Search in IMAPv4

Question

Is there a way to tell the IMAP server that it only has to find the first 20 responses that fit a given search criteria. So, for example, I am sending to the server the command (SEARCH SINCE 1-Feb-2010) and it will wait to return all messages since 1-Feb-2010. Is there a way to tell the server that it only has to return the first 20?

PS: the spec for IMAP http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2060.html#section-6.4.4

Answer 1

I don't think that you can do it.

SEARCH returns only message numbers or UIDs so it's pretty fast.