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# imap_search

imap_search -- This function returns an array of messages matching the given search criteria.

## Description

`array imap_search`(int imap_stream, string criteria, int flags);

This function performs a search on the mailbox currently opened in the given imap stream. `criteria` is a string, delimited by spaces, in which the following keywords are allowed. Any multi-word arguments (eg FROM "joe smith") must be quoted.

- ALL - return all messages matching the rest of the criteria

- ANSWERED - match messages with the \\ANSWERED flag set

- BCC "string" - match messages with "string" in the Bcc: field

- BEFORE "date" - match messages with Date: before "date"

- BODY "string" - match messages with "string" in the body of the message

- CC "string" - match messages with "string" in the Cc: field

- DELETED - match deleted messages

- FLAGGED - match messages with the \\FLAGGED (sometimes referred to as Important or Urgent) flag set

- FROM "string" - match messages with "string" in the From: field

- KEYWORD "string" - match messages with "string" as a keyword

- NEW - match new messages

- OLD - match old messages

- ON "date" - match messages with Date: matching "date"

- RECENT - match messages with the \\RECENT flag set

- SEEN - match messages that have been read (the \\SEEN flag is set)

- SINCE "date" - match messages with Date: after "date"

- SUBJECT "string" - match messages with "string" in the Subject:

- TEXT "string" - match messages with text "string"

- TO "string" - match messages with "string" in the To:

- UNANSWERED - match messages that have not been answered

- UNDELETED - match messages that are not deleted

- UNFLAGGED - match messages that are not flagged

- UNKEYWORD "string" - match messages that do not have the keyword "string"

- UNSEEN - match messages which have not been read yet

For example, to match all unanswered messages sent by Mom, you'd use: "UNANSWERED FROM mom". Searches appear to be case insensitive. This list of criteria is from a reading of the UW c-client source code and may be uncomplete or inaccurate. Searcher beware.

Valid values for flags are SE_UID, which causes the returned array to contain UIDs instead of messages sequence numbers.

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