Search workflow

Core idea

mxr treats search as navigation, not a bolt-on filter. Search results drive the TUI mail list, saved searches, exports, and batch mutations.

Common patterns

mxr search "from:alice unread"
mxr search "label:work has:attachment"
mxr search "subject:\"quarterly review\" after:2026-01-01"
mxr search "unsubscribe"
mxr search "label:inbox" --format ids

Dedicated search page

The TUI has both:

• Inline search with /
• A dedicated Search page for a broader search-and-preview workflow

The dedicated page gives you:

• Query input
• Result list
• Preview pane
• Normal open flow into mailbox/thread interaction

Useful combinations

• Use mxr search ... --format ids | xargs ... for shell pipelines.
• Save high-value searches in the TUI sidebar for recurring workflows.
• Use mxr count QUERY for quick status-bar or script integration.
• Use mxr export --search QUERY --format mbox to archive slices of mail.

TUI flow

1. Press / to start a search.
2. Refine with fields such as from:, to:, subject:, label:, before:, after:.
3. Use n and N to move between matches.
4. Open results with Enter or o.
5. Use bulk select to mutate or export the result set.

Saved searches

Saved searches are not a secondary convenience. They are persistent inbox lenses and appear in:

• The sidebar
• Command palette
• CLI via mxr saved

Common flow:

mxr saved add urgent "label:inbox unread from:boss@example.com"
mxr saved list
mxr saved run urgent