Attachments in node-red

kowts · February 5, 2023, 7:36pm

Hello everybody,
I create a flow that is using node-red-node-email to get certain unread emails from INBOX.
Can someone help me on how to read the attachments (excel) from the email and send the payload to a robot workflow?
Attachments are in base64 (content), as you can see here:

[{"type":"attachment","content":[208,207,17,224,161,177,26,225,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,62,0,3,0,254,255,9,0,6,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,54,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,16,0,0,254,255,255,255,0,0,0,0,254,255,255,255,0,0,0,0,53,0,0,0,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,255,9,8,16,0,0,6,5,0,84,56,205,7,193,0,2,0,6,8,0,0,225,0,2,0,176,4,193,0,2,0,0,0,226,0,0,0,92,0,112,0,19,0,0,65,110,97,32,67,114,105,115,116,105,110,97,32,77,111,114,101,110,111,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,32,66,0,2,0,176,4,97,1,2,0,0,0,192,1,0,0,61,1,2,0,1,0,156,0,2,0,17,0,25,0,2,0,0,0,18,0,2,0,0,0,19,0,2,0,0,0,175,1,2,0,0,0,188,1,2,0,0,0,61,0,18,0,0,0,0,0,66,84,149,31,56,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,88,2,64,0,2,0,0,0,141,0,2,0,0,0,34,0,2,0,0,0,14,0,2,0,1,0,183,1,2,0,0,0,218,0,2,0,0,0,49,0,30,0,220,0,0,0,8,0,144,1,0,0,0,2,0,0,7,1,67,0,97,0,108,0,105,0,98,0,114,0,105,0,49,0,30,0,220,0,0,0,8,0,144,1,0,0,0,2,0,0,7,1,67,0,97,0,108,0,105,0,98,0,114,0,105,0,49,0,30,0,220,0,0,0,8,0,144,1,0,0,0,2,0,0,7,1,67,0,97,0,108,0,105,0,98,0,114,0,105,0,49,0,30,0,220,0,0,0,8,0,144,1,0,0,0,2,0,0,7,1,67,0,97,0,108,0,105,0,98,0,114,0,105,0,49,0,30,0,220,0,0,0,8,0,144,1,0,0,0,2,0,0,7,1,67,0,97,0,108,0,105,0,98,0,114,0,105,0,49,0,42,0,104,1,0,0,54,0,144,1,0,0,0,2,0,0,13,1,67,0,97,0,108,0,105,0,98,0,114,0,105,0,32,0,76,0,105,0,103,0,104,0,116,0,49,0,30,0],"contentType":"application/vnd.ms-excel","partId":"2","release":null,"contentDisposition":"attachment","filename":"6 Pós-Pago Teste EFATURA ICCID 4008404_4008409.xls","headers":{"content-type":{"value":"application/vnd.ms-excel","params":{"name":"6 Pós-Pago Teste EFATURA ICCID 4008404_4008409.xls"}},"content-description":"=?iso-8859-1?Q?6_P=F3s-Pago_Teste_EFATURA_ICCID_4008404=5F4008409.xls?=","content-disposition":{"value":"attachment","params":{"filename":"6 Pós-Pago Teste EFATURA ICCID 4008404_4008409.xls","size":"28672","creation-date":"Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:04:10 GMT","modification-date":"Tue, 13 Dec 2022 13:00:33 GMT"}},"content-transfer-encoding":"base64"},"checksum":"0e9e7cece72f119073619538424316a8","size":28672}]

My email flow

Thanks

Allan_Zimmermann · February 5, 2023, 10:23pm

I have not tested this in a long time, and I don’t have time to do it right now, but see if this helps you in the right direction

