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Unicode C++

IMAP Find Emails by Date

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Explains how to find emails by date using the IMAP protocol.

Chilkat Unicode C++ Downloads

Unicode C++
#include <CkImapW.h>
#include <CkMessageSetW.h>
#include <CkEmailW.h>

void ChilkatSample(void)
    {
    bool success = false;

    //  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    //  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    CkImapW imap;

    //  Connect to an IMAP server.
    imap.put_Ssl(true);
    imap.put_Port(993);
    success = imap.Connect(L"imap.example.com");
    if (success == false) {
        wprintf(L"%s\n",imap.lastErrorText());
        return;
    }

    //  Login
    success = imap.Login(L"myLogin",L"myPassword");
    if (success == false) {
        wprintf(L"%s\n",imap.lastErrorText());
        return;
    }

    //  Select an IMAP mailbox
    success = imap.SelectMailbox(L"Inbox");
    if (success == false) {
        wprintf(L"%s\n",imap.lastErrorText());
        return;
    }

    //  In the IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) protocol, criteria strings are used to search for emails matching specific criteria on the mail server. 
    //  When searching for emails by date, you can use criteria strings to specify the date range you're interested in.
    //  
    //  IMAP provides several options for searching emails by date using criteria strings. Here are the commonly used ones:
    //  
    //  1. BEFORE: Searches for emails sent before a specific date.
    //     Example: BEFORE 01-Apr-2022
    //  
    //  2. ON: Searches for emails sent on a specific date.
    //     Example: ON 01-Apr-2022
    //  
    //  3. SINCE: Searches for emails sent after a specific date.
    //     Example: SINCE 01-Apr-2022
    //  
    //  4. SENTBEFORE: Searches for emails whose date header (sent date) is before a specific date.
    //     Example: SENTBEFORE 01-Apr-2022
    //  
    //  5. SENTON: Searches for emails whose date header (sent date) is on a specific date.
    //     Example: SENTON 01-Apr-2022
    //  
    //  6. SENTSINCE: Searches for emails whose date header (sent date) is after a specific date.
    //     Example: SENTSINCE 01-Apr-2022
    //  

    //  The date format used in IMAP criteria strings is typically a specific format like "DD-Mon-YYYY" (e.g., "01-Apr-2022"), but some servers may also accept other formats 
    //  such as "YYYY-MM-DD". It's essential to check the documentation or specifications of the IMAP server you're working with to ensure compatibility with the 
    //  date format you're using.
    //  
    //  By combining these date criteria strings with other search criteria (such as sender, recipient, subject, etc.), 
    //  you can effectively filter and retrieve emails based on various conditions.
    //  

    //  Search for messages on a specific date.
    //  The date string is DD-Month-YYYY where Month is
    //  Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, or Dec.
    const wchar_t *onDate = L"SENTON 15-Apr-2024";

    //  Search for messages between two dates.  SENTBEFORE
    //  finds emails sent before a date, and SENTSINCE finds
    //  email sent on or after a date.  The "AND" operation
    //  is implied by joining criteria, separated by spaces.
    const wchar_t *betweenDates = L"SENTSINCE 12-Apr-2024 SENTBEFORE 15-Apr-2024";

    //  We can choose to fetch UIDs or sequence numbers.
    bool fetchUids = true;

    CkMessageSetW messageSet;
    success = imap.QueryMbx(betweenDates,fetchUids,messageSet);
    if (success == false) {
        wprintf(L"%s\n",imap.lastErrorText());
        return;
    }

    wprintf(L"%s\n",messageSet.toCompactString());

    //  Download each email in the message set.
    CkEmailW email;
    int messageCount = messageSet.get_Count();
    int i = 0;
    while (i < messageCount) {
        success = imap.FetchEmail(false,messageSet.GetId(i),fetchUids,email);
        if (success == false) {
            wprintf(L"%s\n",imap.lastErrorText());
            return;
        }

        wprintf(L"%s\n",email.subject());
        //  ...

        i = i + 1;
    }

    //  Disconnect from the IMAP server.
    success = imap.Disconnect();
    }