Sending email with attachment in Python

Question

I have code sending email in Python:

from email.mime.base import MIMEBase
from email import encoders
from email.utils import formatdate

SERVER_ADDR = 'smtp.gmail.com'

def sendMail(dir, fromAddr, toAddr, subject, text, files):
  msg = MIMEMultipart()
  msg['From'] = fromAddr
  msg['To'] = toAddr
  msg['Date'] = datetime.date.today()
  msg['Subject'] = subject

  msg.attach(MIMEText(text))

  for file in files:
    part = MIMEBase('application',"octet-stream")
    part.set_payload( open(file,"rb").read )
    encoders.encode_base64(part)
    part.add_header('Content-Disposition','attachment; filename {}'.format(os.path.basename(file)))
    msg.attach(part)

  smtp = smtplib.SMTP(SERVER_ADDR,587)
  smtp.sendmail(fromAddr,toAddr,msg.as_string())
  smtp.close()
  return 0

def main(argv):
  files = [argv[1]]
  sendMail(myemail,myemail,"Zalacznik","Tekst maila bla bla bla.",
           files) # I replaced my email here
  return 0

if __name__=="__main__":
  sys.exit(main(sys.argv))

I've got error:

TypeError: sendMail() missing 1 required positional argument: 'files'

What is wrong with my code?

[EDIT]: Ok I've removed dir from signature, but I have another error:

TypeError: expected bytes, not builtin function or method

Error is in line encoders.encode_base64(part) .

Answer 1

This question has nothing to do with sending emails, or attachments.

The signature of the sendMail function has as the first positional argument dir - although you don't use that anywhere in the function. However, when you call the function, you seem to have missed out that argument: the first parameter you send is an email, so is presumably intended to be fromAddr .

You probably just want to remove that argument from the definition.

Answer 2

To put the definition and call of sendMail alongside one another:

def sendMail(dir,     fromAddr, toAddr,      subject,                    text,  files):
          #  |        |         |            |                           |      !
    sendMail(myemail, myemail,  "Zalacznik", "Tekst maila bla bla bla.", files)

As Python interprets the arguments positionally it tells you you're missing the last one, files , but I would say you're really missing the first one, dir .