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berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003
I just had a request from my boss - he has a situation where someone is requesting copies of emails and attachments over a specific time period as part of an FOI request.

As it is done now, my boss pulls up the (Outlook) email, prints it, prints the attachment (if required,) and moves on to the next email, ad nauseum, until his fingers fall off and a small forest is wiped out.

I mentioned exporting to a PST and giving it to the guy on disc, but apparently, this doesn't fly, because it has to be in a "readable" format.

The criteria for this software is that:
It must provide a readable output (text, image, etc);
It must be able to export in date order
It must be able to discern that there is an attachment and export it accordingly

and that's pretty much it.

Please, someone, tell me that you've had this exact experience and found the perfect tool to get the job done...

EDIT: I may have found a plugin that will work. What a pain in the rear end.

berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 20:01 on Sep 12, 2014

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Aunt Beth
Feb 24, 2006

Baby, you're ready!
Grimey Drawer
I don't have the silver bullet for this, but wouldn't printing to PDF at least save the small forest?

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003
Yes, but the jackass requested paper, so paper it is. You have to comply with the request of the citizen, as long as it is within your power to do so (i.e. we don't have to comply with a request for the information to be on a floppy, since that is impossible now.) Welcome to government!

At any rate, we needed a solution that would print in batches, including the attachments (if any) in order. Outlook on its own doesn't do that.

ufarn
May 30, 2009
Isn't mbox a standard for doing that sort of export?

Check out this article from the author of O'Reilly's "Mining the Social Web", which shows how to process e-mail data with Python.

Hopefully there's something there you can use.

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like this is only applicable to Gmail?

EDIT: Apparently not. Though, like I said, I was able to find a cheap plugin that is user friendly and will do what he needs to do. Thanks though.

deimos
Nov 30, 2006

Forget it man this bat is whack, it's got poobrain!

berzerkmonkey posted:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like this is only applicable to Gmail?

EDIT: Apparently not. Though, like I said, I was able to find a cheap plugin that is user friendly and will do what he needs to do. Thanks though.

Don't you get to pass along the cost of the plugin to the citizen doing the request?

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003

deimos posted:

Don't you get to pass along the cost of the plugin to the citizen doing the request?

Nope. I mean, essentially he's paying for it anyway (taxes) but this is to lessen our burden. It's only $22 anyway.

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

berzerkmonkey posted:

Nope. I mean, essentially he's paying for it anyway (taxes) but this is to lessen our burden. It's only $22 anyway.

Do I have to issue a drat FOI request to get you to tell us the name of the plugin?

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003

spog posted:

Do I have to issue a drat FOI request to get you to tell us the name of the plugin?

In triplicate. Sorry - I did that thing that I hate when other people do: post that they found a solution and never actually say what that solution was. I'll get it up tomorrow when I can check my email.

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.

berzerkmonkey posted:

In triplicate. Sorry - I did that thing that I hate when other people do: post that they found a solution and never actually say what that solution was. I'll get it up tomorrow when I can check my email.

There seemed to be a certain irony in your apparant refusal to reveal vital information, in a thread about FOI.

Either that, or you used to a writer for Lost.

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003
Ehh, it wasn't a refusal, just an oversight. At any rate, it was from here: http://www.sperrysoftware.com/outlook/print-on-demand.asp

I haven't tried it, I've just submitted it up the chain for review, so I can't recommend it in any way, other than it is advertised to do what is needed.

spog
Aug 7, 2004

It's your own bloody fault.
Nah. Just pulling your leg and pointing out the irony in the situation

I'd appreciate hearing your experiences with it.

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003
If my boss decides to use it, I'll post an update here.

KillHour
Oct 28, 2007


I'm totally curious for no reason, now. What was the subject/purpose of the FOI request?

Dr. Arbitrary
Mar 15, 2006

Bleak Gremlin

KillHour posted:

I'm totally curious for no reason, now. What was the subject/purpose of the FOI request?

Food Court complaint cards.

KillHour
Oct 28, 2007


Well, then. :geno:

berzerkmonkey
Jul 23, 2003

KillHour posted:

I'm totally curious for no reason, now. What was the subject/purpose of the FOI request?

Who knows. The public asks for some wacky things. I'm not at that level though, so I don't get to see or process the requests. Also, as an update, my boss will not share any information, so I can't respond to the previous request regarding whether or not the program works.

nexxai
Jul 17, 2002

quack quack bjork
Fun Shoe

berzerkmonkey posted:

Who knows. The public asks for some wacky things. I'm not at that level though, so I don't get to see or process the requests. Also, as an update, my boss will not share any information, so I can't respond to the previous request regarding whether or not the program works.
There is more delicious irony in that the public has a right to this information, but you as a government employee apparently don't (according to your boss, anyways).

kujeger
Feb 19, 2004

OH YES HA HA

nexxai posted:

There is more delicious irony in that the public has a right to this information, but you as a government employee apparently don't (according to your boss, anyways).

It's possible his boss doesn't want it to be seen as an endorsement I guess, but it is hilarious no matter how you cut iy.

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Ojjeorago
Sep 21, 2008

I had a dream, too. It wasn't pleasant, though ... I dreamt I was a moron...
Gary’s Answer

berzerkmonkey posted:

Also, as an update, my boss will not share any information, so I can't respond to the previous request regarding whether or not the program works.

File a FOIA about it. :ironicat:

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