Removing extraneous info from emails

yim11 · Jul 13, 2000

Hello. I have been given a Perl script that [supposedly] strips extraneous info from emails before they are inserted into a database as comments. The script works GREAT with mail sent from lotus notes, not at all with messages from Outlook 98, and barely with mail sent from Outlook Express. What I am looking for is _any_ information that will explain how the extra info is being removed, so that I can customize the script to format all mail the same way. Included below is the section of script that removes the info from the message, as well as a copy of a 'processed' message sent via Outlook Express. TIA for any help!! Jim -----------Begin Code--------------- # We need to remove the extraneous information from the #  addressing fields     @tmp=split('"',$message{'From'});     $message{'From'}=$tmp[1];          if ($message{'To'}=~m"<&quot

{          @tmp=split(',',$message{'To'});         foreach(@tmp) {              @tmp2=split('<',$_,2);              @tmp3=split('>',$tmp2[1],2);              $_=@tmp3[0];         }         $message{'To'}=join(',',@tmp);     }     if ($message{'cc'}) {         @tmp=split(',',$message{'cc'});         foreach(@tmp) {             @tmp2=split('<',$_,2);             @tmp3=split('>',$tmp2[1],2);            $_=@tmp3[0];         }         $message{'cc'}=join(',',@tmp);     } else {         $message{'cc'}=" ";     } # Date needs to be corrected to the dd-Mon-yyyy format     $result=($message{'Date'}=~s"([0-9]) (...) ([0-9])"$1-$2-$3&quot

;     @tmp=split(' ',$message{'Date'});     $message{'Date'}=$tmp[1]; # Contents and subject must be escaped     $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s"'"''"g);     $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s"`"``"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"'"''"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"`"``"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"\\"\\\\"g);     @tmp=split(' ',$message{'Subject'});     $catno="";     foreach(@tmp) {         if ($_=~m"[0-9]-&quot

{             $catno=$_;         }     } ----End Code--------------------- Results from a processed Outlook Express message: ------Begin results-------------- multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0005_01BFECC9.1AF66440" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01BFECC9.1AF66440 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THis test message=20 sent via Outlook Express ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01BFECC9.1AF66440 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable THis test message sent via Outlook = Express ------=_NextPart_000_0005_01BFECC9.1AF66440-- -----End results--------------

MikeLacey · Jul 16, 2000

# We need to remove the extraneous information from the #  addressing fields # looks like you have an associative array called %message already set up # next two lines grab the first "From" address from the From list     @tmp=split('"',$message{'From'});     $message{'From'}=$tmp[1]; # this section splits up the "To" addresses # if there's a < character in there     if ($message{'To'}=~m"<&quot

{ # make an array (@tmp) containing each address          @tmp=split(',',$message{'To'}); # then - for each address         foreach(@tmp) { # chop off the < and > characters              @tmp2=split('<',$_,2);              @tmp3=split('>',$tmp2[1],2); # and save the bare email address (without the < and > characters)              $_=@tmp3[0];         } # save @tmp in the "to" element of %message         $message{'To'}=join(',',@tmp);     } # same - but for the "cc" element (hmmm, should that be "Cc"?)     if ($message{'cc'}) {         @tmp=split(',',$message{'cc'});         foreach(@tmp) {             @tmp2=split('<',$_,2);             @tmp3=split('>',$tmp2[1],2);            $_=@tmp3[0];         }         $message{'cc'}=join(',',@tmp);     } else {         $message{'cc'}=" ";     } # Date needs to be corrected to the dd-Mon-yyyy format # matches date fields and reformats # not sure if that first match [0-9] will work as it should match two digits, not one     $result=($message{'Date'}=~s"([0-9]) (...) ([0-9])"$1-$2-$3&quot

;     @tmp=split(' ',$message{'Date'});     $message{'Date'}=$tmp[1]; # Contents and subject must be escaped     $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s"'"''"g);     $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s"`"``"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"'"''"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"`"``"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"\\"\\\\"g);     @tmp=split(' ',$message{'Subject'});     $catno="";     foreach(@tmp) {         if ($_=~m"[0-9]-&quot

{             $catno=$_;         }     } ----End Code--------------------- run out of time - sorry - baby needs to be fed! Mike <a href=mailto:michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com>michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com</a> <a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a>

yim11 · Jul 17, 2000

Thank you very much!!! You are a great help! Hope the baby is full

Can you shed a little light on the following section as I'm almost sure this is where my problem is. --------Begin Code-------------- # Contents and subject must be escaped     $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s"'"''"g);     $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s"`"``"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"'"''"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"`"``"g);     $result=($message{'contents'}=~s"\\"\\\\"g);     @tmp=split(' ',$message{'Subject'});     $catno=""; -------End Code----------------- TIA!!! Jim

MikeLacey · Jul 17, 2000

baby's fine <grin> let us know how you get on with the script, this kind of thing is a devil to test # Contents and subject must be escaped # this section "escapes" certain characters so that they will insert # correctly into the database - you can't just insert a string # like 'Michael's', it has to be 'Michael''s' # use / rather than " as the match character - much easier to read # replace all ' with '' in the 'Subject' element of %message $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s/'/''/g); # replace all ` with `` in the 'Subject' element of %message $result=($message{'Subject'}=~s/`/``/g); # replace all ' with `` in the 'contents' element of %message $result=($message{'contents'}=~s/'/''/g); # replace all ` with `` in the 'contents' element of %message $result=($message{'contents'}=~s/`/``/g); # replace all \ with \\ in the 'contents' element of %message $result=($message{'contents'}=~s/\\/\\\\/g); # put each word in 'Subject' into the elements of the @tmp array @tmp=split(' ',$message{'Subject'}); Mike <a href=mailto:michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com>michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com</a> <a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a>

yim11 · Jul 17, 2000

> let us know how you get on with the script, this kind of > thing is a devil to test Your not kidding there! The main problem is the script works great on messages sent via Lotus Notes (v4.6a) but doesnt strip out enough on messages sent via Outlook Express, and strips so much on messages sent via Outlook 98 that they never show up! This is a very difficult project. Your help has been invaluable. Trying to find examples or resources for this type of script is rare at best. Thanks again, and if you have any other thoughts please let me know, otherwise I'll let ya know how it turns out. Thanks! Jim

MikeLacey · Jul 17, 2000

<smile> not the gentlest of intriductions to Perl If you're developing this script on a PC you should have a look at: <A HREF="

http://www.solutionsoft.com/perl.htm"

TARGET="_new">

http://www.solutionsoft.com/perl.htm</A> Nice

little development environment. Mike <a href=mailto:michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com>michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com</a> <a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a>

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Removing extraneous info from emails

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