Question

I have af python script that download attchments from a POP3 mailbox. But I have a little problem with some encoding..

    for i in range(self.count_inbox(client))[:20]:
        lines = client.retr(i+1)[1]
        mstring = string.join(lines, "\n")

        # Loop trough part of each mails
        for part in email.message_from_string(mstring).walk():
            try:
                filename = part.get_filename()
            except:
                filename = None

            if filename:
                attchments[filename] = part.get_payload(decode=True)

Some of the att files is named:

Good:

191720_15728883_20120207_151138.pdf

Invoice_3565382.pdf

Error:

=?Windows-1252?Q?Factuur_751845.pdf?=

Answer 1

=?Windows-1252?Q?Factuur_751845.pdf?= – this name MIME-encoded word, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIME#Encoded-Word

You can decode it with email.header.decode_header, see example at:
http://docs.python.org/library/email.header.html#email.header.decode_header