How to use CATENATE command in IMAP - imap

Question

Already been through RFC 4469.
Just wanted to know how exactly I can use the CATENATE command.
I also referred the example given in the RFC. But couldn't really execute it against the server.
Any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

I know this is old issue, but since I was looking this myself, and noticed this I thought I'd share what I found.
So. The simple examples:
s SELECT INBOX
a APPEND INBOX (\Seen) CATENATE (TEXT {53+}
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2017 22:39:40 +0200
Hello, world.
)
This will work with modern system. You can also use
s SELECT INBOX
a APPEND INBOX (\Seen) CATENATE (TEXT {53}
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2017 22:39:40 +0200
Hello, world.
)
The thing about catenate is that it can also combine input from other emails. You can do this with URL.
a APPEND INBOX CATENATE (URL "/INBOX;UIDVALIDITY=1483364905/;UID=2/;SECTION=HEADER" TEXT {8}
Hello..
)
a OK [APPENDUID 1483364905 4] Append completed.
FETCH 4:4 (BODY[])
Date: Tue, 03 Jan 2017 22:39:40 +0200
Hello..
)
a OK Fetch completed.
And we have reused headers from mail with UID 2 in INBOX. UIDVALIDITY can be acquired by saying s STATUS INBOX.
The examples in the IETF are bit spooky, but they show how to use mime multipart as input.