Importing Private Messages into Mozilla Thunderbird

[Tighe]

Importing Private Messages into Mozilla Thunderbird

My private messages fill up all the time and this is Very useful! Just download all your messages as TXT from the private messages page using the link near the bottom of the page, or just use this link:

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/private.php?do=downloadpm&dowhat=txt

Then convert the txt file using the perl code I found here:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74172&page=1

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;
use POSIX;
use open IN => ':crlf';

sub usage {
    print STDERR "Usage: txt2mbox sbr-messages.txt\n";
    print STDERR "   Writes one output file per SBR folder.\n";
    exit 1;
}

&usage if ($#ARGV != 0);

my $infile = shift;
open(INFILE, "<:crlf", $infile) ||
    die "Could not open $infile: $!";

my $folder = '';
my $folder_boundary = '#' x 80;
my $header_boundary = '=' x 80;
my $message_boundary = '-' x 80;
my $pushback = '';
my $msgno = 0;

while (1) {
    if ($pushback) {
	$_ = $pushback;
	$pushback = '';
    } elsif ($_ = <INFILE>) {
	chomp;
    } else {
	last;
    }
    if (/^${folder_boundary}$/) {
	# Close current output file, if any
	if ($folder) {
	    close FOLDER;
	    $folder = '';
	}
	# Switch output file to new folder name
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;		# Get line with folder name
	die "Expected folder name"
	    if !/^Folder :\t(.*)$/;
	$folder = $1;
	print "Writing folder $folder\n";
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;		# Skip folder end boundary
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;		# Skip blank line
	open(FOLDER, ">$folder") ||
	    die "Could not open output file $folder: $!";
    } elsif (/^${header_boundary}$/) {
	die "Message not in folder" if (!$folder);
	# Read header lines From, To, Date, Title
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
	die "Missing From"
	    if !/^From :\t(.*)$/;
	my $hdr_from = $1;
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
	die "Missing To"
	    if !/^To :\t(.*)$/;
	my $hdr_to = $1;
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
	die "Missing Date"
	    if !/^Date :\t(.*)$/;
	my $hdr_date = $1;
	$_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
	die "Missing Title"
	    if !/^Title :\t(.*)$/;
	my $hdr_title = $1;
	# Parse the date
	die "Invalid date format"
	    if ($hdr_date !~ /^(\d\d\d\d)-(\d\d)-(\d\d) (\d\d):(\d\d)$/);
	my $unix_time = mktime(0, $5, $4, $3, $2 - 1, $1 - 1900);
	my $t1str = strftime("%a %b %d %H:%M:%S %Y",
			     localtime($unix_time));
	my $t2str = strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z (%Z)",
			     localtime($unix_time));
	printf "Writing message %d\n", ++$msgno;
	print FOLDER "From user\@KLOV.com  $t1str\n";
	print FOLDER "Date: $t2str\n";
	print FOLDER "From: \"$hdr_from\" <user\@KLOV.com>\n";
	print FOLDER "To: \"$hdr_to\" <user\@KLOV.com>\n";
	print FOLDER "Subject: $hdr_title\n";
	print FOLDER "\n";
    } elsif (/^${message_boundary}$/) {
	die "Message not in folder" if (!$folder);
	while (<INFILE>) {
	    chomp;
	    if (/^(${header_boundary}|${folder_boundary})$/) {
		$pushback = $_;
		last;
	    }
	    if ($_ =~ /^From /) {
		print FOLDER ">$_\n";
	    } else {
		print FOLDER "$_\n";
	    }
	}
    } elsif ($folder) {		# Skips junk at beginning of file
	die "Expected folder or message";
    }
}

if ($folder) {
    close FOLDER;
    $folder = '';
}

close INFILE;

And then to import:
http://support.mozillamessaging.com...ox+import&as=s#w_importing-evolution-messages

Copy all the file without extension (such as Inbox, Outbox,..) into the emplacement used by Thunderbird to store its mail (something like ~/.thunderbird/uk41lql0.default/Mail/Local Folders,where you need to adapt uk41lql0.default to your own installation).
Launch Thunderbird to check that all your mail have been correctly imported.

End results!

