[PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

The current behaviour of `git imap-send` is to mark sent messages as read
if curl is used, and unread if OpenSSL is used.

Fix this inconsistency by marking the message as read by default in both
cases. Also introduce `--[no-]mark-as-read` and `imap.markAsRead` option
to allow users to change this behaviour.

While at it, also clarify that `imap.folder` will be used if --folder is
not specified.

Signed-off-by: Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com>
---
 Documentation/config/imap.adoc   |  4 ++++
 Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc | 10 +++++++++-
 imap-send.c                      | 18 ++++++++++++++++--
 3 files changed, 29 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/config/imap.adoc b/Documentation/config/imap.adoc
index 4682a6bd03..afae49391c 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/imap.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/config/imap.adoc
@@ -45,3 +45,7 @@ imap.authMethod::
 	option, the only supported methods are `PLAIN`, `CRAM-MD5`, `OAUTHBEARER`
 	and `XOAUTH2`. If this is not set then `git imap-send` uses the basic IMAP
 	plaintext `LOGIN` command.
+
+imap.markAsRead::
+	Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
+	Default is `true`.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc b/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc
index 17147f93c3..3976c128c7 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ git-imap-send - Send a collection of patches from stdin to an IMAP folder
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
-'git imap-send' [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [(--folder|-f) <folder>]
+'git imap-send' [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [--[no-]mark-as-read] [(--folder|-f) <folder>]
 'git imap-send' --list
 
 
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ OPTIONS
 --folder=<folder>::
 	Specify the folder in which the emails have to saved.
 	For example: `--folder=[Gmail]/Drafts` or `-f INBOX/Drafts`.
+	If not specified, the folder assigned using `imap.folder`
+	will be used.
 
 --curl::
 	Use libcurl to communicate with the IMAP server, unless tunneling
@@ -58,6 +60,12 @@ OPTIONS
 --list::
 	Run the IMAP LIST command to output a list of all the folders present.
 
+--[no-]mark-as-read::
+	Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
+	`--mark-as-read` will mark the message as read, and `--no-mark-as-read`
+	will mark it as unread. If not specified, the default behaviour will
+	be decided by the value of `imap.markAsRead`.
+
 CONFIGURATION
 -------------
 
diff --git a/imap-send.c b/imap-send.c
index 44de0c5a77..a242119164 100644
--- a/imap-send.c
+++ b/imap-send.c
@@ -47,11 +47,12 @@
 
 static int verbosity;
 static int list_folders;
+static int mark_seen = 1;
 static int use_curl = USE_CURL_DEFAULT;
 static char *opt_folder;
 
 static char const * const imap_send_usage[] = {
-	N_("git imap-send [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [(--folder|-f) <folder>] < <mbox>"),
+	N_("git imap-send [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [--[no-]mark-as-read] [(--folder|-f) <folder>] < <mbox>"),
 	"git imap-send --list",
 	NULL
 };
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ static struct option imap_send_options[] = {
 	OPT_BOOL(0, "curl", &use_curl, "use libcurl to communicate with the IMAP server"),
 	OPT_STRING('f', "folder", &opt_folder, "folder", "specify the IMAP folder"),
 	OPT_BOOL(0, "list", &list_folders, "list all folders on the IMAP server"),
+	OPT_BOOL(0, "mark-as-read", &mark_seen, "mark messages as read after sending"),
 	OPT_END()
 };
 
@@ -1402,7 +1404,11 @@ static int imap_store_msg(struct imap_store *ctx, struct strbuf *msg)
 
 	box = ctx->name;
 	prefix = !strcmp(box, "INBOX") ? "" : ctx->prefix;
-	ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" ", prefix, box);
+	if (mark_seen) {
+		ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" (\\Seen) ", prefix, box);
+	} else {
+		ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" ", prefix, box);
+	}
 	imap->caps = imap->rcaps;
 	if (ret != DRV_OK)
 		return ret;
@@ -1513,6 +1519,8 @@ static int git_imap_config(const char *var, const char *val,
 		cfg->ssl_verify = git_config_bool(var, val);
 	} else if (!strcmp("imap.preformattedhtml", var)) {
 		cfg->use_html = git_config_bool(var, val);
+	} else if (!strcmp("imap.markasread", var)) {
+		mark_seen = git_config_bool(var, val);
 	} else if (!strcmp("imap.folder", var)) {
 		FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->folder);
 		return git_config_string(&cfg->folder, var, val);
@@ -1702,6 +1710,12 @@ static int curl_append_msgs_to_imap(struct imap_server_conf *server,
 	curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_READFUNCTION, fread_buffer);
 	curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD, 1L);
 
