301 lines
10 KiB
TeX
301 lines
10 KiB
TeX
\section{\module{imaplib} ---
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IMAP4 protocol client}
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\declaremodule{standard}{imaplib}
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\modulesynopsis{IMAP4 protocol client (requires sockets).}
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\moduleauthor{Piers Lauder}{piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au}
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\sectionauthor{Piers Lauder}{piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au}
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% Based on HTML documentation by Piers Lauder <piers@staff.cs.usyd.edu.au>;
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% converted by Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>.
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% Revised by ESR, January 2000.
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\indexii{IMAP4}{protocol}
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This module defines a class, \class{IMAP4}, which encapsulates a
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connection to an IMAP4 server and implements a large subset of the
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IMAP4rev1 client protocol as defined in \rfc{2060}. It is backward
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compatible with IMAP4 (\rfc{1730}) servers, but note that the
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\samp{STATUS} command is not supported in IMAP4.
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A single class is provided by the \module{imaplib} module:
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\begin{classdesc}{IMAP4}{\optional{host\optional{, port}}}
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This class implements the actual IMAP4 protocol. The connection is
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created and protocol version (IMAP4 or IMAP4rev1) is determined when
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the instance is initialized.
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If \var{host} is not specified, \code{''} (the local host) is used.
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If \var{port} is omitted, the standard IMAP4 port (143) is used.
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\end{classdesc}
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Two exceptions are defined as attributes of the \class{IMAP4} class:
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\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.error}
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Exception raised on any errors. The reason for the exception is
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passed to the constructor as a string.
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\end{excdesc}
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\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.abort}
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IMAP4 server errors cause this exception to be raised. This is a
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sub-class of \exception{IMAP4.error}. Note that closing the instance
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and instantiating a new one will usually allow recovery from this
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exception.
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\end{excdesc}
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\begin{excdesc}{IMAP4.readonly}
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This exception is raised when a writable mailbox has its status changed by the server. This is a
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sub-class of \exception{IMAP4.error}. Some other client now has write permission,
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and the mailbox will need to be re-opened to re-obtain write permission.
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\end{excdesc}
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The following utility functions are defined:
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\begin{funcdesc}{Internaldate2tuple}{datestr}
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Converts an IMAP4 INTERNALDATE string to Coordinated Universal
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Time. Returns a \refmodule{time} module tuple.
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{Int2AP}{num}
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Converts an integer into a string representation using characters
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from the set [\code{A} .. \code{P}].
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{ParseFlags}{flagstr}
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Converts an IMAP4 \samp{FLAGS} response to a tuple of individual
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flags.
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\end{funcdesc}
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\begin{funcdesc}{Time2Internaldate}{date_time}
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Converts a \refmodule{time} module tuple to an IMAP4
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\samp{INTERNALDATE} representation. Returns a string in the form:
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\code{"DD-Mmm-YYYY HH:MM:SS +HHMM"} (including double-quotes).
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\end{funcdesc}
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Note that IMAP4 message numbers change as the mailbox changes; in
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particular, after an \samp{EXPUNGE} command performs deletions the
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remaining messages are renumbered. So it is highly advisable to use
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UIDs instead, with the UID command.
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At the end of the module, there is a test section that contains a more
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extensive example of usage.
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\begin{seealso}
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\seetext{Documents describing the protocol, and sources and binaries
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for servers implementing it, can all be found at the
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University of Washington's \emph{IMAP Information Center}
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(\url{http://www.cac.washington.edu/imap/}).}
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\end{seealso}
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\subsection{IMAP4 Objects \label{imap4-objects}}
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All IMAP4rev1 commands are represented by methods of the same name,
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either upper-case or lower-case.
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All arguments to commands are converted to strings, except for
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\samp{AUTHENTICATE}, and the last argument to \samp{APPEND} which is
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passed as an IMAP4 literal. If necessary (the string contains IMAP4
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protocol-sensitive characters and isn't enclosed with either
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parentheses or double quotes) each string is quoted. However, the
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\var{password} argument to the \samp{LOGIN} command is always quoted.
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If you want to avoid having an argument string quoted
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(eg: the \var{flags} argument to \samp{STORE}) then enclose the string in
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parentheses (eg: \code{r'(\e Deleted)'}).
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Each command returns a tuple: \code{(\var{type}, [\var{data},
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...])} where \var{type} is usually \code{'OK'} or \code{'NO'},
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and \var{data} is either the text from the command response, or
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mandated results from the command.
