IANA Registry for IMAP Extended SEARCH Return Options and Data Tags

Introduction The Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) , is used for accessing and manipulating email messages on a server. Over the years, the syntax of the IMAP SEARCH command has been extended to include return options and corresponding return data in the response . There is currently no easy way to find out all of the return options and data tags defined by IMAP extensions published in RFCs, which makes it quite difficult for IMAP extension writers and IMAP implementation developers to forsee interactions between such extensions. This document creates a registry of IMAP Extended Search Return Options and Data Tags in order to help developers and IMAP extension writers track interactions between different extensions.

IANA Considerations

IMAP ESEARCH Return Option and Data Tag Registration Template and Procedure IANA is requested to create a new registry for IMAP ESEARCH Return Options and Data Tags. Registration of both options/tags specified in IETF Stream RFCs and vendor specific actions is allowed and encouraged. The registration template contains:

name of the return option;
any implied return data tags;
short description;
references: one or more documents describing the option/tag and any significant updates to its definition (this field is required for option/tag described in RFCs and is optional otherwise);

The registration procedure for this registry is Expert Review, per . The Designated Expert only checks that the name of the return option or return data tag being registered matches the documentation, that the description field is accurate, that the correct documents are referenced and that the list of relevant documents is as complete as possible. The Designated Expert can't reject a registration based on personal dislike of the document defining a return option or return data tag and should always err on the side of registering, even if documentation is not complete. Addition of a new reference to an existing registration or change to the description field goes through the same registration procedure as a new registration.

Initial IMAP ESEARCH Return Option and Data Tag Registry The following table is used to initialize the return option and data tag registry.

Return Option Name	Implied Return Data Tags	Description	References
ALL	ALL	Return all message numbers/UIDs that satisfy the SEARCH criteria.	,
CONTEXT		Indicate that subsequent use of the SEARCH criteria are likely.
COUNT	COUNT	Return number of the messages that satisfy the SEARCH criteria.	,
MAX	MAX	Return the highest message number/UID that satisfies the SEARCH criteria	,
MIN	MIN	Return the lowest message number/UID that satisfies the SEARCH criteria.	,
*	MODSEQ	The highest mod-sequence of all messages in the set that satisfy the SEARCH criteria and result options.	,
PARTIAL	PARTIAL	Return a subset of the message numbers/UIDs that satisfy the SEARCH criteria.	,
RELEVANCY	RELEVANCY	Return a relevancy score for each message that satisfies the SEARCH criteria.
SAVE		Set the value of the search result variable to the set of message numbers/UIDs that satisfy the SEARCH criteria.	,
UPDATE	ADDTO, REMOVEFROM	Request unsolicited notifications of updates to the set of messages that satisfy the SEARCH criteria.
* Any set of return options (including the empty set) plus the MODSEQ SEARCH criteria.