+	if (mark_seen) {
+		curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, CURLULFLAG_SEEN);
+	} else {
+		curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, 0L);
+	}
+
 	curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_READDATA, &msgbuf);
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "Sending %d message%s to %s folder...\n",
-- 
2.50.1.320.g2ad311502d

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

> On 23 Jul 2025, at 5:59 PM, Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> wrote:
> 
> The current behaviour of `git imap-send` is to mark sent messages as read
> if curl is used, and unread if OpenSSL is used.
> 
> Fix this inconsistency by marking the message as read by default in both
> cases. Also introduce `--[no-]mark-as-read` and `imap.markAsRead` option
> to allow users to change this behaviour.
> 
> While at it, also clarify that `imap.folder` will be used if --folder is
> not specified.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com>
> ---
> Documentation/config/imap.adoc   |  4 ++++
> Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc | 10 +++++++++-
> imap-send.c                      | 18 ++++++++++++++++--
> 3 files changed, 29 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/config/imap.adoc b/Documentation/config/imap.adoc
> index 4682a6bd03..afae49391c 100644
> --- a/Documentation/config/imap.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/config/imap.adoc
> @@ -45,3 +45,7 @@ imap.authMethod::
>   option, the only supported methods are `PLAIN`, `CRAM-MD5`, `OAUTHBEARER`
>   and `XOAUTH2`. If this is not set then `git imap-send` uses the basic IMAP
>   plaintext `LOGIN` command.
> +
> +imap.markAsRead::
> +    Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
> +    Default is `true`.
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc b/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc
> index 17147f93c3..3976c128c7 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/git-imap-send.adoc
> @@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ git-imap-send - Send a collection of patches from stdin to an IMAP folder
> SYNOPSIS
> --------
> [verse]
> -'git imap-send' [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [(--folder|-f) <folder>]
> +'git imap-send' [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [--[no-]mark-as-read] [(--folder|-f) <folder>]
> 'git imap-send' --list
> 
> 
> @@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ OPTIONS
> --folder=<folder>::
>   Specify the folder in which the emails have to saved.
>   For example: `--folder=[Gmail]/Drafts` or `-f INBOX/Drafts`.
> +    If not specified, the folder assigned using `imap.folder`
> +    will be used.
> 
> --curl::
>   Use libcurl to communicate with the IMAP server, unless tunneling
> @@ -58,6 +60,12 @@ OPTIONS
> --list::
>   Run the IMAP LIST command to output a list of all the folders present.
> 
> +--[no-]mark-as-read::
> +    Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
> +    `--mark-as-read` will mark the message as read, and `--no-mark-as-read`
> +    will mark it as unread. If not specified, the default behaviour will
> +    be decided by the value of `imap.markAsRead`.
> +
> CONFIGURATION
> -------------
> 
> diff --git a/imap-send.c b/imap-send.c
> index 44de0c5a77..a242119164 100644
> --- a/imap-send.c
> +++ b/imap-send.c
> @@ -47,11 +47,12 @@
> 
> static int verbosity;
> static int list_folders;
> +static int mark_seen = 1;
> static int use_curl = USE_CURL_DEFAULT;
> static char *opt_folder;
> 
> static char const * const imap_send_usage[] = {
> -    N_("git imap-send [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [(--folder|-f) <folder>] < <mbox>"),
> +    N_("git imap-send [-v] [-q] [--[no-]curl] [--[no-]mark-as-read] [(--folder|-f) <folder>] < <mbox>"),
>   "git imap-send --list",
>   NULL
> };
> @@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ static struct option imap_send_options[] = {
>   OPT_BOOL(0, "curl", &use_curl, "use libcurl to communicate with the IMAP server"),
>   OPT_STRING('f', "folder", &opt_folder, "folder", "specify the IMAP folder"),
>   OPT_BOOL(0, "list", &list_folders, "list all folders on the IMAP server"),
> +    OPT_BOOL(0, "mark-as-read", &mark_seen, "mark messages as read after sending"),
>   OPT_END()
> };
> 
> @@ -1402,7 +1404,11 @@ static int imap_store_msg(struct imap_store *ctx, struct strbuf *msg)
> 
>   box = ctx->name;
>   prefix = !strcmp(box, "INBOX") ? "" : ctx->prefix;
> -    ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" ", prefix, box);
> +    if (mark_seen) {
> +        ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" (\\Seen) ", prefix, box);
> +    } else {
> +        ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" ", prefix, box);
> +    }
>   imap->caps = imap->rcaps;
>   if (ret != DRV_OK)
>       return ret;
> @@ -1513,6 +1519,8 @@ static int git_imap_config(const char *var, const char *val,
>       cfg->ssl_verify = git_config_bool(var, val);
>   } else if (!strcmp("imap.preformattedhtml", var)) {
>       cfg->use_html = git_config_bool(var, val);
> +    } else if (!strcmp("imap.markasread", var)) {
> +        mark_seen = git_config_bool(var, val);
>   } else if (!strcmp("imap.folder", var)) {
>       FREE_AND_NULL(cfg->folder);
>       return git_config_string(&cfg->folder, var, val);
> @@ -1702,6 +1710,12 @@ static int curl_append_msgs_to_imap(struct imap_server_conf *server,
>   curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_READFUNCTION, fread_buffer);
>   curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD, 1L);
> 
> +    if (mark_seen) {
> +        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, CURLULFLAG_SEEN);
> +    } else {
> +        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, 0L);
> +    }
> +

