Breaking into old AOL 5.0 PFC

savant · 04-11-2006, 05:55 PM

I'm just a sentimental guy I guess, I still have my old AOL 5.0 PFC (personal filing cabinet) parked on my HD two computers later (with a another ISP). Of course, I have no way of reading these, but I got a half-baked idea last night. If I could find just one of those AOL 5.0 CDs mailed out free to a billion households back several years, I might find a way to install enough of it to read my email.

It's a pipe dream, right? Could it work?

MBHockey · 04-11-2006, 07:15 PM

Can't you just install the latest version of AOL and open your PFC through there? I find it hard to believe AOL wouldn't let new versions of their software read an older versionss PFC...but then again..it is AOL...

AHunter3 · 04-11-2006, 10:02 PM

I have AOL 5.0

I also have a FileMaker + QuicKeys + AppleScript routine that will convert the email from an AOL PFC to Eudora-compatible (.mbx-compatible) files (although some of the header info is necessarily forged).

Mikey-San · 04-11-2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AHunter3


	I have AOL 5.0 I also have a FileMaker + QuicKeys + AppleScript routine that will convert the email from an AOL PFC to Eudora-compatible (.mbx-compatible) files (although some of the header info is necessarily forged).

I'm not an AOL PFC user, but is there a solid way this might be submittable as a hint? (That is, non-proprietary company code, easily documented, somewhat portable, etc.)

AHunter3 · 04-11-2006, 10:51 PM

Well, it requires actually having AOL, having a Mac that can boot OS 9, and having the OS 9 version of QuicKeys (the OS X version is still badly hobbled by comparison).

Mikey-San · 04-12-2006, 02:55 AM

There is but one word for all of that, I suppose:

savant · 04-12-2006, 01:01 PM

I address this to AHunter3:

Your observation is a little too sophisticated for me, but am I correct to assume that if I knew what I was doing, I could succeed in opening my old PFC?

My G3 iBook has OS 9 and X installed, although I've never used the former. And while I have used Eudora and pretty much know my way around in it, I shifted to Mail in OS X which I've used since.

While I'm not a complete simpleton, your " FileMaker + QuicKeys + AppleScript routine" sounds past my competence, but I'd sure like to take a crack at it if you could share your solution with me.

MBHockey's suggestion seems to have a lot of merit, would it work without re-entangling me with AOL (it took me more than six months to get away from them last time).

schwartze · 04-12-2006, 01:31 PM

There is also this:
http://www.macintouch.com/readerrepo...topic2624.html

Look about 3/4 of the way down the page for the heading:
2. From AOL for Mac OS X:

AHunter3 · 04-12-2006, 02:34 PM

I've never used Mail but I assume it can either natively use or easily import Eudora-format mail files (which are industry-standard give or take line endings). Do you have FileMaker? QuicKeys may be available on a try-before-you-buy basis for OS 9. QK is necessary because AOL is not sufficiently AppleScriptable (you would need to declare a variable and set it to the contents of each email in turn; and since you can't do that, you need to tell it to copy each email to the clipboard in turn, which it can't do either but which can be automated, along with "go to next email", as a series of clicks and keystrokes via QuicKeys, which as long as it's being deployed may as well boss FileMaker around too.

FileMaker comes into play most centrally for parsing the text block that comes in from AOL, separating out the Date, From-header, To-header, and Subject line, and adding the other (usually hidden) headers with boilerplate and/or calculated defaults for their values. Then the whole database is exported, using just the calculated text field containing all the fields with their fieldname headers and returns and dividers between messages and whatnot inserted.

I think it requires a final massage in BBEdit (or TextWrangler) to substitute real returns for the vertical-tab used by FileMaker for a return within a field — not sure of that.

Anyway, assume you extract from AOL PFC the From-header, To-header, Subject, and Body of a given message (using QuicKeys I automated the tabbing from field to field and copying and pasting into waiting FileMaker fields), here's the formula for converting each individual email to Eudora (.mbx, industry-standard, blah blah blah) format:

Code:

