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How to open a mail message (eml) from command line?

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 27 views
  • Last reply by ssosik

ssosik
ssosik
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I use offlineimap to fetch messages from my organization's mail server. This saves a copy of each mail message under a folder within my home directory.

Is it possible to open a specific mail file in Thunderbird from the command line (Mac OSX)?

I see `/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird` has a `-file` option, but that doesn't do what I was hoping - it opens a Compose window with the file as an attachment.

Thunderbird does have the ability to properly open and display these email files if I open a given file via the "Open Saved Message" menu item under File in the UI.

Is there a CLI equivalent to the File -> Open Saved Message action?

I use offlineimap to fetch messages from my organization's mail server. This saves a copy of each mail message under a folder within my home directory. Is it possible to open a specific mail file in Thunderbird from the command line (Mac OSX)? I see `/Applications/Thunderbird.app/Contents/MacOS/thunderbird` has a `-file` option, but that doesn't do what I was hoping - it opens a Compose window with the file as an attachment. Thunderbird does have the ability to properly open and display these email files if I open a given file via the "Open Saved Message" menu item under File in the UI. Is there a CLI equivalent to the File -> Open Saved Message action?

All Replies (2)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 10 Contributor
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On Windows, you simply enter the file name at the command prompt:

C:\Users\username\foldername\message.eml

A similar method on OS X should work with the open command:

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/212583/how-to-open-files-via-terminal

ssosik
ssosik Question owner
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Thanks for the reply.

I had tried that, and it didn't work directly (the files don't actually end with the `.eml`) but you gave me the right idea. If I add the `.eml` extension to the files then the OS X open command does do the right thing. By default `open` uses Mail.app, but adding the `-a` switch opens the message in Thunderbird:

open -a /Applications/Thunderbird.app/ ./foo.eml

Thanks!