MailConverter 2.1: The File Menu

Convert File... (cmd-K)

You will be prompted for a file to convert. Many file formats are supported, including the following:

   Claris Emailer filed mail (not the In Box or Out Box)
   mmdf mail files
   babyl mail files
   America Online mail files
   LeeMail mail files
   Pine mail files (both Unix and Dos)
   Elm mail files
   MacEMail mail files
   PopMail mail files

 CompuServe mail files (limited support, text archives only)
   eWorld mail files
   Genie mail files 
  PC Eudora mailboxes (even with DOS eol)

 Ricemail mail files (see below for some comments)
   cc:Mail mail files (limited support, text archives only)

 vmsMail mail files (limited support, text archives only)

 MSMail mail files (limited support, text archives only)
   NewsWatcher save files
   Gnus save files
   NN save files

Once the selected file is converted, you will be asked for a file in which to store the converted mail. If you select an existing file, it will be either appended to or overwritten (you'll be asked which); otherwise the file will be created. The output file will be tagged as a mailbox of the appropriate sort (Eudora, Z-Mail, or whatever). Dragging a file onto the MailConverter icon with no modifier keys down is equivalent to running this command on that file. 

Some of these formats (eg, Pine) are already compatible with Eudora. In these cases, conversion is usually not necessary, assuming you've used the proper ftp transfer mode. If you don't need to do any conversion, but you want to set the creator and type attributes of the file, use the Tag File command.

Don't try to replace the file you're converting with the result of the conversion; it can't work, and you're liable to confuse the program in a major way if you try to force it.

NB:  Eudora only checks for attachments  on incoming mail from the POP server or local spool file. If you wish to convert a mail file with attachments in it, you must use the spool-file option after conversion if you want to get at the attachment. I don't know how to force attachment conversion with Z-Mail.

Convert Folder...

You will be prompted for a folder (only folders will show up in the dialog). Each file in the given folder will be converted as with Convert File, each subfolder in the given folder will be converted as with Merge Folder (see below).  It's very important that the contents of the selected folder and all subfolders remain unchanged for the duration of this operation: don't delete files in the folder (at any level) while Convert Folder is in progress, don't remove files, don't add files, definitely don't try to put the results of the conversion into the folder you're converting. In short, don't do anything at all to alter the folder structure.

Merge Folder... (cmd-M)

The files in the folder will be converted, as in Convert Folder, but the merged output will go to a single output file. You'll be asked to select the output file before any conversion begins. Dragging a folder onto the MailConverter icon is equivalent to running this command on that folder. Merge Folder is generally the best option for one-message-per-file formats, like Claris Emailer, AOL, eWorld, MacEMail, and PopMail.  It's very important that the contents of the selected folder and all subfolders remain unchanged for the duration of this operation: don't delete files in the folder (at any level) while Merge Folder is in progress, don't remove files, don't add files, definitely don't try to put the results of the conversion into the folder you're converting. In short, don't do anything at all to alter the folder structure.

Tag File... (cmd-T)

If you have a file that's already in the right format but has the wrong type and creator fields, you can use this command to set those attributes without any further conversion. Dragging a file onto the MailConverter icon with the control key down is equivalent.  See above for some reasons why you might want to convert a file even if it is in the proper format already.

Digestify...

Generates a digest from a Eudora or Z-Mail mailbox. You will be prompted for the mailbox file (by default, in the Default Mailbox Folder). If Confirm Before Saving is checked, and a Default Save Folder has been specified, the digest will be written into that folder, using the same filename plus the extension ".dig", unless a file by that name already exists. Otherwise, you will be prompted for a place to write the digest file. The digest will be tagged as a BBEdit text file. This file can be attached to any outgoing message; the recipient can burst it back into its component messages (either with its own bursting support, if it has any, or with MailConverter if the recipient is using Eudora). As with the New Mailbox command, the mailbox must match the current creator and type settings.

Digestify and queue...

Like Digestify, but in addition to generating the digest, an outgoing message will be created in Eudora with the digest as an attachment.  After the digest is created, a simple dialog will come up which will allow you to enter values for the To, CC, Bcc and Subject fields of the message, and a brief comment (nicknames are ok for the address fields). If you end the dialog by clicking the Queue button, the message will be queued in the Out box but not sent. You can then switch to Eudora, modify the message if you want to, and send it at your convenience. If you end the dialog by clicking the Send button, the message will be sent right away (as ususal with Eudora, any other messages which are queued will also be sent). Note that you must specify either a To or a Bcc for a message to be sendable. If you cancel the dialog, no message will be created. In any case, the digest file will remain wherever you put it. 

BE SURE EUDORA IS RUNNING BEFORE YOU SELECT THIS COMMAND! The code tries to be careful about recovering if Eudora isn't running, but it's better not to push it...

Note: for now, MailConverter only knows how to queue a digest as outgoing mail using Eudora's event suite. Eventually I'll probably try to add support for using Z-Mail or Emailer (or maybe even using IC to choose a mailer...).

Import MacEMail Aliases...

This command attempts to import a MacEMail alias folder into a Eudora Nicknames file. You will be prompted for the folder, then for the nicknames file. This command is not intended to be super robust: don't try to fool it by giving it a bogus folder. Although I believe importing MacEMail aliases works just as it should, given appropriate data, it can't hurt to backup your nicknames file beforehand. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: if you import an alias which has the same name as an existing one,  both entries will be in the Nicknames file but in practice Eudora will almost always assume you mean the earliest occurance.  For instance, if the name is on the recipient-list menu,  it will only show up once and it will refer to the earliest entry. Likewise if you manually type the name into a message, the earliest entry will be used. More importantly, if you rename or remove any of later entries of the same name using the corresponding commands in Eudora's nicknames window, Eudora will actually rename or remove the original entry!  So be very careful before doing this. Best bet if you see duplication is to open the file in a text editor (eg SimpleText or BBEdit Lite) and modify it manually so that there are no more duplicates.

Note also that this command does not currently work with Z-Mail. 

Import Pine Aliases... 

This command attempts to import a Pine address-book file into a Eudora Nicknames file. You will be prompted for the Pine file, then for the nicknames file. This command is not intended to be super robust: don't try to fool it by giving it a bogus file. Although I believe importing Pine address books works just as it should, given appropriate data, it can't hurt to backup your nicknames file beforehand.  Note that this command does not currently work with Z-Mail.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if you import an alias which has the same name as an existing one,  both entries will be in the Nicknames file but in practice Eudora will almost always assume you mean the earliest occurance.  For instance, if the name is on the recipient-list menu,  it will only show up once and it will refer to the earliest entry. Likewise if you manually type the name into a message, the earliest entry will be used. More importantly, if you rename or remove any of later entries of the same name using the corresponding commands in Eudora's nicknames window, Eudora will actually rename or remove the original entry!  So be very careful before doing this. Best bet if you see duplication is to open the file in a text editor (eg SimpleText or BBEdit Lite) and modify it manually so that there are no more duplicates.

Note also that this command does not currently work with Z-Mail. 

Settings…

The usual customization dialog. See The Settings Dialog for details. Preferences are read from/saved to
  
    System Folder:Preferences:MailConverter Preferences.

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