In this article
Overview
You can use this Snap to read IMAP or POP3 server email messages. In addition to reading emails, you can also process inline images, images sent as attachments, archive read emails using this Snap. The Snap allows you to choose the target folder where such archived emails are moved, and you can use this feature to delete emails as well by configuring the corresponding 'trash' folder in your email.
Snap Type
Email Reader Snap is a READ-type Snap that reads the data and passes to the downstream Snap.
Prerequisites
This Snap requires a valid IMAP or POP 3 account to handle access to this endpoint.
Clicking the "Preview" button does not read any email message if the account is IMAP and the Unread only property is checked. When unread messages are read, they are all marked as "read" in the mail server. Therefore, they should not be read during the preview. Otherwise, the execution of the Snap will not be able to read any message.
Support for Ultra Pipelines
Works in Ultra Pipelines.
Limitations
Gmail IMAP or POP3 accounts may not work with the Email Reader Snap. Gmail processes an email hijack detection based on IP addresses and locations. If it sees the IP address that the IMAP or POP3 client app is running from is different than the usual locations, it suspects the account is being hijacked and sends error messages like:
+OK Gpop ready for requests from 23.23.38.68 n18mb191678450qav" or
Cannot connect to the endpoint reason: [SYS/PERM] Your account is not enabled for POP access. Please visit your Gmail settings page and enable your account for POP access." or other variations.
You may find an email from Gmail in the inbox titled "Suspicious sign in prevented", which is caused by the execution of Email Reader Snap. You may be able to see more messages from Gmail in your Gmail account web page: Account > Security > Recent Activity > View activity. As of writing this note, there seems to be no settings available in the Gmail account to disable this security feature. Please contact Gmail Support if your Gmail account must work in Email Reader Snap.
Known Issues
None.
Snap Views
Type | Format | Number of Views | Examples of Upstream and Downstream Snaps | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Input | Document |
| Document | This Snap has at the most one document input view. By default, the input view is not enabled; however, you can specify at the most one input. |
Output | Document |
| Document | This Snap has exactly one output view and produces documents in the view. Each Document contains a Map data which represents one email message. The keys in the document are "from", "to", "cc", "subject", "dateSent", "emailType", "textBody", "htmlBody" and "attachments". The value of "from", "to" and "cc" keys is a list of strings. The value of "subject" and "dateSent" keys is a string.The value of "emailType" key is "text/plain" or "text/html" or "multipart/*". The value of "attachments" key is a list of Map data. Each Map data corresponds to an attached file. The keys of the Map data are "contentType", "filename" and "attachment". The value of the "attachment" key is a binary data read from the attached file. If the email message received has a nested multipart of content, all plain text bodies are appended to the value of the "textBody" key, and all HTML contents to the value of the "htmlBody" key. The following is an example of an Output Document:
|
Error | Error handling is a generic way to handle errors without losing data or failing the Snap execution. You can handle the errors that the Snap might encounter while running the Pipeline by choosing one of the following options from the When errors occur list under the Views tab. The available options are:
Learn more about Error handling in Pipelines. | |||
Snap Settings
Asterisk (*): Indicates a mandatory field.
Suggestion icon (
): Indicates a list that is dynamically populated based on the configuration.Expression icon (
): Indicates whether the value is an expression (if enabled) or a static value (if disabled). Learn more about Using Expressions in SnapLogic.Add icon (
): Indicates that you can add fields in the fieldset.Remove icon (
): Indicates that you can remove fields from the fieldset.
Field Name | Field Type | Field Dependency | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Label* Default Value: Email Reader | String | None | Specify the name for the Snap. You can modify this to be more specific, especially if you have more than one of the same Snap in your Pipeline. |
Mail folder* Default Value: Inbox | String/Expression | None | Specify the name of email folder where the Snap reads messages from. Ensure that you specify the folder name as it appears on the email client, because folder names might be case-sensitive for some email providers, such as Yahoo. Otherwise, the Snap displays |
Unread only Default Value: Selected | Checkbox | None | Select this checkbox to inform Snap to read only the unread email messages. If you do not select this checkbox, the Snap reads all messages. If this property is selected, the Snap does not execute during preview as the execution changes the state of the unread messages. |
Number of messages Default Value: All | Integer | None | Specify the maximum number of messages that the Snap has to read. Any non-integer or negative value leads to "All" messages being moved. |
Older message first Default Value: Deselected | Checkbox | None | Select this checkbox to view the older messages first in the output view. If you do not select this checkbox, the latest messages display first in the output view. |
Attachment folder Default Value: Shared | String/Expression | None | Specify the URL of the directory where attached files are stored. If this property is blank, all attached files are ignored.
