(PHP Extension) Download and Save Email Attachments (POP3)

See more POP3 Examples

Downloads emails from a POP3 mailbox and saves all attachments.

Chilkat PHP Downloads PHP Extension for Windows, Linux, MacOS, Alpine Linux, Solaris

<?php

// The version number (9_5_0) should match version of the Chilkat extension used, omitting the micro-version number.
// For example, if using Chilkat v9.5.0.48, then include as shown here:
include("chilkat_9_5_0.php");

// 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.
$mailman = new CkMailMan();

// Set the POP3 server's hostname
$mailman->put_MailHost('pop.yourserver.com');

// Set the POP3 login/password.
$mailman->put_PopUsername('***');
$mailman->put_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 is a CkEmailBundle
$bundle = $mailman->CopyMail();
if ($mailman->get_LastMethodSuccess() != true) {
    print $mailman->lastErrorText() . "\n";
    exit;
}

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

$bundleIndex = 0;
$numMessages = $bundle->get_MessageCount();

while (($bundleIndex < $numMessages)) {
    // email is a CkEmail
    $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) {
        print $email->lastErrorText() . "\n";
        exit;
    }

    // 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->put_OverwriteExisting(false);
    $success = $email->SaveAllAttachments($dirPath);
    if ($success != true) {
        print $email->lastErrorText() . "\n";
        exit;
    }

    $numAttachments = $email->get_NumAttachments();
    $attachIndex = 0;
    while (($attachIndex < $numAttachments)) {
        // If the attachment filename was changed to prevent overwriting,
        // GetAttachmentFilename will return the new filename.
        print $email->getAttachmentFilename($attachIndex) . "\n";
        $attachIndex = $attachIndex + 1;
    }

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

        print 'Original Filename: ' . $email->getAttachmentFilename($attachIndex) . "\n";
        $success = $email->SaveAttachedFile($attachIndex,$dirPath);
        if ($success != true) {
            print $email->lastErrorText() . "\n";
            exit;
        }

        // 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.
        print 'Saved Filename: ' . $email->getAttachmentFilename($attachIndex) . "\n";
        $attachIndex = $attachIndex + 1;
    }

    $bundleIndex = $bundleIndex + 1;
}


?>