[
    {
        "id": "8d4e7cd9.9ebca",
        "type": "comment",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "Send email with File Attachment",
        "info": "",
        "x": 210,
        "y": 320,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "e7ad8ab5.4947a8",
        "type": "array-loop",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "Loop each attachment",
        "key": "key",
        "keyType": "msg",
        "reset": true,
        "resetValue": "value-null",
        "array": "attachments",
        "arrayType": "msg",
        "x": 500,
        "y": 380,
        "wires": [
            [
                "19e174b1.614c2b"
            ],
            [
                "cfbb8400.b85f78"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "dc937ad2.c27888",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "payload",
        "targetType": "msg",
        "x": 910,
        "y": 400,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "972dfe3d.5742a",
        "type": "api upload file",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "filename": "filename",
        "filenametype": "msg",
        "content": "payload",
        "contenttype": "msg",
        "mimeType": "",
        "mimeTypetype": "str",
        "entity": "entity",
        "entitytype": "msg",
        "name": "",
        "x": 440,
        "y": 440,
        "wires": [
            [
                "e7ad8ab5.4947a8"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "cfbb8400.b85f78",
        "type": "function",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "prepare for upload of file",
        "func": "msg.filename = msg.payload.filename;\nmsg.payload = msg.payload.content;\nreturn msg;",
        "outputs": 1,
        "noerr": 0,
        "x": 230,
        "y": 440,
        "wires": [
            [
                "972dfe3d.5742a"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "3fcd9b3b.d38d74",
        "type": "function",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "save email body",
        "func": "msg.body = msg.payload;\nreturn msg;",
        "outputs": 1,
        "noerr": 0,
        "x": 300,
        "y": 380,
        "wires": [
            [
                "e7ad8ab5.4947a8"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "19e174b1.614c2b",
        "type": "function",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "Prepare for robot",
        "func": "msg.payload = {};\nmsg.payload.subject = msg.topic;\nmsg.payload.body = msg.body;\nmsg.payload.from = msg.from;\nmsg.payload.attachments = [];\nmsg.attachments.forEach(x=> {\n    msg.payload.attachments.push(x.filename);\n});\nreturn msg;",
        "outputs": 1,
        "noerr": 0,
        "initialize": "",
        "finalize": "",
        "libs": [],
        "x": 730,
        "y": 360,
        "wires": [
            [
                "ae9fa989.0ccbe8"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "2d17c9f0.f80656",
        "type": "comment",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "requires node-red-contrib-loop-processing",
        "info": "",
        "x": 520,
        "y": 320,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "ae9fa989.0ccbe8",
        "type": "rpa workflow",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "queue": "5ce94386320b9ce0bc2c3d07",
        "workflow": "5f0056090e65fa3607ee5c6b",
        "name": "",
        "x": 730,
        "y": 420,
        "wires": [
            [
                "dc937ad2.c27888"
            ],
            [],
            [
                "bc27db6.4a81728"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "bc27db6.4a81728",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "error",
        "targetType": "msg",
        "x": 900,
        "y": 440,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "55692341.6be72c",
        "type": "e-mail in",
        "z": "584092c4.71933c",
        "d": true,
        "name": "",
        "protocol": "IMAP",
        "server": "imap.gmail.com",
        "useSSL": true,
        "autotls": "never",
        "port": "993",
        "box": "INBOX",
        "disposition": "None",
        "criteria": "UNSEEN",
        "repeat": "20",
        "fetch": "auto",
        "inputs": 0,
        "x": 150,
        "y": 380,
        "wires": [
            [
                "3fcd9b3b.d38d74"
            ]
        ]
    }
]

kowts · February 6, 2023, 10:34am

Hi @Allan_Zimmermann.

Thank you for the suggestion. I have already tested the flow and it’s working well!
I was able to debug the entire process and saw that the attachments are being uploaded to OpenFlow (that’s genius ).
I do have a couple of questions though:

How do I access the data within the robot in OpenRPA?
Does the ‘api upload file’ node supposed to create a collection in MongoDB? If yes, I can’t see it.

Allan_Zimmermann · February 6, 2023, 10:36am

you can get the files by id or filename from openrpa using download activity under mongodb
no, files should NEVER be stores in a collection, a document in mongodb should never be more than 2 megabyte, so we store files in GridFS ( you can query that using fs.files or just click files in the menu in openflow )

kowts · February 6, 2023, 11:14am

Thank you for the information!
I asked the secound question beacuse I saw the what was filled in the upload node.

So my last question… how do I access the id or filename from openrpa? or How I read the all the data sent to the robot?

Thanks!

Allan_Zimmermann · February 6, 2023, 3:30pm

use arguments on the workflow in openrpa, and make the argument name match what yo have in msg.payload when calling the robot from nodered ( it’s case sensetive, so use lowercase for everything to make your life easier )

kowts · February 6, 2023, 6:10pm

@Allan_Zimmermann Thanks for your support and info. I was able to finish the process, this will serve a POC in the company I work.
And hopefully (when accepted) implement OpenRPA as our tool for RPA.

system · February 9, 2023, 6:11pm

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