 

[Tighe]

I wanted to add, that then I have thunderbird connected to my gmail via IMAP, so then I move all the imported messages into a folder(label) in gmail so I can access them anywhere.

 

[Tighe]

I just did it again, mail box was full.

 

[dezbaz]

Thank you

I exported them to excel. But I like your idea better

Cheers

 

[Broodwich]

I just store mine in text files on the PC until i deem fit to delete them.

 

[joemagiera]

My private messages fill up all the time
Just download all your messages as TXT from the private messages page using the link near the bottom of the page,
Then convert the txt file using the perl code I found here:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74172&page=1

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;
use POSIX;
use open IN => ':crlf';
sub usage {
    print STDERR "Usage: txt2mbox sbr-messages.txt\n";
    print STDERR "   Writes one output file per SBR folder.\n";
    exit 1;
}
&usage if ($#ARGV != 0);
my $infile = shift;
open(INFILE, "<:crlf", $infile) ||
    die "Could not open $infile: $!";
my $folder = '';
my $folder_boundary = '#' x 80;
my $header_boundary = '=' x 80;
my $message_boundary = '-' x 80;
my $pushback = '';
my $msgno = 0;
while (1) {
    if ($pushback) {
    $_ = $pushback;
    $pushback = '';
    } elsif ($_ = <INFILE>) {
    chomp;
    } else {
    last;
    }
    if (/^${folder_boundary}$/) {
    # Close current output file, if any
    if ($folder) {
        close FOLDER;
        $folder = '';
    }
    # Switch output file to new folder name
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;        # Get line with folder name
    die "Expected folder name"
        if !/^Folder :\t(.*)$/;
    $folder = $1;
    print "Writing folder $folder\n";
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;        # Skip folder end boundary
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;        # Skip blank line
    open(FOLDER, ">$folder") ||
        die "Could not open output file $folder: $!";
    } elsif (/^${header_boundary}$/) {
    die "Message not in folder" if (!$folder);
    # Read header lines From, To, Date, Title
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
    die "Missing From"
        if !/^From :\t(.*)$/;
    my $hdr_from = $1;
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
    die "Missing To"
        if !/^To :\t(.*)$/;
    my $hdr_to = $1;
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
    die "Missing Date"
        if !/^Date :\t(.*)$/;
    my $hdr_date = $1;
    $_ = <INFILE>; chomp;
    die "Missing Title"
        if !/^Title :\t(.*)$/;
    my $hdr_title = $1;
    # Parse the date
    die "Invalid date format"
        if ($hdr_date !~ /^(\d\d\d\d)-(\d\d)-(\d\d) (\d\d):(\d\d)$/);
    my $unix_time = mktime(0, $5, $4, $3, $2 - 1, $1 - 1900);
    my $t1str = strftime("%a %b %d %H:%M:%S %Y",
                 localtime($unix_time));
    my $t2str = strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %z (%Z)",
                 localtime($unix_time));
    printf "Writing message %d\n", ++$msgno;
    print FOLDER "From user\@KLOV.com  $t1str\n";
    print FOLDER "Date: $t2str\n";
    print FOLDER "From: \"$hdr_from\" <user\@KLOV.com>\n";
    print FOLDER "To: \"$hdr_to\" <user\@KLOV.com>\n";
    print FOLDER "Subject: $hdr_title\n";
    print FOLDER "\n";
    } elsif (/^${message_boundary}$/) {
    die "Message not in folder" if (!$folder);
    while (<INFILE>) {
        chomp;
        if (/^(${header_boundary}|${folder_boundary})$/) {
        $pushback = $_;
        last;
        }
        if ($_ =~ /^From /) {
        print FOLDER ">$_\n";
        } else {
        print FOLDER "$_\n";
        }
    }
    } elsif ($folder) {        # Skips junk at beginning of file
    die "Expected folder or message";
    }
}
if ($folder) {
    close FOLDER;
    $folder = '';
}
close INFILE;

And then to import:
http://support.mozillamessaging.com...ox+import&as=s#w_importing-evolution-messages

Or....

You could just use email and not need to do ANY of the above.

 

[Tighe]

Or....

You could just use email and not need to do ANY of the above.

Yes, that works very well.