#### 3.20.15 mailutils imap ¶

The `mailutils imap` command invokes an interactive IMAP4 client shell. It reads commands from the standard input, executes them and displays the results on the standard output. The shell is similar to the `mailutils pop` (see mailutils pop) shell.

#### IMAP protocol commands ¶

Most commands in this group correspond (with minor differences) to IMAP commands described in RFC 35016.

imap command: connect [-tls] host [port] ¶

  Opens connection to the server host. If the `-tls` option is given, TLS encryption (also known as IMAPS protocol) will be used. If port argument is not supplied, the command uses port 143 for a plain IMAP connection or 993 for IMAPS (if `-tls` is given).

imap command: capability [-reread] [name...] ¶

  Lists server capabilities. Any number of names is accepted. If at least one is given, the shell will display only the named capabilities, otherwise it displays the entire list. By default, `capability` reuses the response of its previous invocation (if there was any), instead of resending the CAPABILITY command to the server. To force it do so, use the `-reread` option.

imap command: starttls ¶

  Starts TLS negotiation. This command is valid only after unencrypted connection has been successfully initiated using connect without the `-tls` option.

imap command: login user [password] ¶

  Logs in to the server as user with optional password. If the pass argument is omitted, the shell will ask you to enter it. While entering, both echoing and history recording will be disabled. Use this to avoid compromising your password.

imap command: logout ¶
imap command: quit ¶

  Quits the imap session.

imap command: id [-test kw] [arg...] ¶

  Sends IMAP ID command. See RFC 29717, for a discussion of arguments. By default, this command outputs entire ID list. If, however, the `-test` option is given, it will check whether the keyword kw is defined and display its value if so.

imap command: check ¶

  Requests a server checkpoint.

imap command: select [mbox] ¶

  Selects the named mailbox. Without argument, selects ‘`INBOX`’.

imap command: examine [mbox] ¶

  Examines the named mailbox, i.e. selects it in read-only mode. If mbox is not given, ‘`INBOX`’ is assumed.

imap command: status mbox kw [kw...] ¶

  Gets mailbox status. Valid keywords (kw arguments) are: ‘`MESSAGES`’, ‘`RECENT`’, ‘`UIDNEXT`’, ‘`UIDVALIDITY`’, and ‘`UNSEEN`’. Keywords are case-insensitive.

imap command: fetch msgset items ¶

  Fetches message data. See RFC 3501, section 6.4.58, for a discussion of its arguments.

imap command: store msgset items ¶

  Alters mailbox data. See RFC 3501, section 6.4.69, for a discussion of its arguments.

imap command: close ¶

  Closes the currently selected mailbox (with expunge).

imap command: unselect ¶

  Closes the currently selected mailbox (without expunge).

imap command: delete mbox ¶

  Deletes the mailbox mbox.

imap command: rename old-name new-name ¶

  Renames existing mailbox old-name to new-name.

imap command: expunge ¶

  Permanently removes messages marked for deletion.

imap command: create name ¶

  Creates new mailbox with the given name.

imap command: append [-time datetime] [-flag flag] mailbox file ¶

  Reads an RFC-822 message from file and appends it to the mailbox. Use the `-time` option to supply envelope date for the message. Use the `-flag` option to supply message flags. For example:

      append -time "25-Aug-2002 18:00:00 +0200" -flag \Seen INBOX input.msg

imap command: list ref mbox ¶

  Lists matching mailboxes. See RFC 3501, section 6.3.810, for a discussion of its arguments.

imap command: lsub ref mbox ¶

  Lists subscribed mailboxes (RFC 3501, section 6.3.911).

imap command: subscribe mbox ¶

  Subscribes to a mailbox.

imap command: unsubscribe mbox ¶

  Removes mailbox mbox from the subscription list.

imap command: noop ¶

  Sends a no operation command.

imap command: disconnect ¶

  Closes existing connection.

#### Internal commands ¶

The `imap` shell implements the same set of internal commands as `pop` shell: See Internal commands. There is only one imap-specific internal command:

imap command: uid [on|off] ¶

  Controls the UID mode. When the UID mode is on, the commands `fetch` and `store` operate on and return message UIDs instead of their sequence numbers.

  To examine the current state of the UID mode, issue the `uid` command without arguments.

#### Footnotes

##### (6)

See http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3501.html.

##### (7)

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc2971.html

##### (8)

http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3501#section-6.4.5

##### (9)

http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3501#section-6.4.6

##### (10)

http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3501#section-6.3.8

##### (11)

http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3501#section-6.3.9