Exporting Outlook PST files to flat/text files?

[HTRegz]

Originally posted here by ric-o
I'm not in a rush...got some time. Wow, that would be cool HT! Thanks.

Not a problem... this is a little new to me... otherwise it'd be done.. (maybe.. heh)... I'm gonna see what I can do anyways...

[HTRegz]

Originally posted here by HTRegz
Not a problem... this is a little new to me... otherwise it'd be done.. (maybe.. heh)... I'm gonna see what I can do anyways...

Hey Hey,

So I put in a bit of time while waiting for a phone call..

This will parse your Inbox in Outlook... and dump everything to a single text file in the root of c:

import win32com.client
outlook = win32com.client.Dispatch("Outlook.Application")
namespace = outlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")
inbox = namespace.GetDefaultFolder(6).Items
for item in inbox:
    msgFrom = "From: " + str(item.sendername) + " (" + str(item.senderemailaddress) + "}"
    msgTo = "To: " + str(item.to)
    msgDate = "Date: " + str(item.ReceivedTime)
    msgSubject = "Subject: " + str(item.subject)
    msgBody = "Message: \n\n" + item.body.encode( "utf-8" )
    fp = open("c:\outlookMessages.txt", "a")
    fp.write("--- Start Message ---")
    fp.write("\n")
    fp.write(msgFrom)
    fp.write("\n")
    fp.write(msgTo)
    fp.write("\n")
    fp.write(msgDate)
    fp.write("\n")
    fp.write(msgSubject)
    fp.write("\n")
    fp.write(msgBody)
    fp.write("\n")
    fp.write("--- End Message ---")
    fp.write("\n\n")
    fp.close()

It requires Pythonwin from ActiveState for the win32com.client file...

I'm working on parsing pst files themselves for this.. but I've hit a problem with namespace.addstore() but I'll see what I can do..

Peace,
HT

[sec_ware]

Hi

Excellent work HTRegz. I was actually inspired by your comments, and
wrote a little VBA-Script, which allows for an easy automation of
the task without external tools.


The following VBA-macro (runs in Outlook) stores each message as a
"datetime_from.txt"-file in the folder c:\test, and stores its attachments in
the folder c:\test\att.
It does not handle multiple folders with mail-items; it just uses the default inbox.
This could/should be extended, and I could do it for you, ric-o, if needed...
Note, that maybe, one has to change the security level[1], except one knows how
to sign the code.


How does the automation work:

Part A: create the basis

1. create a directory c:\test and c:\test\att
2. create an outlook profile "export", configured for an outlook-pst file c:\test\temp.pst
3. make sure that outlook opens automatically c:\test\temp.pst when starting outlook ("export" as default profile)
4. in outlook: open the VBA-Editor by pressing Alt-F11
5. add the code below in the existing module or create a new one
6. save and test it in the VBA-Editor: it should export the Inbox-Folder and close Outlook
7. start outlook again. the macro now should be available in the macro-list in Outlook (Alt-F8)
8. exit outlook and start it once again by using the command line parameter
" ...outlook.exe /autorun Export_Inbox" (works only in Outlook 2003). At startup, outlook
will run the Macro "Export_Inbox" (which then closes outlook).
9. remove the directory c:\test

Part B: do the loop

Create a batch-file that does the following:
a) create the c:\test and c:\test\att-folders
b) copy "pst_1.pst" (or whatever) to c:\test\temp.pst
c) start outlook as above with the /autorun-option: -> the export is running
d) delete the file c:\test\temp.pst
e) rename the test-folder or move it to wherever you want
f) loop to a) and copy the next pst-file.

Sub Export_Inbox()

 On Error GoTo ErrorOcccured
 
 Dim ns As namespace
 Dim inbox As MAPIFolder
 Dim item As Object
 Dim att As Attachment
 
 Dim mail As String
 Dim filename As String

 ' open Default Inbox
 Set ns = GetNamespace("MAPI")
 Set inbox = ns.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
 
 If inbox.Items.Count = 0 Then
     Exit Sub
 End If

 ' loop the items (emails)
 For Each item In inbox.Items
    
    mail = "From: " & item.SenderName & " (" & item.SenderEmailAddress & ") " & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "To: " & item.To & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Cc: " & item.CC & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Date: " & item.ReceivedTime & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Subject: " & item.Subject & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Attachments: "
   
    ' loop the attachments
    For Each att In item.Attachments
       filename = "C:\test\att\" & att.filename
       att.SaveAsFile filename
       mail = mail & att.filename & vbTab
    Next att
    mail = mail & vbCrLf & "Message: " & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & item.Body & vbCrLf
    
    filename = "c:\test\" & Format(item.ReceivedTime, "ddmmyyyyhhmmss") & "_" & item.SenderName & ".txt"
    Open filename For Append Access Write As #1
    Print #1, mail
    Close #1
 
 Next item
 
Destructor:
   Set att = Nothing
   Set item = Nothing
   Set ns = Nothing
 
   ' exit Outlook to allow for automation
   Set MyOutlook = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
   MyOutlook.Quit
   Set MyOutlook = Nothing
     
   Exit Sub

ErrorOcccured:
   MsgBox (Err.Number & vbCrLf & Err.Description)
   Resume Destructor
End Sub

Cheers

[1] http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/as...850551033.aspx

[Eyecre8]

I have used a program before called Dawn. Its freeware. It has a ton of options that I have not had the need for, maybe it might be of use for you:

"Dawn converts Address Books among various Address Book Programs.
Dawn is equipped with an extraction feature. It is absolutely free to use
and distribute in the form seen here, but the source code is not freely
distributable.

