1. Create the email_task.py file, as follows:

import argparse
import configparser

import smtplib 
from email.message import EmailMessage


def main(to_email, server, port, from_email, password):
    print(f'With love, from {from_email} to {to_email}')

    # Create the message
    subject = 'With love, from ME to YOU'
    text = '''This is an example test'''
    msg = EmailMessage()
    msg.set_content(text)
    msg['Subject'] = subject
    msg['From'] = from_email
    msg['To'] = to_email

    # Open communication and send
    server = smtplib.SMTP_SSL(server, port)
    server.login(from_email, password)
    server.send_message(msg)
    server.quit()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
    parser.add_argument('email', type=str, help='destination email')
    parser.add_argument('-c', dest='config', type=argparse.FileType('r'),
                        help='config file', default=None)

    args = parser.parse_args()
    if not args.config:
        print('Error, a config file is required')
        parser.print_help()
        exit(1)

    config = configparser.ConfigParser()
    config.read_file(args.config)

    main(args.email,
         server=config['DEFAULT']['server'],
         port=config['DEFAULT']['port'],
         from_email=config['DEFAULT']['email'],
         password=config['DEFAULT']['password'])

2. Create a configuration file called email_conf.ini with the specifics of your email account. For example, for a Gmail account, fill the following template. The template is available in GitHub https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Python-Automation-Cookbook/blob/master/Chapter02/email_conf.ini, but be sure to fill it with your data:

[DEFAULT]
email = [email protected]
server = smtp.gmail.com
port = 465
password = PASSWORD

3. Ensure that the file cannot be read or written by other users on the system, setting the permissions of the file to allow only our user. 600 permissions means read and write access for our user, and no access to anyone else:

$ chmod 600 email_config.ini

4. Run the script to send a test email:

$ python3 email_task.py -c email_config.ini [email protected]

5. Check the inbox of the destination email; an email should be received with the subject With love, from ME to YOU.