Importing mbox files with sub-folders

[jsCPBE]

Greetings, I am a newbie to Thunderbird and the ImportExportTools NG add-on. BTW, it’s a very nice full-featured and self intuitive add-on. I am not sure whether my issue is with the add-on or my Outlook pst to mbox converter, so I am hoping you can advise.

Windows 7
ImportExportTools NG 14.0.01
Thunderbird 115.9.0
MS Outlook 2010

I use a “professional” converter to convert my Outlook pst to mbox. The resulting output has a root folder which contains about 60 sub-folders. 47 of those contain a single mbox file. 13 contain one or more sub-folders (sub-sub folders) each containing one mbox file. I was hoping that by selecting the top root folder all of the sub-folders would be discovered, including the sub-sub folders, and create an output similar to the original pst folder structure with the messages in an mbox format to be imported to the add-on. When I tried it I got 0 files converted.

The only way I could do it would be to manually select each folder with a mbox file in it and do the import individually for all 60 folders. Plus, I would have to repeat the process for the sub-sub folders. I was hoping your option of “Importing all mbox files from directory (with sbd structure)" would work. I assume it did not work as my converter only outputs mbox files that are under their respective folder and don’t have the .sbd appendage with the associated msf index file.

Did I choose the wrong converter or is this something the add-on should do.

Oh, I did do a workaround, though not pretty. For the 47 folders that contained a single mbox file I did a simple windows folder search for all mbox files in the converter output folder. I cut and pasted them into a single folder (i.e. no sub folders) and then used the add-on. It worked great. I then had to repeat the process for each of the 13 folders that had sub-folders.

I appreciate your thoughts and enlightenment. Keep up the great work!

[cleidigh]

@jsCPBE
Welcome to the ImportExportTools "club"!
The conversion tool clearly is not producing a Thunderbird sbd structure for the mbox export. Currently IETNG does not import other structures. Apple mail exports are another example.
Ultimately I think I will try to add the ability to import these pst structures. Frankly it's a matter of being swamped with work.

For now, what you did, absent a conversion script, is probably the way to go , though not optimal.

Have you checked if there are any options for output structure? What tool are you using?
@cleidigh

[jsCPBE]

Thank you for the quick reply, Christopher. I totally understand being swamped. And, what you have done thus far is commendable. It is a great tool and I am sure you have a lot more critical issues to address. The conversion tool I have does not give a lot of options and nothing I have found regarding directory structure formatting. I am using the CubexSoft pst to mbox converter. I didn't pay a lot for it and I do like the user interface. If you any interest in looking at it, for grins, they offer a free trial version that will convert up to 25 messages per folder. Fortunately, I have now converted all my files using my workaround, but I am also assisting my boss who needs to convert some pst's to mbox. If you know of a conversion tool that does the full process I would be interested in exploring it for his use. I have written Cubex about the issue, but have yet to hear a reply from them.

Cheers,
Joe

[cleidigh]

@jsCPBE
One tool a user pointed out looks like they may convert to a Thunderbird structure, however, I have not looked at it myself.
https://weirdkid.com/emailchemy/

There is a lot to add, but I also have a ton of conversion work for the next Thunderbird release.
@cleidigh