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CkPython

Outlook -- Search Messages in a Particular Folder

See more Outlook Examples

Demonstrates search the messages in a particular Outlook mailbox folder.

This uses the OData $filter and $search system query options. See OData System Query Options for general information.

Also see OData URL Conventions for information about $filter, $search and other query options.

This example demonstrates the following searches:

  • Find emails from a particular email address.
  • Find emails where the subject contains a particular word or phrase.
  • Using an "AND" expression.
  • Find emails received in the last 24 hours.
  • Find emails received in October 2016
  • Find unread emails
  • Find emails containing a particular phrase in the body.
  • Free-text search of a keyword or phrase.
  • Free-text search of an email address.
Note: This example requires Chilkat v9.5.0.68 or greater.

This example applies to: Exchange Online | Office 365 | Hotmail.com | Live.com | MSN.com | Outlook.com | Passport.com

Chilkat CkPython Downloads

CkPython
import sys
import chilkat

success = False

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

http = chilkat.CkHttp()

# Use your previously obtained access token here:
# See the following examples for getting an access token:
#    Get Microsoft Graph OAuth2 Access Token (Azure AD v2.0 Endpoint).
#    Get Microsoft Graph OAuth2 Access Token (Azure AD Endpoint).
#    Refresh Access Token (Azure AD v2.0 Endpoint).
#    Refresh Access Token (Azure AD Endpoint).

http.put_AuthToken("MICROSOFT_GRAPH_ACCESS_TOKEN")

sbResponse = chilkat.CkStringBuilder()

# In this example, we'd like to get the messages in the folder "/Inbox",
# but we must specify the corresponding folder_id.  The best way to do this is to create
# a local map of folderPaths-to-folderIds.
# This example does it:  Create Outlook Folder Map)
htFolderMap = chilkat.CkHashtable()
sbMap = chilkat.CkStringBuilder()
sbMap.LoadFile("qa_data/outlook/folderMap.xml","utf-8")
htFolderMap.AddFromXmlSb(sbMap)

# Get the ID for the "/Inbox" folder:
folderId = htFolderMap.lookupStr("/Inbox")
if (htFolderMap.get_LastMethodSuccess() != True):
    print("Folder ID not found")
    sys.exit()

success = True
json = chilkat.CkJsonObject()
json.put_EmitCompact(False)

http.SetUrlVar("folder_id",folderId)
http.SetUrlVar("select","subject,from")

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Only return emails from "chilkat.support@gmail.com"
http.SetUrlVar("filter","from/emailAddress/address eq 'chilkat.support@gmail.com'")

# To return the full content of each email, omit the "&select=..." part of the URL.
success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Only return emails where the subject contains "Amazon"
http.SetUrlVar("filter","contains(subject,'Amazon')")

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Only return emails where the subject starts with "this email" and the from address is support@chilkatsoft.com
# (the startswith function is case insensitive)
http.SetUrlVar("filter","startswith(subject,'this email') and (from/emailAddress/address eq 'support@chilkatsoft.com')")

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Only return emails received within the last 24 hours
sbExpression = chilkat.CkStringBuilder()

sbExpression.Append("receivedDateTime ge ")
dt = chilkat.CkDateTime()
dt.SetFromCurrentSystemTime()
dt.AddDays(-1)
sbExpression.Append(dt.getAsTimestamp(False))

http.SetUrlVar("filter",sbExpression.getAsString())

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Only return emails received in October 2016
dtObj = chilkat.CkDtObj()
dtObj.put_Year(2016)
dtObj.put_Month(10)
dtObj.put_Day(1)
dtObj.put_Utc(True)
dt.SetFromDtObj(dtObj)

sbExpression.Clear()
sbExpression.Append("(receivedDateTime ge ")
sbExpression.Append(dt.getAsTimestamp(False))
sbExpression.Append(") and (receivedDateTime lt ")
dtObj.put_Month(11)
dt.SetFromDtObj(dtObj)
sbExpression.Append(dt.getAsTimestamp(False))
sbExpression.Append(")")

# This is the expression we just built:  (receivedDateTime ge 2016-10-01T00:00:00Z) and (receivedDateTime lt 2016-11-01T00:00:00Z)
print(sbExpression.getAsString())

http.SetUrlVar("filter",sbExpression.getAsString())

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Return unread emails
http.SetUrlVar("filter","isRead eq false")

# success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse);
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Return emails with a plain-text or HTML body containing the phrase "Outlook 365"
http.SetUrlVar("filter","contains(body/content,'Outlook 365')")

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$filter={$filter}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Use the $search query option instead of $filter.
# $search is a free-text search over whatever fields the server deems appropriate, such as in the subject,
# body, address fields, etc.

# Search for the word Amazon
http.SetUrlVar("search","Amazon")

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$search={$search}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Search for chilkatsoft.com
# Some chars, such as the "." make it necessary to enclose the search expression in double-quotes.
http.SetUrlVar("search","\"chilkatsoft.com\"")

success = http.QuickGetSb("https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/mailFolders/{$folder_id}/messages?$search={$search}&$select={$select}",sbResponse)
if ((success != True) and (http.get_LastStatus() == 0)):
    print(http.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json.LoadSb(sbResponse)
print(json.emit())