Message Cloning / copying

[mzaalam]

I would really like to be able to make a copy of a message and then just change small parts of the message, perhaps the payload. however, since the payload, header etc are all private in the generic message, I'd have to create my own implmenetation.

Is there a reason that those fields cannot be changed to protected?

[Mark Fisher]

In M4, we will be adding message interceptors that can be added to the endpoint for precisely this purpose. Part of that development (in progress now) will include making the payload mutable. Immutability has its benefits for sure, but the need to do object type conversion (e.g. DOM document to String) is just too common. So, soon you will be able to add transformers that modify the payload or header values. For the header, this will also include adding/deleting properties or attributes.