IMAP functions in PHP

[lunc]

I am currently trying to write some PHP code to "read"/parse my incoming emails. Open them up - "read" them by looking for keywords - then delete them etc.
To do this I am going to use the IMAP functions in PHP. But of course these are not standard to PHP. They are an extension of sorts. So, I am a bit worried about finding a host for my PHP IMAP code: what percentage of hosts would support this extension? Would I really have to search around?

Does anyone know any good resources/tutorials for IMAP functions in PHP? Does anyone know any good IMAP PHP code already "out there" that I could look through?

[lunc]

At the moment I am testing and playing with my PHP code using easyphp. A really nice tool that allows you to emulate a php ready apache server on your desktop computer. The problem that I have now is that it doesnt support IMAP PHP functions. So, I am wondering whether anyone knows a similar desktop tool that can support IMAP PHP functions. Or perhaps a free server that supports IMAP PHP functions.

[marek_mar]

Apache is a free server just like php and mysql.

[firepages]

PHP IMAP requires 2 things ,

The php_imap extension (available in the zip file download from php.net (make sure you get one that matches your php version)) and then enable the dll in your php.ini (extension=php_imap.dll)

& an IMAP server , it may be easier to simply open your IMAP boxes on your real server than setup IMAP on win32 ?