(CkPython) Download and Save Email Attachments (POP3)

See more POP3 Examples

Downloads emails from a POP3 mailbox and saves all attachments.

Chilkat Python Downloads install with pip pip3 install chilkat or download... Python Module for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Alpine Linux, Solaris

import sys
import chilkat

# 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 = chilkat.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())
    sys.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())
        sys.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())
        sys.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))
        attachIndex = attachIndex + 1

    # Attachments can also be saved individually.
    attachIndex = 0
    while (attachIndex < numAttachments) :

        print("Original Filename: " + email.getAttachmentFilename(attachIndex))
        success = email.SaveAttachedFile(attachIndex,dirPath)
        if (success != True):
            print(email.lastErrorText())
            sys.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))
        attachIndex = attachIndex + 1

    bundleIndex = bundleIndex + 1