"From ???@??? "&Left(DayName(Date), 3)&" "&Left(MonthName(Date), 3)&" "&Day(Date)&" "&"01:24:32 "&Year(Date)&"¶"&
"Status:  U"&"¶"&
"Return-Path: <yourAOLaddress@aol.com>"&"¶"&
"Received: from anyname@isp.net ([111.111.111.111])"&"¶"&
TabChar&"by something (SomeISP SMTP Server) with ESMTP id tss3ek.cfq.37tiu0o"&"¶"&
TabChar&"for <anyname@isp.net>; Wed, 17 Oct 2005 16:01:40 -0700 (PDT)"&"¶"&
"Received: from [195.206.50.162] (50-162.ppp.dsi.ru [195.206.50.162])"&"¶"&
TabChar&"by mail.blah.com (8.12.0/8.12.0) with ESMTP id f9HN1YSU026437"&"¶"&
TabChar&"for <anyname@isp.net>; Wed, 17 Oct 2005 16:01:38 -0700 (PDT)"&
"Date: "&Left(DayName(Date), 3)&", "&Day(Date)&" "&Left(MonthName(Date), 3)&" "&Year(Date)&" 12:37:32 -0700 (PDT)"&"¶"&
"From: "&AOLMsg FROM&Case(PatternCount(AOLMsg FROM, "@")=0, "@aol.com")&"¶"&
"To: "&AOLMsg TO&Case(PatternCount(AOLMsg TO, "@")=0, "@aol.com")&"¶"&
"Subject: "&Subject&"¶"&"¶"&

Email Body&"¶"

The QuickKey macros are along the lines of:

{assumption is that you have AOL open, offline mail open, first message selected; you have to run Mail Sent and Mail Received separately; you also have FileMaker open, with a layout with AOLMsg TO and AOLMsg FROM and Subject and Date on them; TabChar is a global field containing a tab character} {count the number of msgs in the AOL mailbox and enter into the repeat counter of QuicKeys when you first trigger the macro}

Repeat x Times {specify on run}
Switch Process to AOL
Hit Return
Wait 0.2
Tab
Copy
Switch Process to FileMaker
Command-N (new record)
Tab
Paste
Switch Process to AOL
Tab
Copy
Switch Process to FileMaker
Tab
Paste
(etc for all fields)
Switch Process to AOL
Command-W (close current email msg)
Down-arrow (go to next)
End Repeat

savant · 04-13-2006, 10:53 AM

AHunter3 and schwartze, I must say you two have not been an unmixed blessing — I never realized how ignorant I was until I ran into you two guys. Now I need counseling to restore my self-esteem.

AHunter3: I memorialized your post with my printer. It's a roadmap if I meet a local computer PH.d. I've learned there is a Mac club in town, joining it would be a good start.

schwartze: The link you provided is golden. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read it — the author answered all question I ever had on this subject, and my hopes that some day someone would find a way to work around AOL's proprietary handcuffs were justified. I'm hopeful I'll be into my old PFC reading the brilliant claptrap I typed as a sub-newbie several years ago. It's not nice to gloat in public, nor gloat too soon, but I expect to win one from AOL for a change.

04-11-2006, 05:55 PM	#1
savant Prospect Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 16	Breaking into old AOL 5.0 PFC I'm just a sentimental guy I guess, I still have my old AOL 5.0 PFC (personal filing cabinet) parked on my HD two computers later (with a another ISP). Of course, I have no way of reading these, but I got a half-baked idea last night. If I could find just one of those AOL 5.0 CDs mailed out free to a billion households back several years, I might find a way to install enough of it to read my email. It's a pipe dream, right? Could it work?

04-12-2006, 02:55 AM	#6
Mikey-San Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: twitter.com/mikeysan Posts: 3,481	There is but one word for all of that, I suppose: __________________ COMPUTER TYPE SOME SPECIFICATIONS I COPIED FROM THE BOX STUFF I INSTALLED ALL BY MYSELF "WITTY QUOTE"

