javax.mail

## Interface UIDFolder

-     public interface UIDFolder

  The `UIDFolder` interface is implemented by Folders that can support the "disconnected" mode of operation, by providing unique-ids for messages in the folder. This interface is based on the IMAP model for supporting disconnected operation.

  A Unique identifier (UID) is a positive long value, assigned to each message in a specific folder. Unique identifiers are assigned in a strictly ascending fashion in the mailbox. That is, as each message is added to the mailbox it is assigned a higher UID than the message(s) which were added previously. Unique identifiers persist across sessions. This permits a client to resynchronize its state from a previous session with the server.

  Associated with every mailbox is a unique identifier validity value. If unique identifiers from an earlier session fail to persist to this session, the unique identifier validity value must be greater than the one used in the earlier session.

  Refer to RFC 2060 for more information. All the Folder objects returned by the default IMAP provider implement the UIDFolder interface. Use it as follows:

  >             Folder f = store.getFolder("whatever");
  >             UIDFolder uf = (UIDFolder)f;
  >             long uid = uf.getUID(msg);

  Author:
    John Mani

- - ### Nested Class Summary

    Nested Classes
    Modifier and Type | Interface and Description
    --- | ---
    `static class` | `UIDFolder.FetchProfileItem` A fetch profile item for fetching UIDs.

  - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field and Description
    --- | ---
    `static long` | `LASTUID` This is a special value that can be used as the `end` parameter in `getMessagesByUID(start, end)`, to denote the UID of the last message in the folder.

  - ### Method Summary

    Methods
    Modifier and Type | Method and Description
    --- | ---
    `Message` | `getMessageByUID(long uid)` Get the Message corresponding to the given UID.
    `Message[]` | `getMessagesByUID(long[] uids)` Get the Messages specified by the given array of UIDs.
    `Message[]` | `getMessagesByUID(long start, long end)` Get the Messages specified by the given range.
    `long` | `getUID(Message message)` Get the UID for the specified message.
    `long` | `getUIDValidity()` Returns the UIDValidity value associated with this folder.

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### LASTUID

          static final long LASTUID

      This is a special value that can be used as the `end` parameter in `getMessagesByUID(start, end)`, to denote the UID of the last message in the folder.
      See Also:
        `getMessagesByUID(long, long)`, Constant Field Values

  - ### Method Detail

    - #### getUIDValidity

          long getUIDValidity()
                              throws MessagingException

      Returns the UIDValidity value associated with this folder.

      Clients typically compare this value against a UIDValidity value saved from a previous session to insure that any cached UIDs are not stale.

      Returns:
        UIDValidity
      Throws:
        `MessagingException` - for failures

    - #### getMessageByUID

          Message getMessageByUID(long uid)
                                  throws MessagingException

      Get the Message corresponding to the given UID. If no such message exists, `null` is returned.
      Parameters:
        `uid` - UID for the desired message
      Returns:
        the Message object. `null` is returned if no message corresponding to this UID is obtained.
      Throws:
        `MessagingException` - for failures

    - #### getMessagesByUID

          Message[] getMessagesByUID(long start,
                                   long end)
                                     throws MessagingException

      Get the Messages specified by the given range. The special value LASTUID can be used for the `end` parameter to indicate the UID of the last message in the folder.

      Note that `end` need not be greater than `start`; the order of the range doesn't matter. Note also that, unless the folder is empty, use of LASTUID ensures that at least one message will be returned - the last message in the folder.

      Parameters:
        `start` - start UID
        `end` - end UID
      Returns:
        array of Message objects
      Throws:
        `MessagingException` - for failures
      See Also:
        `LASTUID`

    - #### getMessagesByUID

          Message[] getMessagesByUID(long[] uids)
                                     throws MessagingException

      Get the Messages specified by the given array of UIDs. If any UID is invalid, `null` is returned for that entry.

      Note that the returned array will be of the same size as the specified array of UIDs, and `null` entries may be present in the array to indicate invalid UIDs.

      Parameters:
        `uids` - array of UIDs
      Returns:
        array of Message objects
      Throws:
        `MessagingException` - for failures

    - #### getUID

          long getUID(Message message)
                      throws MessagingException

      Get the UID for the specified message. Note that the message must belong to this folder. Otherwise java.util.NoSuchElementException is thrown.
      Parameters:
        `message` - Message from this folder
      Returns:
        UID for this message
      Throws:
        `NoSuchElementException` - if the given Message is not in this Folder.
        `MessagingException` - for other failures

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