IMAP4 Extension to SEARCH Command for Controlling What Kind of Information Is Returned
RFC 4731
| Document | Type |
RFC - Proposed Standard
(November 2006; No errata)
Was draft-melnikov-imap-search-ret (individual in app area)
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Last updated | 2015-10-14 | ||
| Stream | IETF | ||
| Formats | plain text pdf htmlized bibtex | ||
| Reviews | |||
| Stream | WG state | (None) | |
| Document shepherd | No shepherd assigned | ||
| IESG | IESG state | RFC 4731 (Proposed Standard) | |
| Consensus Boilerplate | Unknown | ||
| Telechat date | |||
| Responsible AD | Ted Hardie | ||
| Send notices to | dave.cridland@clues.ltd.uk | ||
Network Working Group A. Melnikov
Request for Comments: 4731 Isode Ltd
Category: Standards Track D. Cridland
Inventure Systems Ltd
November 2006
IMAP4 Extension to SEARCH Command for Controlling
What Kind of Information Is Returned
Status of This Memo
This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The IETF Trust (2006).
Abstract
This document extends IMAP (RFC 3501) SEARCH and UID SEARCH commands
with several result options, which can control what kind of
information is returned. The following result options are defined:
minimal value, maximal value, all found messages, and number of found
messages.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................2
2. Conventions Used in This Document ...............................2
3. IMAP Protocol Changes ...........................................2
3.1. New SEARCH/UID SEARCH Result Options .......................2
3.2. Interaction with CONDSTORE extension .......................4
4. Formal Syntax ...................................................5
5. Security Considerations .........................................6
6. IANA Considerations .............................................6
7. Normative References ............................................6
8. Acknowledgments .................................................6
Melnikov & Cridland Standards Track [Page 1]
RFC 4731 IMAP4 Extension to SEARCH November 2006
1. Introduction
[IMAPABNF] extended SEARCH and UID SEARCH commands with result
specifiers (also known as result options), which can control what
kind of information is returned.
A server advertising the ESEARCH capability supports the following
result options: minimal value, maximal value, all found messages,
and number of found messages. These result options allow clients to
get SEARCH results in more convenient forms, while also saving
bandwidth required to transport the results, for example, by finding
the first unseen message or returning the number of unseen or deleted
messages. Also, when a single MIN or a single MAX result option is
specified, servers can optimize execution of SEARCHes.
2. Conventions Used in This Document
In examples, "C:" and "S:" indicate lines sent by the client and
server, respectively.
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119 [KEYWORDS].
3. IMAP Protocol Changes
3.1. New SEARCH/UID SEARCH Result Options
The SEARCH/UID SEARCH commands are extended to allow for the
following result options:
MIN
Return the lowest message number/UID that satisfies the SEARCH
criteria.
If the SEARCH results in no matches, the server MUST NOT
include the MIN result option in the ESEARCH response; however,
it still MUST send the ESEARCH response.
MAX
Return the highest message number/UID that satisfies the SEARCH
criteria.
If the SEARCH results in no matches, the server MUST NOT
include the MAX result option in the ESEARCH response; however,
it still MUST send the ESEARCH response.
Melnikov & Cridland Standards Track [Page 2]
RFC 4731 IMAP4 Extension to SEARCH November 2006
ALL
Return all message numbers/UIDs that satisfy the SEARCH
criteria. Unlike regular (unextended) SEARCH, the messages are
always returned using the sequence-set syntax. A sequence-set
representation may be more compact and can be used as is in a
subsequent command that accepts sequence-set. Note, the client
MUST NOT assume that messages/UIDs will be listed in any
particular order.
If the SEARCH results in no matches, the server MUST NOT
include the ALL result option in the ESEARCH response; however,
it still MUST send the ESEARCH response.
COUNT
Return number of the messages that satisfy the SEARCH criteria.
This result option MUST always be included in the ESEARCH
response.
If one or more result options described above are specified, the
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