ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG

Posted by: robricc

ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 06:38

Short of setting up a Linux box, is there a way to go through a Unix-style mail file and convert the contents to outlook .MSG files?

This would save me a lot of time. I doubt it exists though.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 07:02

There is more than one format for Unix mail files. Do you know what kind it is or what made it?
Posted by: robricc

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 07:19

RedHat Linux 7.3
Posted by: JBjorgen

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 07:20

probably Sendmail then.
Posted by: robricc

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 07:26

Yes, sendmail.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 07:54

In fact, sendmail doesn't write local mail files. If it's RedHat, then I'm guessing that procmail wrote it. I think they use that for their standard MDA.

And procmail uses Berkeley mbox files, unless I'm mistaken.

The only reference I see to doing this is to install Netscape 4 (specifically not Mozilla or Netscape > 4). Then copy the mbox file to Netscape's mail directory, where it will create its own index. Then Outlook is supposed to be able to import that.
Posted by: JBjorgen

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 07:59

If you'd like, you can just email it to me and I'll set you up a mail account and you can download them to outlook via POP3.
Posted by: robricc

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:00

I can try that, but what should I name the file?

I took all the mail files from /var/mail/ and they're named the same as the username.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:03

IIRC, the name of the file will be the name of the folder within Netscape. When you open it, it'll create an additional index file.

So you can name it anything you want.
Posted by: JBjorgen

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:04

Ah...so there are multiple users you want to do...if there aren't too many of them I can still do that.

EDIT: If the Netscape thing works out for you, nevermind. But the offer stands if you need it.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:06

Ah...I was thinking he was talking about the files under /var/mail.
I'm sure he is. They're still not written directly by sendmail. They're written by the MDA specified in the Mlocal mailer specified in sendmail.cf, in modern m4 preprocessor generated sendmail.cf files.
Posted by: robricc

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:06

It worked! Excellent!

Thanks a bunch.
Posted by: wfaulk

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:07

NP

But don't blame me when Outlook explodes.
Posted by: JBjorgen

Re: ASCII email file to Outlook .MSG - 05/05/2003 08:12

I'm sure he is. They're still not written directly by sendmail. They're written by the MDA specified in the Mlocal mailer specified in sendmail.cf, in modern m4 preprocessor generated sendmail.cf files.


Ah...so they are. I really should live by the old adage - "'Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."