OFT to EML Converter

A Python application for converting Microsoft Outlook Template (.oft) files to standard EML format with embedded image support.

Features

• Format Support: Converts .oft (Outlook Template) files to .eml (standard email format)
• Embedded Images: Properly handles inline images with Content-ID references
• Batch Processing: Convert multiple files at once
• GUI Interface: Easy-to-use graphical interface
• Command Line: Also available as a command-line tool
• Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher (3.8-3.12 officially supported)
• tkinter (usually included with Python)

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/trsdn/oft-eml-converter.git
   cd oft-eml-converter

2. Create a virtual environment:

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

GUI Application (Recommended)

Launch the graphical interface:

./run_gui.sh

Or directly:

python oft_to_eml_gui.py

Features:

• Click to browse and select OFT files
• Choose output directory (remembers last location)
• Real-time conversion progress
• Batch processing support
• Error handling and results display

Command Line

Convert a single file:

python oft_to_eml_converter.py input.oft [output.eml]

Examples:

# Convert with automatic output naming
python oft_to_eml_converter.py template.oft

# Convert with specific output name
python oft_to_eml_converter.py template.oft converted.eml

How It Works

The converter:

1. Parses OFT files using the extract-msg library
2. Extracts email components: headers, plain text, HTML body, and attachments
3. Handles embedded images: Converts attachments with Content-IDs to inline images
4. Creates EML files: Uses Python's email library to generate RFC-compliant MIME messages
5. Preserves formatting: Maintains original styling and embedded content

Technical Details

Supported Content

• Headers: From, To, CC, Subject, Date
• Body: Plain text and HTML content
• Attachments: Regular file attachments
• Embedded Images: Inline images with proper Content-ID mapping

File Structure

oft-eml-converter/
├── oft_to_eml_converter.py    # Core conversion logic
├── oft_to_eml_gui.py          # GUI application
├── run_gui.sh                 # GUI launcher script
├── requirements.txt           # Python dependencies
└── README.md                  # This file

Requirements

Python Packages

• extract-msg: For parsing OFT/MSG files
• tkinter: For GUI interface (usually included)

System Requirements

• Python 3.8+ (officially tested on 3.8-3.12)
• 50MB free disk space
• Internet connection for initial setup
• Supported OS: Windows 10+, macOS 10.15+, Ubuntu 20.04+

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"No module named '_tkinter'"

• Install tkinter: brew install python-tk (macOS) or sudo apt-get install python3-tk (Ubuntu)

"Unable to load tkdnd library"

• This is expected - the application gracefully falls back to browse-only mode

Conversion errors

• Ensure the .oft file isn't corrupted
• Check that you have read permissions for the input file
• Verify the output directory is writable

Getting Help

1. Check that all dependencies are installed: pip list
2. Verify your Python version: python --version (should be 3.8+)
3. Run with verbose output for debugging
4. Check our CI/CD status to ensure the latest build is working
5. Review existing issues for similar problems
6. Open a new issue if your problem persists

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Development Setup

1. Fork the repository
2. Clone your fork: git clone https://github.com/yourusername/oft-eml-converter.git
3. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b feature-name
4. Set up development environment:

   python -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
   pip install -r requirements.txt

5. Make your changes
6. Run tests: pytest tests/ -v or python -m tests.test_converter
7. Ensure CI passes locally
8. Submit a pull request with a clear description

Code Style

• Follow PEP 8 guidelines
• Use meaningful variable names
• Add docstrings for functions and classes
• Include tests for new functionality

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Built with Python's standard email and tkinter libraries
• Uses the excellent extract-msg library for OFT file parsing
• Inspired by the need for reliable OFT to EML conversion

Changelog

v1.1.0 (Latest)

• Enhanced CI/CD with comprehensive cross-platform testing
• Advanced CLI converter error handling validation
• Virtual environment creation and management testing
• Headless-safe GUI import testing for CI environments
• Cross-platform file operations validation
• Package requirement verification system
• Professional release management with GitHub Actions

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• GUI and command-line interfaces
• Embedded image support
• Batch processing
• Cross-platform compatibility