04-12-2006, 02:34 PM	#9
AHunter3 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 2,798	I've never used Mail but I assume it can either natively use or easily import Eudora-format mail files (which are industry-standard give or take line endings). Do you have FileMaker? QuicKeys may be available on a try-before-you-buy basis for OS 9. QK is necessary because AOL is not sufficiently AppleScriptable (you would need to declare a variable and set it to the contents of each email in turn; and since you can't do that, you need to tell it to copy each email to the clipboard in turn, which it can't do either but which can be automated, along with "go to next email", as a series of clicks and keystrokes via QuicKeys, which as long as it's being deployed may as well boss FileMaker around too. FileMaker comes into play most centrally for parsing the text block that comes in from AOL, separating out the Date, From-header, To-header, and Subject line, and adding the other (usually hidden) headers with boilerplate and/or calculated defaults for their values. Then the whole database is exported, using just the calculated text field containing all the fields with their fieldname headers and returns and dividers between messages and whatnot inserted. I think it requires a final massage in BBEdit (or TextWrangler) to substitute real returns for the vertical-tab used by FileMaker for a return within a field — not sure of that. Anyway, assume you extract from AOL PFC the From-header, To-header, Subject, and Body of a given message (using QuicKeys I automated the tabbing from field to field and copying and pasting into waiting FileMaker fields), here's the formula for converting each individual email to Eudora (.mbx, industry-standard, blah blah blah) format: Code: "From ???@??? "&Left(DayName(Date), 3)&" "&Left(MonthName(Date), 3)&" "&Day(Date)&" "&"01:24:32 "&Year(Date)&"¶"& "Status: U"&"¶"& "Return-Path: <yourAOLaddress@aol.com>"&"¶"& "Received: from anyname@isp.net ([111.111.111.111])"&"¶"& TabChar&"by something (SomeISP SMTP Server) with ESMTP id tss3ek.cfq.37tiu0o"&"¶"& TabChar&"for <anyname@isp.net>; Wed, 17 Oct 2005 16:01:40 -0700 (PDT)"&"¶"& "Received: from [195.206.50.162] (50-162.ppp.dsi.ru [195.206.50.162])"&"¶"& TabChar&"by mail.blah.com (8.12.0/8.12.0) with ESMTP id f9HN1YSU026437"&"¶"& TabChar&"for <anyname@isp.net>; Wed, 17 Oct 2005 16:01:38 -0700 (PDT)"& "Date: "&Left(DayName(Date), 3)&", "&Day(Date)&" "&Left(MonthName(Date), 3)&" "&Year(Date)&" 12:37:32 -0700 (PDT)"&"¶"& "From: "&AOLMsg FROM&Case(PatternCount(AOLMsg FROM, "@")=0, "@aol.com")&"¶"& "To: "&AOLMsg TO&Case(PatternCount(AOLMsg TO, "@")=0, "@aol.com")&"¶"& "Subject: "&Subject&"¶"&"¶"& Email Body&"¶" The QuickKey macros are along the lines of: {assumption is that you have AOL open, offline mail open, first message selected; you have to run Mail Sent and Mail Received separately; you also have FileMaker open, with a layout with AOLMsg TO and AOLMsg FROM and Subject and Date on them; TabChar is a global field containing a tab character} {count the number of msgs in the AOL mailbox and enter into the repeat counter of QuicKeys when you first trigger the macro} Repeat x Times {specify on run} Switch Process to AOL Hit Return Wait 0.2 Tab Copy Switch Process to FileMaker Command-N (new record) Tab Paste Switch Process to AOL Tab Copy Switch Process to FileMaker Tab Paste (etc for all fields) Switch Process to AOL Command-W (close current email msg) Down-arrow (go to next) End Repeat Last edited by AHunter3; 04-12-2006 at 02:42 PM.

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04-11-2006, 07:15 PM	#2
MBHockey MVP Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,211	Can't you just install the latest version of AOL and open your PFC through there? I find it hard to believe AOL wouldn't let new versions of their software read an older versionss PFC...but then again..it is AOL...

04-11-2006, 10:02 PM	#3
AHunter3 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 2,798	I have AOL 5.0 I also have a FileMaker + QuicKeys + AppleScript routine that will convert the email from an AOL PFC to Eudora-compatible (.mbx-compatible) files (although some of the header info is necessarily forged).

04-11-2006, 10:51 PM	#5
AHunter3 Hall of Famer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 2,798	Well, it requires actually having AOL, having a Mac that can boot OS 9, and having the OS 9 version of QuicKeys (the OS X version is still badly hobbled by comparison).

04-12-2006, 01:01 PM	#7
savant Prospect Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 16	I address this to AHunter3: Your observation is a little too sophisticated for me, but am I correct to assume that if I knew what I was doing, I could succeed in opening my old PFC? My G3 iBook has OS 9 and X installed, although I've never used the former. And while I have used Eudora and pretty much know my way around in it, I shifted to Mail in OS X which I've used since. While I'm not a complete simpleton, your " FileMaker + QuicKeys + AppleScript routine" sounds past my competence, but I'd sure like to take a crack at it if you could share your solution with me. MBHockey's suggestion seems to have a lot of merit, would it work without re-entangling me with AOL (it took me more than six months to get away from them last time).

04-12-2006, 01:31 PM	#8
schwartze All Star Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NYC Posts: 898	There is also this: http://www.macintouch.com/readerrepo...topic2624.html Look about 3/4 of the way down the page for the heading: 2. From AOL for Mac OS X:

04-13-2006, 10:53 AM	#10
savant Prospect Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 16	AHunter3 and schwartze, I must say you two have not been an unmixed blessing — I never realized how ignorant I was until I ran into you two guys. Now I need counseling to restore my self-esteem. AHunter3: I memorialized your post with my printer. It's a roadmap if I meet a local computer PH.d. I've learned there is a Mac club in town, joining it would be a good start. schwartze: The link you provided is golden. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read it — the author answered all question I ever had on this subject, and my hopes that some day someone would find a way to work around AOL's proprietary handcuffs were justified. I'm hopeful I'll be into my old PFC reading the brilliant claptrap I typed as a sub-newbie several years ago. It's not nice to gloat in public, nor gloat too soon, but I expect to win one from AOL for a change.