The GitHub actions workflows are failing because CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS were introduced in v8.13.0 of libcurl, which is just 3 months old, and the CI has an older version.

Not sure if version checks are needed here or not.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Junio C Hamano]

Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:

> +imap.markAsRead::
> +	Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.

Is this something user typically want to use a single setting,
or would it often be per invocation?  Especially with the new
invoker in send-email, wouldn't it become more like "if I use
imap-send to stuff things in my outgoing folder, they shouldn't be
marked as read, but fcc copies send-email stuffs via imap-send
should be marked as read" or something like that?

> +	Default is `true`.

If we never marked these messages as read, then this default is a
breaking change, isn't it?

> @@ -47,11 +47,12 @@
>  
>  static int verbosity;
>  static int list_folders;
> +static int mark_seen = 1;

IOW, this smells problematic.

> +	if (mark_seen) {
> +		ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" (\\Seen) ", prefix, box);
> +	} else {
> +		ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" ", prefix, box);
> +	}

Why so many braces around single-statement blocks?

> @@ -1702,6 +1710,12 @@ static int curl_append_msgs_to_imap(struct imap_server_conf *server,
>  	curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_READFUNCTION, fread_buffer);
>  	curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD, 1L);
>  
> +	if (mark_seen) {
> +		curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, CURLULFLAG_SEEN);
> +	} else {
> +		curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, 0L);
> +	}
> +

Why so many braces around single-statement blocks?

According to

https://github.com/curl/curl/blob/master/docs/libcurl/symbols-in-versions

CURLULFLAG_SEEN first appeared in 8.13.0; INSTALL says we require 7.61.0
or later, so this may be OK.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

> On 23 Jul 2025, at 10:55 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
> 
>> +imap.markAsRead::
>> +    Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
> 
> Is this something user typically want to use a single setting,
> or would it often be per invocation?  Especially with the new
> invoker in send-email, wouldn't it become more like "if I use
> imap-send to stuff things in my outgoing folder, they shouldn't be
> marked as read, but fcc copies send-email stuffs via imap-send
> should be marked as read" or something like that?

So whenever the user changes the folder, he can change this option too?

Also, we have a command line way as well.

> 
>> +    Default is `true`.
> 
> If we never marked these messages as read, then this default is a
> breaking change, isn't it?

Curl always marked the messages as read, so how would it be a breaking change? As far as OpenSSL is concerned, it marks the messages as unread, but due to issues with the license, as long as people are compiling git themselves, I doubt people are using it.

Also, were people really using imap-send itself?

> 
>> @@ -47,11 +47,12 @@
>> 
>> static int verbosity;
>> static int list_folders;
>> +static int mark_seen = 1;
> 
> IOW, this smells problematic.
> 
>> +    if (mark_seen) {
>> +        ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" (\\Seen) ", prefix, box);
>> +    } else {
>> +        ret = imap_exec_m(ctx, &cb, "APPEND \"%s%s\" ", prefix, box);
>> +    }
> 
> Why so many braces around single-statement blocks?

