[MlMt] How to create a Mailbox Rule which extracts attachments

[Carlos Moffat]

Hi,

What I do to solve this problem is:

1) Set a smart folder that saves the messages that match the conditions to a folder (with Rules->Export to Folder).

2) Use the app Hazel to watch that folder, and when new messages are added, run a python script that extracts the attachment. I think this could be done with a macOS service as well, or with Keyboard Maestro’s ‘folder’ trigger.

3) Hazel then moves the processed message to a subfolder called ‘processed’.

the python code (which I call ‘get_email_attachments.py’) is pretty simple, copied below.

Cheers,
Carlos

#!/usr/bin/env python

import email
import sys
import os
import time

listing = sys.argv

for fle in listing:
    if str.lower(fle[-3:])=="eml":
        msg = email.message_from_file(open(fle))
        attachments=msg.get_payload()
        date=email.utils.parsedate_to_datetime(msg['Date']).strftime('%Y.%m.%d')
        for attachment in attachments:
            fnam=attachment.get_filename()
            if fnam is not None:
                content = attachment.get_payload(decode=True)
                outname = date + '-' + fnam
                print(outname)
                f = open(outname,'wb')
                f = f.write(content)




On 12 Feb 2024, at 4:36, Scott wrote:

> Hi,
>
>> No, I haven’t found a solution yet.
>>
>> Maybe it is possible to develop a bundle which extracts attachments to folders?
>>
>> But good to know I’m not alone here with this need….
>
> I have a similar need, and I almost found a solution...using Keyboard Maestro.
>
> I don't want to do it all the time for every message that arrives in a specific mailbox, so, not quite the same use as you and Stefan.
>
> Instead, I have a selection of messages that I want to extract the attachments from to a specific folder.
>
> I created a Keyboard Maestro macro to select all of the messages in that mailbox, and then select the Message -> Save Attachments shortcut in MailMate.
>
> Unfortunately, this is where things start behaving unpredictably.
>
> In the panel that appears, if you type a path (there is no text input area, but if you just start typing as if you're typing a path/directory), then the panel for saving the attachments will change to that directory.
>
> That's a macOS feature, not MailMate.
>
> But however Keyboard Maestro types text doesn't always play nicely with this process (I've tried all of the ways KM has).
>
> I suspect that if I had the KM Macro run some AppleScript that sent text more like a person typing, it may work, but, I've not tested this.
>
> Not quite the fully automated way that you want to do things, but, I'm nearly there with this approach.
>
> Scott
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Leo
>>
>> On 26 Jan 2024, at 19:25, Stefan Dorscht wrote:
>>
>>> Hello Leo
>>>
>>> Is there a solution for your request?
>>>
>>> I have a similar request here, I would like to export attachments from mails (with one or more attachments - some without attachments which shouldn’t be touched) to folders on my Mac.
>>>
>>> It would be ideal if all the attachments of each mail were placed in a single new folder.
>>> It would be even better if this folder then also had the name of the sender of the mail.
>>>
>>> Any hints?
>>>
>>> I am gratefuil for any help
>>>
>>> Stefan Dorscht
>>>
>>> Am 13.09.2023 um 5:39 Uhr schrieb leo:
>>>
>>>> Hi there
>>>>
>>>> From some incoming mail messages is there a way to extracts its attachments to a folder?
>>>>
>>>> I am thinking of setting up a Smart Mailbox, but in the *Actions* for the Mailboxes _Rules_ I couldn’t find anything which acts on attachments…
>>>>
>>>> Many thanks for any help,
>>>> Leo_______________________________________________
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>>>> mailmate at lists.freron.com
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