The following are the most commonly-used target directory values:
Examples:
|
File action Default Value: OVERWRITE | Dropdown list | None | Select an action to be taken if a file with the same name as in the email attachments exists in the specified directory. The available options include:
If ERROR is selected, the Snap displays an error message and the pipeline execution is terminated when it encounters an already existing file. |
Archive messages after reading Default Value: Deselected | None | Select this checkbox to move or archive the read messages. If you do not select this checkbox, the read messages are not moved or archived. | |
Target folder Value: None | String/Suggestion | Archive messages after reading | Specify the target location for the archived emails. You need to configure this property only if you select the Archive messages after reading field. This is a suggestible field and the suggestions are based on the folders available in the email account. Ensure that you specify the folder name as it appears on the email client, because folder names might be case-sensitive for some email providers, such as Yahoo. Otherwise, the Snap displays |
Snap Execution Default Value: Validate & Execute | Dropdown list | N/A | Select one of the three modes in which the Snap executes. Available options are:
|
Examples
Reading Attachment from an SFTP Location
In this pipeline, the Email Reader Snap reads the attachment from the path as provided in the Attachment folder field, in this case, from an SFTP location.
The Email Reader Snap is configured as in the following image:  | In order to read and store the files on a provided location, the Attachment password must be set on the Account Settings of the Snap, else will display an error.  |
Reading Emails from Shared Mailbox
The pipeline below demonstrates how the Email Reader Snap is used to read emails from shared mailboxes:
The Snap's configuration is the same as in reading emails from individual mailboxes, however the Account settings are to be configured a little differently:
Email ID - email ID suffixed with "/shared-mailbox". For example, abc@hotmail.com/shared-mailbox
Mail properties fields:
Mail property name: mail.imaps.auth.plain.disable
Mail property value: true
The screenshot below is a sample of the Account settings for such a configuration:
Validate the account and click Apply. If the mail properties are not configured the validation fails with an exception.
The Email Reader Snap is configured the same way as in individual mailboxes, in the Mail folder property, the folders from the shared mailbox are suggested as seen in the screenshot below:  | A sample preview of the output data showing one of the emails in the shared mailbox.  |
Archiving Read Emails
The emails read by the Snap can be archived/moved to a specified target location using this Snap. In this example, the emails are moved to the Spam folder. The pipeline is as shown in the screenshot below:
The Email Reader Snap is configured as shown in the screenshot below:  | The Archive messages after reading property is selected and the target folder is specified as the Spam folder. The screenshot below shows the Inbox of the email account with an email. This email will be archived and moved to the Spam folder when the Snap is executed.  |
Below is a preview of the output from the Snap, it shows the body of the email along with other email attributes:  | When refreshed, it can be seen that the Inbox has been updated and the email moved to the Spam folder:  |
Deleting Emails Using the Archive Feature
The emails read by the Snap can be archived/moved to a specified target location using this Snap. In this example, the emails are moved to the Trash folder. The pipeline is as shown in the screenshot below:
The Email Reader Snap is configured as shown in the screenshot below:  | The Archive messages after reading property is selected and the target folder is specified as the Trash folder. The screenshot below shows the Inbox of the email account with an email. This email will be archived and moved to the Trash folder when the Snap is executed.  |
Below is a preview of the output from the Snap, it shows the body of the email along with other email attributes:  | When refreshed, it can be seen that the Inbox has been updated and the email moved to the Trash folder:  |
Reading Inline Images
The pipeline in this example, Reading_Inline_Attachment_Images.slp, demonstrates the image reading functionality of the File Reader Snap. An email containing an inline image and an image as an attachment is passed to the Email Reader Snap.
Upon execution, the output preview shows the inline and attached image.
Download this pipeline.
We have an email in a Gmail account inbox that contains both an inline image and an image as an attachment:  | The pipeline is designed as shown below:  In the Snap Settings, the Mail folder is set as INBOX and the Attachment folder is defined as Test Folder/Test Attachment Folder.  |
The output preview of the Snap displays the details of the image files in the email, both inline and attachments:  |
Downloads
Download and import the Pipeline into SnapLogic.
Configure Snap accounts as applicable.
Provide Pipeline parameters as applicable.
