[Imap-protocol] literal usage

[Dave Cridland]

> Hello
> I'm suffering using the little bogus python imaplib, that don't 
> handle well
> literals.
> I would like to update the code, but need enlightened advices.
You could take a look at my Python library, at 
http://trac.dave.cridland.net/
It might well save you a lot of work.
> In the following questions I'm not to much interested by AUTH, 
> LOGIN, FETCH
> or APPEND but more about LIST, SEARCH, SETACL ...
> I would like to better understand the literal usage :
> When does a _server_  OR  a _client_ use a literals ?
> When their is no other way (when does quoted string are not enough) 
> ?
> What are the usual cases ? (I looked cyrus and found constraint 
> about
> size>1024 or use of special char like "%" )
Either when they have to, or can. Quoted strings must be used in a 
couple of places, such as Append commands for the date.
> What is the correct usage when mixing literal and string,
> does I need to insert a space between the end of a literal ?
There's usually a space, yes.
> For example for a setacl mailbox username lrswipcda, where I mix 
> strings
> ands literals
> (Here .. means CRLF)
> C: 000001 SETACL "mailbox" {8}
> S: wait for server "continuation response"
> C: username..<DO I NEED TO INSERT A SPACE HERE>lrswipcda..
No cr lf should be there. Just a space.
Dave.