Save raw eml file using IMAP and POP3

There are times that you need to save raw eml format of the email (for example when you want to report a bug).

This tutorial shows how to use Mail.dll POP3 and IMAP clients to achieve this goal.

Notice that we are not parsing the emails so we don’t need to use MailBuilder and IMail classes.

Samples provided use both POP3 and IMAP protocols using C# and VB.NET

IMAP version:

The code below will write all emails with specified subject to your c: drive:

// C# code

using (Imap imap = new Imap())
{
    imap.Connect("server");
    // imap.ConnectSSL("server"); // if you need SSL connection.
    imap.Login("user", "password");

    imap.SelectInbox();

    List<long> uids = imap.Search(
        Expression.Subject("email subject"));

    foreach (long uid in uids)
    {
        string eml = imap.GetMessageByUID(uid);
        string fileName = string.Format("c:\email_{0}.eml", uid);
        File.WriteAllText(fileName, eml, Encoding.UTF8);
    }
    imap.Close();
}

' VB.NET code

Using imap As New Imap()
	imap.Connect("server")
	' imap.ConnectSSL("server") ' if you need SSL connection.
	imap.Login("user", "password")

	imap.SelectInbox()

	Dim uids As List(Of Long) = imap.Search( _
		Expression.Subject("email subject"))

	For Each uid As Long In uids
		Dim eml As String = imap.GetMessageByUID(uid)
		Dim fileName As String = String.Format("c:\email_{0}.eml", uid)
		File.WriteAllText(fileName, eml, Encoding.UTF8)
	Next
	imap.Close()
End Using

POP3 version:

As POP3 does not allow searching, the code below will write all emails to your c: drive:

// C# code

using (Pop3 pop3 = new Pop3())
{
    pop3.Connect("server");
    // pop3.ConnectSSL("server"); // if you need SSL connection.
    pop3.Login("user", "password");

    foreach (string uid in pop3.GetAll())
    {
        string eml = pop3.GetMessageByUID(uid));
        string fileName = string.Format("c:\email_{0}.eml", uid);
        File.WriteAllText(fileName, eml, Encoding.UTF8);
    }
    pop3.Close();
}

' VB.NET code

Using pop3 As New Pop3()
	pop3.Connect("server")
	' pop3.ConnectSSL("server"); ' if you need SSL connection.
	pop3.Login("user", "password")

  For Each uid As String In pop3.GetAll()
		Dim eml As String = pop3.GetMessageByUID(uid)
		Dim fileName As String = String.Format("c:\email_{0}.eml", uid)
		File.WriteAllText(fileName, eml, Encoding.UTF8)
	Next
	pop3.Close()
End Using

You can download Mail.dll at: Mail.dll .NET email component

Tags: C#, IMAP, Mail.dll, POP3, VB.NET

This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 16:03 and is filed under Component. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.