New in this release: vCard (VCF) support, Outlook 2003 support, Many new fields supported, Bug fixes for the CSV format, Opera, Mozilla, Netscape, and others

Dawn works with the following programs:

Becky!, Pine (for PC and UNIX), Mozilla, Netscape 6/7, Netscape Communicator 4.x, Netscape Navigator 3.x, Opera, Outlook Express / Windows Address Book (WAB), Outlook 98/2000/2002/2003, Palm Desktop, Simeon, ExecMail, Juno, Corel WordPerfect Address Book 8.x, Eudora 3.x, 4.x, 5.x, 6.x, Pegasus Mail 3.x and 4.x, Other programs which can use/import/export LDAP/LDIF, Comma Separated Value (CSV), vCard (VCF), plain text, one per line or comma separated formats or store addresses in a text file"

[Spyrus]

There was also this: http://www.processtext.com/abcoutlk.html

But I think you have plenty of good options now

[ric-o]

HT, sec_ware - you guys ROCK! Thanks a ton for the help! I'm fooling around with them now. Will let you know if any questions or need more help. (AO aint letting me give you peeps any greenies at this point..sorry).

Nihil, Spyrus, Eyecre8, thanks to you for those apps too.

[sec_ware]

Hi

ric-o and me, we discussed the issue during the past few days, and performed
a few tests. Our script now is capable to extract all emails (and attachments) from
all email-folders stored in a pst-file. The content of an email-folder is stored
in a separate file (Ã* la HTRegz).

In order to allow for automation, Outlook may have to be configured not to show the
reminders (Options.Advanced.Reminder Options). Note that Outlook 2003 is needed
for the /autrun-option.

We hope that this may help others as well.

Cheers

' Idea of the recursive handling taken from Michael Bauer[1].  
Sub HandleAllItems(oRoot As Outlook.namespace, _
  ByVal bRecursive As Boolean _
)
  LoopFolders oRoot.Folders, bRecursive
End Sub


Sub LoopFolders(oFolders As Outlook.Folders, ByVal bRecursive As Boolean)
  Dim oFld As Outlook.MAPIFolder
  
  ' Loop through all folders.
  For Each oFld In oFolders
    ' Loop through folder items
    LoopItems oFld.Items, oFld.Name
    
    If bRecursive Then
      ' Call this function again for going _
        deeper into the object hierarchy.
      LoopFolders oFld.Folders, bRecursive
    End If
  Next
End Sub

Sub LoopItems(oItems As Outlook.Items, FolderName As String)
  Dim obj As Object
  
  For Each obj In oItems
    Select Case True
    Case TypeOf obj Is Outlook.MailItem
      HandleMailItem obj, FolderName
    End Select
  Next
End Sub

Sub HandleMailItem(oItem As Outlook.MailItem, FolderName As String)
    Dim mail As String
    Dim filename As String
    
    mail = "--- Begin Message ---" & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "From: " & oItem.SenderName & " (" & oItemSenderEmailAddress & ") " & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "To: " & oItem.To & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Cc: " & oItem.CC & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Date: " & oItem.ReceivedTime & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Subject: " & oItem.Subject & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "Attachments: "
   
    ' loop the attachments
    For Each att In oItem.Attachments
       filename = "C:\test\att\" & att.filename
       att.SaveAsFile filename
       mail = mail & att.filename & vbTab
    Next att
    mail = mail & vbCrLf & "Message: " & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & oItem.Body & vbCrLf
    mail = mail & "--- End Message ---" & vbCrLf
 
    filename = "c:\test\" & FolderName & ".txt"
    Open filename For Append Access Write As #1
    Print #1, mail
    Close #1
End Sub



Sub Export_Inbox()
  
 On Error GoTo ErrorOcccured
 
 Dim ns As namespace
 Set ns = GetNamespace("MAPI")
 
 HandleAllItems ns, True
 
Destructor:
    Set ns = Nothing

   ' exit Outlook to allow for automation
   Set MyOutlook = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
   MyOutlook.Quit
   Set MyOutlook = Nothing
   
    Exit Sub
    
ErrorOcccured:
   MsgBox (Err.Number & vbCrLf & Err.Description)
   Resume Destructor
End Sub

[1] http://www.office-loesung.de/ftopic36102_0_0_asc.php

[Golgi Apparatus]

If you want to use Perl, take a look at Mail::Outlook from CPAN.

Here is part of the example crom CPAN:
use Mail::Outlook;
my $outlook = new Mail::Outlook();

# start with a folder
my $outlook = new Mail::Outlook('Inbox');

# use the Win32::OLE::Const definitions
use Mail::Outlook;
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Outlook';
my $outlook = new Mail::Outlook(olInbox);

# get/set the current folder
my $folder = $outlook->folder();
my $folder = $outlook->folder('Inbox');

# get the first/last/next/previous message
my $message = $folder->first();
$message = $folder->next();
$message = $folder->last();
$message = $folder->previous();

# read the attributes of the current message
my $text = $message->From();
$text = $message->To();
$text = $message->Cc();
$text = $message->Bcc();
$text = $message->Subject();
$text = $message->Body();

-GA