Random Image Emailer

Overview

The Random Image Emailer is a Python script designed to automate the process of sending emails with a randomly selected image attachment. It's perfect for newsletters, daily greetings, marketing campaigns, or simply sharing interesting images from a curated collection with friends, family, or clients. The script is equipped with scheduling capabilities, allowing you to specify the exact time for sending out emails daily. Additionally, it supports command-line arguments for flexible configuration of email settings and the image directory path.

Features

Random Image Selection: Automatically picks a random image from a specified directory to send via email.
Daily Scheduling: Sends out an email with a randomly selected image attachment at a specified time each day.
Immediate Test Email: Sends an initial test email upon launch to verify that the configuration works as expected.
Command-Line Configuration: Easily configure sender and recipient email addresses, SMTP server details, and the image directory path through command-line arguments.
Logging: Provides detailed logging for each step of the process, including successful email transmission and potential errors.

Installation

To use the Random Image Emailer, you need Python 3 installed on your system. Additionally, you'll need to install the schedule and imagesize packages. You can install these dependencies by running:

pip install schedule imagesize

Usage

Prepare Your Images: Place all the images you want to potentially send out in a single directory. The script will randomly select from these images for each email sent.
Configure and Run: Use the command-line to configure and launch the script. Here's an example command:

python random_image_emailer.py --sender-email your_email@example.com --recipient-email recipient_email@example.com --smtp-server smtp.example.com --smtp-port 587 --smtp-user-name smtp_user_name --smtp-password your_password --image-dir /path/to/your/images --schedule the_time --debug true

Replace the placeholders with your actual information:

--sender-email: Your email address.
--recipient-email: The email address of the recipient.
--smtp-server and --smtp-port: Your SMTP server address and port.
--smtp-user-name: The user name for your SMTP server.
--smtp-password: The password for your SMTP server.
--image-dir: The path to the directory containing your images.
--schedule: The time when the email should be sent daily.
--debug: Whether to toggle debugging mode which sends out an email immediately.

Verify Initial Email: Upon launch, the script will send an initial test email. Verify that this email is received to ensure everything is set up correctly.
Scheduled Emails: After the initial test email, the script will continue running and send an email with a randomly selected image every day at the specified time.

Security Note

For security reasons, avoid hardcoding sensitive information like email passwords directly into the script. Consider using environment variables or a secure method to pass these values.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions for improvements or bug fixes, please feel free to fork the repo, make changes, and submit a pull request.

This README provides a comprehensive guide to help users understand, install, and use the Random Image Emailer. Modify it as needed to better fit your project's specifics or personal preferences.

SMTP setup using AWS

Configuring Amazon SES to use its SMTP service involves several steps:

Setting Up Your SES Account:

Sign up for an AWS account or log in to your existing account.
Verify your domain identity in SES to ensure you have permission to send emails from that domain.
If necessary, request production access for increased sending limits.

Creating SMTP Credentials:

In the SES console, navigate to the "SMTP Settings" section.
Click "Create My SMTP Credentials". This generates a unique username and password for your AWS region. You'll need these credentials to connect your server to SES.

Configuring Your Server:

Locate your server's email sending library or script.
Update the configuration to use the following details:
- SMTP Endpoint: The specific endpoint URL for your AWS region (e.g., [invalid URL removed]).
- Port: You can choose either port 25 or 587 depending on your server's security configuration and your needs. Port 587 typically requires STARTTLS encryption.
- Authentication: Set the authentication method to "Plain".
- Username and Password: Use the SMTP username and password you generated in step 2.

Sending a Test Email:

Once the configuration is complete, you can send a test email from your server using the configured SMTP settings.
Verify that the email arrives at its destination successfully.

Additional Resources:

Using the Amazon SES SMTP interface: https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/ses-set-up-connect-smtp
Amazon SES documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/ses/
How to send an email – Amazon Web Services (AWS): https://aws.amazon.com/ses/

Important Notes:

Remember to keep your SMTP credentials secure.
Consider using a secure connection (STARTTLS) when sending emails through port 587.
AWS SES offers various features and settings for managing your email sending. Explore the documentation for more advanced configuration options.

schmittsfn / RandomImageEmailer