Filtering coming soon to an OfflineIMAP near you

[John Goerzen <jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Yes, it's coming, and it's going to kick ass :-)

Here's the details.

The prerequisites:
 * Moving of a message from one folder to another needs to be done
   more intelligently; that is, no longer a delete followed by an append
   to an IMAP server.  This is possible now, given the FMD5 fingerprint
   that messages get.  Side effect: moving large messages will not
   slow down your sync, and better reliability.

 * Ability to load full Python files into a running OfflineIMAP.
   Already done thanks to Tv.

The details:

When a message comes in, it will be passed to a Python function or lambda
after it has been downloaded from the IMAP server *AND* saved to the local
folder.

The python function will take, as arguments, the remote folder object, the
local folder object, the remote repository object, the local repository
object, the remote and local UIds, and the full message itself.  The
function will then have full autonomy to process the message as it desires. 
This processing could include:

 * deleting it
 * moving it to a different folder
 * deciding what to do based on the exit code of an external program
 * most anything else it wishes, including actions such as stopping the
   in-progress sync (mail yourself a message with the subject STOP SUCKING
   BANDWIDTH and OfflineIMAP will see it and kill itself), writing
   external files, popping up mail notification windows, etc.

In short, a very versatile system.  Using a tool such as procmail or
maildrop to deliver the message will NOT be supported, because OfflineIMAP
needs to have direct control over the filenames that are put into the
folders in order to ensure synchronization accuracy.  However, this
mechanism should provide more flexibility than procmail.  After all, instead
of a restrictive pseudo-language, you've got PYTHON to write your filters in
:-)

-- John

-- 
John Goerzen <jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>    GPG: 0x8A1D9A1F    www.complete.org
"Value your freedom, or you will lose it, teaches history.  `Don't bother us
with politics,' respond those who don't want to learn."