This small package leverages libpst to turn PST files into directories of .eml and .ics files which can then be indexed by desktop search tools.

The .eml and .ics files have their properties (author, creation date, and file name changed to reflect the email properties for easier search queries).

• LIBPST binaries for windows (can be found on the internet)
• python (tested with python 3.8 32b on Win10)

python -m venv venv_eml
.\venv_eml\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

or

python.exe -m pip install git+https://github.com/oberron/pyPST2EML

once installed with pip you need to run the post install script

python venv\Scripts\pywin32_postinstall.py -install

1. non regression testing on files in the ./test folder

python -m pyPST2EML -t Y

2. launch the conversion of .pst into a hiearical set of folders and .eml files

python -m pyPST2EML --pst Y -f C:\outlook\archives\ -n 2021Q1.pst

3. Process an existing set of folders and .eml files to rename them / touch them

python -m pyPST2EML --pst N -f C:\outlook\archives\eml\2021Q1

connect with a distributed database for fast querying of the database content. Example include but not limited to:

• Sonic (rust written alternative to ElasticSearch)
• ElasticSearch (though recent licensing changes make it less appealing)