RFC 3691 (rfc3691) - Page 2 of 5
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) UNSELECT command
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 3691 IMAP UNSELECT command February 2004
1. Introduction
Certain types of IMAP clients need to release resources associated
with the selected mailbox without selecting a different mailbox.
While [IMAP4] provides this functionality (via a SELECT command with
a nonexistent mailbox name or reselecting the same mailbox with
EXAMINE command), a more clean solution is desirable.
[IMAP4] defines the CLOSE command that closes the selected mailbox as
well as permanently removes all messages with the \Deleted flag set.
However [IMAP4] lacks a command that simply closes the mailbox
without expunging it. This document defines the UNSELECT command for
this purpose.
A server which supports this extension indicates this with a
capability name of "UNSELECT".
"C:" and "S:" in examples show lines sent by the client and server
respectively.
The keywords "MUST", "MUST NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", and "MAY" in
this document when typed in uppercase are to be interpreted as
defined in "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels"
[KEYWORDS].
2. UNSELECT Command
Arguments: none
Responses: no specific responses for this command
Result: OK - unselect completed, now in authenticated state
BAD - no mailbox selected, or argument supplied but
none permitted
The UNSELECT command frees server's resources associated with the
selected mailbox and returns the server to the authenticated
state. This command performs the same actions as CLOSE, except
that no messages are permanently removed from the currently
selected mailbox.
Example: C: A341 UNSELECT
S: A341 OK Unselect completed
Melnikov Standards Track