(Ruby) IMAP Search with THREAD Semantics

Demonstrates how to search an IMAP mailbox and return message numbers grouped together in parent/child relationships based on which messages are replies to others.

Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.77 or greater.

Chilkat Ruby Downloads install from rubygems.org gem install chilkat or download... Ruby Library for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Alpine Linux

require 'chilkat'

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

imap = Chilkat::CkImap.new()

# Connect to your IMAP server and authenticate..
imap.put_Ssl(true)
imap.put_Port(993)
success = imap.Connect("imap.mail.us-west-2.awsapps.com")
if (success != true)
    print imap.lastErrorText() + "\n";
    exit
end

success = imap.Login("myLogin","myPassword")
if (success != true)
    print imap.lastErrorText() + "\n";
    exit
end

# Select a mailbox
success = imap.SelectMailbox("Inbox")
if (success != true)
    print imap.lastErrorText() + "\n";
    exit
end

# Search for all message having the letter 'a' somewhere in the Subject,
# and return the messages as JSON.
# json is a CkJsonObject
json = imap.ThreadCmd("REFERENCES","UTF-8","SUBJECT a",true)
if (imap.get_LastMethodSuccess() == false)
    print imap.lastErrorText() + "\n";
    exit
end

# The IMAP server will return a raw response with a format such as this:  (2)(3 6 (4 23)(44 7 96))

# In tree form, it's like this:
# 
#             -- 2
#             -- 3
#                 \-- 6
#                    |-- 4
#                    |      \-- 23
#                    |
#                    |-- 44
#                               \-- 7
#                                       \-- 96
# 

# It means there are 2 main threads returned, but the 2nd thread splits into two sub-threads.
# In total, we can think of it as 3 threads -- 2 main threads (with no parents) and one sub-thread w/ a parent.
# 
# - The 1st thread contains the message 2, and has no parent thread.
# - The 2nd thread contains the messages 3, 6, 4, 23, and has no parent thread.
# - The 3rd thread contains the messages 44, 7, 96 and the parent thread is message 6.
# 

# (Yes, this is all highly confusing...)

# Chilkat will return the above sample response as JSON that looks like this:

# {
#   "threads": [
#     [2],
#     [3, 6, [4, 23], [44, 7, 96]]
#   ]
# }
# 

# Use this online tool to generate parsing code from sample JSON: 
# Generate Parsing Code from JSON
# In this case, the online tool can help you get a feel for how to write the JSON parsing code..

numThreads = json.SizeOfArray("threads")
print "The total number of top-level threads is " + numThreads.to_s() + "\n";

# Let's say we wanted to get the messages in the thread 3, 6, 4, 23.
# We always follow the 1st branch to the bottom, ignoring the other branches.
# For example, if we had  [3, 5, [4, 23, [55, 56, 57], [68, 69]], [44, 7, 96]]
# then the thread would be 3, 5, 4, 43, 55, 56, 57

# For testing, let's substitute the response from the IMAP server with this sample:
json.Load("{\"threads\": [[2], [3, 5, [4, 23, [55, 56, 57], [68, 69]], [44, 7, 96]]]}")

# Begin with the 2nd top-level thread, which is at index 1.
print "Following the 2nd top level thread..." + "\n";
# arr is a CkJsonArray
arr = json.ArrayOf("threads[1]")
threadSize = arr.get_Size()
i = 0
while i < threadSize
    # Do we have an array or integer at this position?
    if (arr.TypeAt(i) == 4)
        # This is a sub-array.
        # subArr is a CkJsonArray
        subArr = arr.ArrayAt(i)

        # Follow the sub-array starting at the 1st position..
        # arr is a CkJsonArray
        arr = subArr
        i = 0
        threadSize = arr.get_Size()
    else
        # Must be a single integer.
        print arr.IntAt(i).to_s() + "\n";
        i = i + 1
    end

end

# The output is:
# 
# Following the 2nd top level thread...
# 3
# 5
# 4
# 23
# 55
# 56
# 57