(Node.js) Download and Save Email Attachments (POP3)

See more POP3 Examples

Downloads emails from a POP3 mailbox and saves all attachments.

Install Chilkat for Node.js and Electron using npm at Chilkat npm packages for Node.js Chilkat npm packages for Electron on Windows, Linux, MacOSX, and ARM

var os = require('os');
if (os.platform() == 'win32') {  
    if (os.arch() == 'ia32') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-win-ia32');
    } else {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-win64'); 
    }
} else if (os.platform() == 'linux') {
    if (os.arch() == 'arm') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-arm');
    } else if (os.arch() == 'x86') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-linux32');
    } else {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-linux64');
    }
} else if (os.platform() == 'darwin') {
    if (os.arch() == 'arm64') {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-mac-m1');
    } else {
        var chilkat = require('@chilkat/ck-node21-macosx');
    }
}

function chilkatExample() {

    // This example assumes the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
    // See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

    // The mailman object is used for receiving (POP3) 
    // and sending (SMTP) email.
    var mailman = new chilkat.MailMan();

    // Set the POP3 server's hostname
    mailman.MailHost = "pop.yourserver.com";

    // Set the POP3 login/password.
    mailman.PopUsername = "***";
    mailman.PopPassword = "***";

    // Copy the all email from the user's POP3 mailbox 
    // into a bundle object.  The email remains on the server.
    // CopyMail is a reasonable choice for POP3 maildrops that don't have too many
    // emails. For larger mail drops, one might download emails one at a time..
    // bundle: EmailBundle
    var bundle = mailman.CopyMail();
    if (mailman.LastMethodSuccess !== true) {
        console.log(mailman.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    // The directory path can be relative or absolute.
    // This shows a Windows style directory path.  On other operating systems, the path
    // would be different..
    var dirPath = "c:/myAttachments";

    var success;
    var bundleIndex = 0;
    var numMessages = bundle.MessageCount;
    // email: Email
    var email;
    while ((bundleIndex < numMessages)) {
        email = bundle.GetEmail(bundleIndex);

        // Save all attachments to the specified directory.
        // The directory is automatically created if it does not yet exist.
        success = email.SaveAllAttachments(dirPath);
        if (success !== true) {
            console.log(email.LastErrorText);
            return;
        }

        // The OverwriteExisting property controls whether already-existing files
        // are automatically overwritten.  By default, it is set to true so that existing
        // files will be overwritten.

        // Setting OverwriteExisting = false will cause the attachment-saving methods to generate
        // unique filenames if a file with the same name already exists.  The actual filename(s)
        // saved will be present by calling GetAttachmentFilename for each attachment *after*
        // saving.
        // For example...
        email.OverwriteExisting = false;
        success = email.SaveAllAttachments(dirPath);
        if (success !== true) {
            console.log(email.LastErrorText);
            return;
        }

        var numAttachments = email.NumAttachments;
        var attachIndex = 0;
        while ((attachIndex < numAttachments)) {
            // If the attachment filename was changed to prevent overwriting,
            // GetAttachmentFilename will return the new filename.
            console.log(email.GetAttachmentFilename(attachIndex));
            attachIndex = attachIndex+1;
        }

        // Attachments can also be saved individually.
        attachIndex = 0;
        while ((attachIndex < numAttachments)) {

            console.log("Original Filename: " + email.GetAttachmentFilename(attachIndex));
            success = email.SaveAttachedFile(attachIndex,dirPath);
            if (success !== true) {
                console.log(email.LastErrorText);
                return;
            }

            // If OverwriteExisting = true, the saved filename will always equal the original filename,
            // unless there are characters present in the filename that are not allowed by Windows,
            // such as * ? < > | etc.  In those cases the illegal characters are either removed or replaced
            // with underscore characters to allow the file to be saved.
            console.log("Saved Filename: " + email.GetAttachmentFilename(attachIndex));
            attachIndex = attachIndex+1;
        }

        bundleIndex = bundleIndex+1;
    }


}

chilkatExample();