Will fix

> 
>> @@ -1702,6 +1710,12 @@ static int curl_append_msgs_to_imap(struct imap_server_conf *server,
>>    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_READFUNCTION, fread_buffer);
>>    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD, 1L);
>> 
>> +    if (mark_seen) {
>> +        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, CURLULFLAG_SEEN);
>> +    } else {
>> +        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, 0L);
>> +    }
>> +
> 
> Why so many braces around single-statement blocks?
> 
> According to
> 
> https://github.com/curl/curl/blob/master/docs/libcurl/symbols-in-versions
> 
> CURLULFLAG_SEEN first appeared in 8.13.0; INSTALL says we require 7.61.0
> or later, so this may be OK.
> 

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

> On 23 Jul 2025, at 11:03 PM, Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>> On 23 Jul 2025, at 10:55 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
>> 
>>> +imap.markAsRead::
>>> +    Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
>> 
>> Is this something user typically want to use a single setting,
>> or would it often be per invocation?  Especially with the new
>> invoker in send-email, wouldn't it become more like "if I use
>> imap-send to stuff things in my outgoing folder, they shouldn't be
>> marked as read, but fcc copies send-email stuffs via imap-send
>> should be marked as read" or something like that?
> 
> So whenever the user changes the folder, he can change this option too?
> 
> Also, we have a command line way as well.

For send-email integration, maybe add another option over there as well?

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Junio C Hamano]

Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:

> The GitHub actions workflows are failing because CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS were introduced in v8.13.0 of libcurl, which is just 3 months old, and the CI has an older version.
>
> Not sure if version checks are needed here or not.

Hold onto the patch, without sending it to me or to the list, until
we raise the requirement for libcURL again perhaps in a few years,
at which time we may consider adpoting this feature.

I do not think we want more conditional compilation.

Thanks.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

> On 23 Jul 2025, at 11:16 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
> 
>> The GitHub actions workflows are failing because CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS were introduced in v8.13.0 of libcurl, which is just 3 months old, and the CI has an older version.
>> 
>> Not sure if version checks are needed here or not.
> 
> Hold onto the patch, without sending it to me or to the list, until
> we raise the requirement for libcURL again perhaps in a few years,
> at which time we may consider adpoting this feature.
> 
> I do not think we want more conditional compilation.

Ok

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Junio C Hamano]

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
>
>> +	if (mark_seen) {
>> +		curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, CURLULFLAG_SEEN);
>> +	} else {
>> +		curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, 0L);
>> +	}
>> +
>
> Why so many braces around single-statement blocks?
>
> According to
>
> https://github.com/curl/curl/blob/master/docs/libcurl/symbols-in-versions
>
> CURLULFLAG_SEEN first appeared in 8.13.0; INSTALL says we require 7.61.0
> or later, so this may be OK.

It might be obvious, but I meant "may not be OK" here.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

> On 23 Jul 2025, at 11:22 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:
> 
>> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
>>> +    if (mark_seen) {
>>> +        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, CURLULFLAG_SEEN);
>>> +    } else {
>>> +        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_UPLOAD_FLAGS, 0L);
>>> +    }
>>> +
>> Why so many braces around single-statement blocks?
>> According to
>> https://github.com/curl/curl/blob/master/docs/libcurl/symbols-in-versions
>> CURLULFLAG_SEEN first appeared in 8.13.0; INSTALL says we require 7.61.0
>> or later, so this may be OK.
> 
> It might be obvious, but I meant "may not be OK" here.

I understand. It anyways isn't a very important feature.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Junio C Hamano]

Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:

>> On 23 Jul 2025, at 10:55 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
>> 
>>> +imap.markAsRead::
>>> +    Choose whether to mark the sent message as read or not.
>> 
>> Is this something user typically want to use a single setting,
>> or would it often be per invocation?  Especially with the new
>> invoker in send-email, wouldn't it become more like "if I use
>> imap-send to stuff things in my outgoing folder, they shouldn't be
>> marked as read, but fcc copies send-email stuffs via imap-send
>> should be marked as read" or something like that?
>
> So whenever the user changes the folder, he can change this option too?

I am not sure what you mean.  If it is primarily per invocation, we
do not want a new configuration variable.  A new feature should be
introduced behind a command line option (disabled by default) first,
and then if it proves useful enough to wide audience, a configuration
is added for enhanced usability.  Adding a new configuration variable
at the same time an option is introduced smelled more like a spinal
reflection than a well thought out design.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Junio C Hamano]

Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:

> For send-email integration, maybe add another option over there as well?

No, let's scrap this step, as it requires way too new version of
cURL.

Re: [PATCH] imap-send: add option to mark sent messages as read or unread

[Aditya Garg]

> On 23 Jul 2025, at 11:26 PM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> Aditya Garg <gargaditya08@live.com> writes:
> 
>> For send-email integration, maybe add another option over there as well?
> 
> No, let's scrap this step, as it requires way too new version of
> cURL.

Yes I got that. Btw, so I just keep the inconsistency that OpenSSL marks it as unread and curl as read that way, or make OpenSSL mark it as read (it doesn't need any new api)?