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An \class{IMAP4} instance has the following methods:
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\begin{methoddesc}{append}{mailbox, flags, date_time, message}
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Append message to named mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{authenticate}{func}
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Authenticate command --- requires response processing. This is
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currently unimplemented, and raises an exception.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{check}{}
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Checkpoint mailbox on server.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{close}{}
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Close currently selected mailbox. Deleted messages are removed from
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writable mailbox. This is the recommended command before
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\samp{LOGOUT}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{copy}{message_set, new_mailbox}
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Copy \var{message_set} messages onto end of \var{new_mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{create}{mailbox}
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Create new mailbox named \var{mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{delete}{mailbox}
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Delete old mailbox named \var{mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{expunge}{}
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Permanently remove deleted items from selected mailbox. Generates an
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\samp{EXPUNGE} response for each deleted message. Returned data
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contains a list of \samp{EXPUNGE} message numbers in order
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received.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{fetch}{message_set, message_parts}
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Fetch (parts of) messages. \var{message_parts} should be
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a string of message part names enclosed within parentheses,
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eg: \samp{"(UID BODY[TEXT])"}. Returned data are tuples
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of message part envelope and data.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{list}{\optional{directory\optional{, pattern}}}
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List mailbox names in \var{directory} matching
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\var{pattern}. \var{directory} defaults to the top-level mail
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folder, and \var{pattern} defaults to match anything. Returned data
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contains a list of \samp{LIST} responses.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{login}{user, password}
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Identify the client using a plaintext password.
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The \var{password} will be quoted.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{logout}{}
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Shutdown connection to server. Returns server \samp{BYE} response.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{lsub}{\optional{directory\optional{, pattern}}}
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List subscribed mailbox names in directory matching pattern.
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\var{directory} defaults to the top level directory and
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\var{pattern} defaults to match any mailbox.
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Returned data are tuples of message part envelope and data.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{noop}{}
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Send \samp{NOOP} to server.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{open}{host, port}
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Opens socket to \var{port} at \var{host}.
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You may override this method.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{partial}{message_num, message_part, start, length}
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Fetch truncated part of a message.
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Returned data is a tuple of message part envelope and data.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{recent}{}
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Prompt server for an update. Returned data is \code{None} if no new
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messages, else value of \samp{RECENT} response.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{rename}{oldmailbox, newmailbox}
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Rename mailbox named \var{oldmailbox} to \var{newmailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{response}{code}
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Return data for response \var{code} if received, or
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\code{None}. Returns the given code, instead of the usual type.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{search}{charset, criterium\optional{, ...}}
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Search mailbox for matching messages. Returned data contains a space
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separated list of matching message numbers. \var{charset} may be
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\code{None}, in which case no \samp{CHARSET} will be specified in the
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request to the server. The IMAP protocol requires that at least one
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criterium be specified; an exception will be raised when the server
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returns an error.
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Example:
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\begin{verbatim}
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# M is a connected IMAP4 instance...
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msgnums = M.search(None, 'FROM', '"LDJ"')
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# or:
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msgnums = M.search(None, '(FROM "LDJ")')
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\end{verbatim}
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{select}{\optional{mailbox\optional{, readonly}}}
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Select a mailbox. Returned data is the count of messages in
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\var{mailbox} (\samp{EXISTS} response). The default \var{mailbox}
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is \code{'INBOX'}. If the \var{readonly} flag is set, modifications
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to the mailbox are not allowed.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{socket}{}
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Returns socket instance used to connect to server.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{status}{mailbox, names}
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Request named status conditions for \var{mailbox}.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{store}{message_set, command, flag_list}
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Alters flag dispositions for messages in mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{subscribe}{mailbox}
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Subscribe to new mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{uid}{command, arg\optional{, ...}}
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Execute command args with messages identified by UID, rather than
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message number. Returns response appropriate to command. At least
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one argument must be supplied; if none are provided, the server will
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return an error and an exception will be raised.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{unsubscribe}{mailbox}
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Unsubscribe from old mailbox.
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\end{methoddesc}
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\begin{methoddesc}{xatom}{name\optional{, arg\optional{, ...}}}
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Allow simple extension commands notified by server in
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\samp{CAPABILITY} response.
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\end{methoddesc}
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The following attributes are defined on instances of \class{IMAP4}:
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\begin{memberdesc}{PROTOCOL_VERSION}
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The most recent supported protocol in the
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\samp{CAPABILITY} response from the server.
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\end{memberdesc}
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\begin{memberdesc}{debug}
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Integer value to control debugging output. The initialize value is
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taken from the module variable \code{Debug}. Values greater than
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three trace each command.
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\end{memberdesc}
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\subsection{IMAP4 Example \label{imap4-example}}
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Here is a minimal example (without error checking) that opens a
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mailbox and retrieves and prints all messages:
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\begin{verbatim}
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import getpass, imaplib, string
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M = imaplib.IMAP4()
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M.login(getpass.getuser(), getpass.getpass())
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M.select()
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typ, data = M.search(None, 'ALL')
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for num in string.split(data[0]):
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typ, data = M.fetch(num, '(RFC822)')
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print 'Message %s\n%s\n' % (num, data[0][1])
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M.logout()
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\end{verbatim}
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