Snap Pack History
Release Snap Pack Version Date Type Updates May 2024 main26341 Stable Updated and certified against the current SnapLogic Platform release. February 2024 main25112 Stable Updated and certified against the current SnapLogic Platform release. November 2023 main23721 Stable Updated and certified against the current SnapLogic Platform release. August 2023 main22460 Stable Updated and certified against the current SnapLogic Platform release. May 2023 main 21015 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. February 2023 432patches20237 Latest The JSCH library has been upgraded to version 0.2.7. February 2023 main19844 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. November 2022 main18944 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. August 2022 430patches17403 Latest The Email Account now does not display a null pointer exception when the Mail Properties fieldset is left blank as this is not a mandatory field. Earlier, the account displayed a null pointer exception for null values in this fieldset. August 2022 main17386 Stable The Email Sender Snap supports the 4.29 main15993 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.28 Patch 428patches14812 24 Mar 2022 Latest Fixed an issue with the Email Sender Snap where SMB files were attached to an e-mail causing the Snaps to fail with a 4.28 main14627 12 Feb 2022 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.27 main12833 13 Nov 2021 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.26 Patch 426patches11591 21 Sep 2021 Latest Fixed the following issues with the Email Archive Snap where the Snap: Failed with an error Caused multiple copies of the same source message in the target folder when the Snap was executed multiple times in preview. 4.26 main11181 14 Aug 2021 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.25 main9554 08 May 2021 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.24 main8556 13 Feb 2021 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.23 main7430 14 Nov 2020 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.22 422patches6730 17 Sep 2020 Latest Fixes the connectivity issue for the Email Sender Snap by making it compatible with TLS version 1.2. 4.22 main6403 12 Sep 2020 Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.21 snapsmrc542 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.20 Patch email8813 - Latest Fixes an issue with the Email Sender Snap that caused the Snap to fail while uploading attachments to SMB locations when the attachment password contained a forward slash "/". 4.20 snapsmrc535 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.19 snaprsmrc528 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.18 snapsmrc523 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.17 Patch ALL7402 - Latest Pushed automatic rebuild of the latest version of each Snap Pack to SnapLogic UAT and Elastic servers. 4.17 snapsmrc515 - Stable Added the Snap Execution field to all Standard-mode Snaps. In some Snaps, this field replaces the existing Execute during preview check box. 4.16 Patch email6772 - Latest Fixed an issue with the Email Delete Snap wherein the Snap fails to delete emails with multiple input documents. 4.16 snapsmrc508 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.15 Patch email6267 - Latest Fixed an issue with handling null attachments in the Email Sender and Email Reader Snaps. 4.15 snapsmrc500 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.14 Patch email5740 - Latest Fixed an issue with POP3 access in Email Reader, Archive, and Delete Snaps. IMAP specific methods are now not called during POP3 access. 4.14 Patch email5662 - Latest Fixed the Email Reader/Sender Snaps that replace the "+" symbol in attachment files with a space in the output. 4.14 snapsmrc490 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.13 Patch email5368 - Latest Enhanced Email Reader Snap to perform read and archive functions. Fixed the Email Archive Snap that does not display sorting errors. Fixed the Email Reader Snap that slows down when renaming the downloaded attachments. 4.13 snapsmrc486 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.12 Patch email4948 - Latest Fixed an issue with the Email Reader Snap, wherein the Snap gets corrupted when a file name and content contains Unicode characters. 4.12 snapsmrc480 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.11 Patch email4481 - Latest Resolved an issue with Email Reader Snap: The Snap now reads to fetch mails from a shared mail box. The Snap can now read the file attachment that has a percent sign [%], or ó. Updated the Email Delete Snap code to display the default value as zero instead of blank in the UI. 4.11 snapsmrc465 - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.10 Patch email4025 - Latest Added Connection, Read, and Write timeout settings that support retries for SMTP, POP3, and IMAP email account types. 4.10 Patch email3944 - Latest Resolved an issue with the Email Reader Snap to support the shared mailbox on an Office 365 server. Email Reader did not support Office 365 shared mailbox until we explicitly disabled plaintext authentication when we specify ssl authentication. The Office server falsely reports that it supports PLAIN authentication and the snap library is happy to try it but it always fails. This is a known issue with Office 365 / Outlook. 4.10 snapsmrc414 - Stable Email Account Updated with Attachment password property (encrypted) to support the attachment function for the Email Sender and Reader Snaps. Email Reader Snap updated with the Attachment folder property to store the attached files on a path. Email Sender Snap extended support to SLDB, SFTP, and SMB file protocols for the attachments 4.9.10 snapsmrc405 - Latest Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.8.0 Patch email2816 - Latest Addressed an issue with Email Sender Snap being unable to Handle Chinese characters. 4.8 - - Stable Upgraded with the latest SnapLogic Platform release. 4.7.0 Patch email2499 - Latest Added logic to process emails that have text files as attachments and download the files to the provided attachment location. 4.6.0 snapsmrc362 - Latest Resolved an issue in Email Sender Snap that failed when attached a file that had spaces in the file name. Enhanced error handling in Email Reader Snap to appropriately route connection errors to error view. 4.5.1 email1564 - Latest BCC field added to the Email Sender Snap. Retries added to the Email Sender Snap. - - August 7, 2015 (2015.25/4.2.1) - Email Reader Snap now has an option to read older message first. Resolved Null Pointer exception in Email Reader Snap when reading from Yahoo mailbox. - - June 27, 2015 (2015.22) - Email Sender now supports the ability to pass through input documents. - - June 6, 2015 (2015.20) - Email Reader: Resolved an error with concatenating file names in attachments - - Snap Updates, December 20, 2014 - NEW! Email Archive introduced in this release. - - November 2014 Launch Updates - NEW! Email Delete Snap was introduced in this release. - - October 18, 2014 - Email Sender now allows JSONPath expressions - - Fall 2014 Launch Updates - Email Sender: better handling of error messages to the error view. - - December 2013 Launch Updates - Email Reader Snap and Email Sender Snap were updated to handle attachments. - - September 2013 Updates - Email Sender & Email Reader introduced in this release. This pair of Snaps let you send and receive an email when you run a pipeline. Updated and certified against the current SnapLogic Platform release.file:/// protocol in the Attachments field.NullPointer Exception.User is authenticated but not connected, as the Snap did not re-authenticate with the server after the connection expired due to the long durations in the execution of Ultra Pipelines.