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<H3><A NAME="SECTION0014223000000000000000">
12.2.2.3 Additional notes</A>
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<P>
Here are some notes on the parsing semantics:
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<LI>Most non-<span class="mimetype">multipart</span> type messages are parsed as a single
message object with a string payload. These objects will return
<code>False</code> for <tt class="method">is_multipart()</tt>. Their
<tt class="method">get_payload()</tt> method will return a string object.
<P>
</LI>
<LI>All <span class="mimetype">multipart</span> type messages will be parsed as a
container message object with a list of sub-message objects for
their payload. The outer container message will return
<code>True</code> for <tt class="method">is_multipart()</tt> and their
<tt class="method">get_payload()</tt> method will return the list of
<tt class="class">Message</tt> subparts.
<P>
</LI>
<LI>Most messages with a content type of <span class="mimetype">message/*</span>
(e.g. <span class="mimetype">message/delivery-status</span> and
<span class="mimetype">message/rfc822</span>) will also be parsed as container
object containing a list payload of length 1. Their
<tt class="method">is_multipart()</tt> method will return <code>True</code>. The
single element in the list payload will be a sub-message object.
<P>
</LI>
<LI>Some non-standards compliant messages may not be internally consistent
about their <span class="mimetype">multipart</span>-edness. Such messages may have a
<span class="mailheader">Content-Type:</span> header of type <span class="mimetype">multipart</span>, but their
<tt class="method">is_multipart()</tt> method may return <code>False</code>. If such
messages were parsed with the <tt class="class">FeedParser</tt>, they will have an
instance of the <tt class="class">MultipartInvariantViolationDefect</tt> class in their
<var>defects</var> attribute list. See <tt class="module"><a href="module-email.Errors.html">email.Errors</a></tt> for
details.
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<span class="release-info">Release 2.4.3, documentation updated on 29 March 2006.</span>
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