the recipient addresses. All addresses of the specified type are replaced by the addresses parameter.
      Parameters:
        `type` - the recipient type
        `addresses` - the addresses
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.

    - #### setRecipient

          public void setRecipient(Message.RecipientType type,
                                   Address address)
                            throws MessagingException

      Set the recipient address. All addresses of the specified type are replaced by the address parameter.

      The default implementation uses the `setRecipients` method.

      Parameters:
        `type` - the recipient type
        `address` - the address
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values

    - #### addRecipients

          public abstract void addRecipients(Message.RecipientType type,
                                             Address[] addresses)
                                      throws MessagingException

      Add these recipient addresses to the existing ones of the given type.
      Parameters:
        `type` - the recipient type
        `addresses` - the addresses
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.

    - #### addRecipient

          public void addRecipient(Message.RecipientType type,
                                   Address address)
                            throws MessagingException

      Add this recipient address to the existing ones of the given type.

      The default implementation uses the `addRecipients` method.

      Parameters:
        `type` - the recipient type
        `address` - the address
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values

    - #### getReplyTo

          public Address[] getReplyTo()
                               throws MessagingException

      Get the addresses to which replies should be directed. This will usually be the sender of the message, but some messages may direct replies to a different address.

      The default implementation simply calls the `getFrom` method.

      This method returns `null` if the corresponding header is not present. Returns an empty array if the header is present, but contains no addresses.

      Returns:
        addresses to which replies should be directed
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
      See Also:
        `getFrom()`

    - #### setReplyTo

          public void setReplyTo(Address[] addresses)
                          throws MessagingException

      Set the addresses to which replies should be directed. (Normally only a single address will be specified.) Not all message types allow this to be specified separately from the sender of the message.

      The default implementation provided here just throws the MethodNotSupportedException.

      Parameters:
        `addresses` - addresses to which replies should be directed
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.
        `MethodNotSupportedException` - if the underlying implementation does not support setting this attribute

    - #### getSubject

          public abstract java.lang.String getSubject()
                                               throws MessagingException

      Get the subject of this message.
      Returns:
        the subject
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`

    - #### setSubject

          public abstract void setSubject(java.lang.String subject)
                                   throws MessagingException

      Set the subject of this message.
      Parameters:
        `subject` - the subject
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.

    - #### getSentDate

          public abstract java.util.Date getSentDate()
                                              throws MessagingException

      Get the date this message was sent.
      Returns:
        the date this message was sent
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`

    - #### setSentDate

          public abstract void setSentDate(java.util.Date date)
                                    throws MessagingException

      Set the sent date of this message.
      Parameters:
        `date` - the sent date of this message
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.

    - #### getReceivedDate

          public abstract java.util.Date getReceivedDate()
                                                  throws MessagingException

      Get the date this message was received.
      Returns:
        the date this message was received
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`

    - #### getFlags

          public abstract Flags getFlags()
                                  throws MessagingException

      Returns a `Flags` object containing the flags for this message.

      Modifying any of the flags in this returned Flags object will not affect the flags of this message. Use `setFlags()` to do that.

      Returns:
        Flags object containing the flags for this message
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
      See Also:
        `Flags`, `setFlags(javax.mail.Flags, boolean)`

    - #### isSet

          public boolean isSet(Flags.Flag flag)
                        throws MessagingException

      Check whether the flag specified in the `flag` argument is set in this message.

      The default implementation uses `getFlags`.

      Parameters:
        `flag` - the flag
      Returns:
        value of the specified flag for this message
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
      See Also:
        `Flags.Flag`, `Flags.Flag.ANSWERED`, `Flags.Flag.DELETED`, `Flags.Flag.DRAFT`, `Flags.Flag.FLAGGED`, `Flags.Flag.RECENT`, `Flags.Flag.SEEN`

    - #### setFlags

          public abstract void setFlags(Flags flag,
                                        boolean set)
                                 throws MessagingException

      Set the specified flags on this message to the specified value. Note that any flags in this message that are not specified in the given `Flags` object are unaffected.

