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pythonpython-3.xoutlookwin32com

How do I convert a .msg outlook file to a .txt file with python 3.9?


Please help a beginner python student out! I would really appreciate it.

I am trying to automatically filter emails from my inbox and save them as a text document in a specified folder. I can get the emails in my folder as .msg no problem, however, when I try to save it as a .txt file it either a) does not open up normally when I remove 'olTXT' or b) throws me the following error when I add 'olTXT':

line 19, in <module>
message.SaveAs(os.getcwd()+'//'+name, olTXT)
NameError: name 'olTXT' is not defined

I am using https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/api/outlook.mailitem.saveas as my reference.

This is what I have so far:

import win32com.client
from win32com.client import Dispatch
import os
import re

outlook = Dispatch("Outlook.Application").GetNamespace("MAPI")
inbox = outlook.GetDefaultFolder(6)
messages = inbox.items
message = messages.GetFirst()

report_subject = "Tech Report"

for message in messages:
    if message.subject[0:11] == report_subject:
        name = str(message.subject)
        #to eliminate any special charecters in the name
        name = re.sub('[^A-Za-z0-9]+', '', name)+'.txt'
        #to save in the current working directory
        message.SaveAs(os.getcwd()+'//'+name, olTXT)

Solution

  • Try adding this:

    OlSaveAsType = {
        "olTXT": 0,
        "olRTF": 1,
        "olTemplate": 2,
        "olMSG": 3,
        "olDoc": 4,
        "olHTML": 5,
        "olVCard": 6,
        "olVCal": 7,
        "olICal": 8
    }
    
    # example
    message.SaveAs(os.getcwd()+'//'+name, OlSaveAsType['olTXT'])
    

    Reference: Outlook.OlSaveAsType.olMSG

    The way you have it now you are referencing a variable olTXT before it is ever assigned which is why you are receiving the error.