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Email merge from CLI

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I want to do email merge (i.e. send emails by taking input from a spreadsheet) from a python program.

I have looked into python's email module, but that requires storing password etc in the code which is not feasible.

My plan was that i could call an thunderbird's mail merge plugins from my python program. This way, there would be no problem for credentials.

The email merge plugin used is this: Mail Merge 9.6.1 (by Alexander Bergmann) https://addons.thunderbird.net/addon/mail-merge/

i _think_ it would require knowing the CLI command. On looking for "thunderbird CLI" online, I found this article: Command line arguments - Thunderbird which showed following sample command to launch a new thunderbird compose window

`thunderbird -compose "to='john@example.com,kathy@example.com',cc='britney@example.com',subject='dinner',body='How about dinner tonight?',attachment='C:\temp\info.doc,C:\temp\food.doc'"`

This is good for composing single mails! But how to specify the arguments for the mail merge?

Being dependent on the add-on, i know that this is not a thunderbird's issue per se, but i couldn't find any other way to find about it.

Thanks.

I want to do email merge (i.e. send emails by taking input from a spreadsheet) from a python program. I have looked into python's email module, but that requires storing password etc in the code which is not feasible. My plan was that i could call an thunderbird's mail merge plugins from my python program. This way, there would be no problem for credentials. The email merge plugin used is this: Mail Merge 9.6.1 (by Alexander Bergmann) https://addons.thunderbird.net/addon/mail-merge/ i _think_ it would require knowing the CLI command. On looking for "thunderbird CLI" online, I found this article: [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Command_line_arguments_-_Thunderbird Command line arguments - Thunderbird] which showed following sample command to launch a new thunderbird compose window `thunderbird -compose "to='john@example.com,kathy@example.com',cc='britney@example.com',subject='dinner',body='How about dinner tonight?',attachment='C:\temp\info.doc,C:\temp\food.doc'"` This is good for composing single mails! But how to specify the arguments for the mail merge? Being dependent on the add-on, i know that this is not a thunderbird's issue per se, but i couldn't find any other way to find about it. Thanks.

All Replies (4)

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All I can suggest is to create a csv file from the spreadsheet, as that works.

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david said

All I can suggest is to create a csv file from the spreadsheet, as that works.

Hi! umh, can u please explain a bit more? the above one is way too vague.

  • Like where to use that csv file, In thunderbird or in mail merge addon?
  • what do you mean by "that works" - where does it work? In thunderbird or in mail merge addon?
  • how does it work - for email merge or just for entering recepients? if former, then does thunderbird have email merge within itself without requiring add-on?

and above all, how to do use that csv file via CLI?

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Your post mentioned the mailmerge addon and it supports csv. Instructions are on the addon pane for mailmerge.

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thanks a lot for being sooo much lot wonderfully understandably telekinetically helpful without even reading my question. thanks a lot for putting so much of your efforts.

i am so much obliged to have received such great help.