      This will result in a `MessageChangedEvent` being delivered to any MessageChangedListener registered on this Message's containing folder.

      Parameters:
        `flag` - Flags object containing the flags to be set
        `set` - the value to be set
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values.
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.
      See Also:
        `MessageChangedEvent`

    - #### setFlag

          public void setFlag(Flags.Flag flag,
                              boolean set)
                       throws MessagingException

      Set the specified flag on this message to the specified value. This will result in a `MessageChangedEvent` being delivered to any MessageChangedListener registered on this Message's containing folder.

      The default implementation uses the `setFlags` method.

      Parameters:
        `flag` - Flags.Flag object containing the flag to be set
        `set` - the value to be set
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values.
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.
      See Also:
        `MessageChangedEvent`

    - #### getMessageNumber

          public int getMessageNumber()

      Get the Message number for this Message. A Message object's message number is the relative position of this Message in its Folder. Note that the message number for a particular Message can change during a session if other messages in the Folder are deleted and expunged.

      Valid message numbers start at 1. Messages that do not belong to any folder (like newly composed or derived messages) have 0 as their message number.

      Returns:
        the message number

    - #### setMessageNumber

          protected void setMessageNumber(int msgnum)

      Set the Message number for this Message. This method is invoked only by the implementation classes.

    - #### getFolder

          public Folder getFolder()

      Get the folder from which this message was obtained. If this is a new message or nested message, this method returns null.
      Returns:
        the containing folder

    - #### isExpunged

          public boolean isExpunged()

      Checks whether this message is expunged. All other methods except `getMessageNumber()` are invalid on an expunged Message object.

      Messages that are expunged due to an explict `expunge()` request on the containing Folder are removed from the Folder immediately. Messages that are externally expunged by another source are marked "expunged" and return true for the isExpunged() method, but they are not removed from the Folder until an explicit `expunge()` is done on the Folder.

      See the description of `expunge()` for more details on expunge handling.

      See Also:
        `Folder.expunge()`

    - #### setExpunged

          protected void setExpunged(boolean expunged)

      Sets the expunged flag for this Message. This method is to be used only by the implementation classes.
      Parameters:
        `expunged` - the expunged flag

    - #### reply

          public abstract Message reply(boolean replyToAll)
                                 throws MessagingException

      Get a new Message suitable for a reply to this message. The new Message will have its attributes and headers set up appropriately. Note that this new message object will be empty, that is, it will not have a "content". These will have to be suitably filled in by the client.

      If `replyToAll` is set, the new Message will be addressed to all recipients of this message. Otherwise, the reply will be addressed to only the sender of this message (using the value of the `getReplyTo` method).

      The "Subject" field is filled in with the original subject prefixed with "Re:" (unless it already starts with "Re:").

      The reply message will use the same session as this message.

      Parameters:
        `replyToAll` - reply should be sent to all recipients of this message
      Returns:
        the reply Message
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`

    - #### saveChanges

          public abstract void saveChanges()
                                    throws MessagingException

      Save any changes made to this message into the message-store when the containing folder is closed, if the message is contained in a folder. (Some implementations may save the changes immediately.) Update any header fields to be consistent with the changed message contents. If any part of a message's headers or contents are changed, saveChanges must be called to ensure that those changes are permanent. If saveChanges is not called, any such modifications may or may not be saved, depending on the message store and folder implementation.

      Messages obtained from folders opened READ_ONLY should not be modified and saveChanges should not be called on such messages.

      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
        `java.lang.IllegalStateException` - if this message is obtained from a READ_ONLY folder.
        `IllegalWriteException` - if the underlying implementation does not support modification of existing values.

    - #### match

          public boolean match(SearchTerm term)
                        throws MessagingException

      Apply the specified Search criterion to this message.
      Parameters:
        `term` - the Search criterion
      Returns:
        true if the Message matches this search criterion, false otherwise.
      Throws:
        `MessagingException`
      See Also:
        `SearchTerm`

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