Serienbrief

Using this script it is possible to generate form letters from a template and an SQL query.

A template file with some placeholder variables is required and an SQL query to be executed against a MariaDB database. The column names from the query correspond to the variable names in the template.

The template is processed using the Cheetah template module, so simple variable placeholder are just the variable name prefixed with the dollar-sign.

However, all other Cheetah template language elements, like conditions, are also available.

The script will generate one output file for each row from the result of the database query.

Usage

usage: serienbrief.py [-h] [--config CONFIG] [--query QUERY]
                    [--template TEMPLATE] [--outputPrefix OUTPUTPREFIX]
                    [--outputSuffix OUTPUTSUFFIX] [--verbose]

Serienbrief

optional arguments:
-h, --help            show this help message and exit
--config CONFIG, -f CONFIG
                        Config file, default is $pwd/serienbrief.ini
--queryFile QUERY, -q QUERY
                        query file, default is $pwd/serienbrief.sql
--templateFile TEMPLATE, -t TEMPLATE
                        template file, default is $pwd/serienbrief.tmpl
--outputPrefix OUTPUTPREFIX, -p OUTPUTPREFIX
                        prefix for the output file, will be extended by an
                        auto increment number
--outputSuffix OUTPUTSUFFIX, -s OUTPUTSUFFIX
                        suffix for the output file
--verbose, -v         verbose output

Config file

The configuration file at least requires the database section. However, the options queryFile, templateFile, outputPrefix and outputSuffix can also be set using the configuration file.

[database]
host = 172.16.10.18
user = hv-serienbrief
pass = test123
name = hausverwaltung

[config]
queryFile = example.sql
templateFile = example.tmpl
outputPrefix = jahresabrechnung
outputSuffix = tex

Required modules

• mariadb
• cheetah3