Hi:

Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just on
my Mac. Is there a way to do this?

Martin S Taylor

On 2024-02-18 09:39:59 +0000, Martin S Taylor said:

> Hi:
>
> Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
> and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just on
> my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
>
> Martin S Taylor

I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
--
Cheers ... Mark

On 18 Feb 2024, Mark wrote
(in article <uqu08a$1fppt$1@dont-email.me>):

> > Hi:
> >
> > Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
> > and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just on
> > my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
> >
> > Martin S Taylor
>
> I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.

It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing does
that I need, and for £50...

MST

On 12/04/2024 15:37, Martin S Taylor wrote:
> On 18 Feb 2024, Mark wrote
> (in article <uqu08a$1fppt$1@dont-email.me>):
>
>>> Hi:
>>>
>>> Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
>>> and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just on
>>> my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
>>>
>>> Martin S Taylor
>>
>> I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
>
> It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing does
> that I need, and for £50...
>
> MST
>

Here's a technique from 2017 which might still work.
<https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-archive-imessages-automator/>

--
Bruce Horrocks
Surrey, England

On 16 Apr 2024, Bruce Horrocks wrote
(in article<2bc64f2f-1ad6-4555-b943-cab9d3788fa8@scorecrow.com>):

> > > > Hi:
> > > >
> > > > Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
> > > > and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just
> > > > on
> > > > my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
> > > >
> > > > Martin S Taylor
> > >
> > > I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
> >
> > It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing
> > does
> > that I need, and for £50...
> >
> > MST
>
> Here's a technique from 2017 which might still work.
> <https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-archive-imessages-automator/>

Thanks, but it doesn't. It seems messages are stored in a different format
now.

(It's one of the gripes I have with the Apple 'ecosystem' - in MacOS it's
very hard (and in iOS impossible) to find where your data is stored, and in
what format. That's why I store all my personal notes and jottings as
separate .txt files in their own folder on iCloud Drive rather than relying
on Notes.app.)
MST

On 17 Apr 2024 at 10:03:35 BST, "Martin S Taylor"
<correspondence@mRaErMtOiVnEsTtHaIySlor.com> wrote:

> On 16 Apr 2024, Bruce Horrocks wrote
> (in article<2bc64f2f-1ad6-4555-b943-cab9d3788fa8@scorecrow.com>):
>
>>>>> Hi:
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
>>>>> and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just
>>>>> on
>>>>> my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
>>>>>
>>>>> Martin S Taylor
>>>>
>>>> I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
>>>
>>> It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing
>>> does
>>> that I need, and for £50...
>>>
>>> MST
>>
>> Here's a technique from 2017 which might still work.
>> <https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-archive-imessages-automator/>
>
> Thanks, but it doesn't. It seems messages are stored in a different format
> now.
>
> (It's one of the gripes I have with the Apple 'ecosystem' - in MacOS it's
> very hard (and in iOS impossible) to find where your data is stored, and in
> what format. That's why I store all my personal notes and jottings as
> separate .txt files in their own folder on iCloud Drive rather than relying
> on Notes.app.)
> MST

It won't help with IOS, of course, but I find FindAnyFile very useful tor
finding things hidden in obscure places. Or things that I've forgotten where I
put them.

Just a thought.

Old John.
--
You're not an old dog until you can't learn new tricks.

On 18/04/2024 07:54, John Hill wrote:
[....]

> It won't help with IOS, of course, but I find FindAnyFile very useful tor
> finding things hidden in obscure places. Or things that I've forgotten where I
> put them.
>
> Just a thought.

Thanks, Old John!

"EasyFind" is a great FREE facility too!

https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/freeware

John Hill <watcombeman@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> On 17 Apr 2024 at 10:03:35 BST, "Martin S Taylor"
> <correspondence@mRaErMtOiVnEsTtHaIySlor.com> wrote:
>
>> On 16 Apr 2024, Bruce Horrocks wrote
>> (in article<2bc64f2f-1ad6-4555-b943-cab9d3788fa8@scorecrow.com>):
>>
>>>>>> Hi:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
>>>>>> and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just
>>>>>> on
>>>>>> my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Martin S Taylor
>>>>>
>>>>> I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
>>>>
>>>> It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing
>>>> does
>>>> that I need, and for £50...
>>>>
>>>> MST
>>>
>>> Here's a technique from 2017 which might still work.
>>> <https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-archive-imessages-automator/>
>>
>> Thanks, but it doesn't. It seems messages are stored in a different format
>> now.
>>
>> (It's one of the gripes I have with the Apple 'ecosystem' - in MacOS it's
>> very hard (and in iOS impossible) to find where your data is stored, and in
>> what format. That's why I store all my personal notes and jottings as
>> separate .txt files in their own folder on iCloud Drive rather than relying
>> on Notes.app.)
>> MST
>
> It won't help with IOS, of course, but I find FindAnyFile very useful tor
> finding things hidden in obscure places. Or things that I've forgotten where I
> put them.

+1 for FaF.

With iOS and iPadOS you can do searches with the Files app but probably not
in system level obscure places.

<https://support.apple.com/en-us/102570>

--
Cheers, Alan

On 18.04.2024 09:26, David Brooks wrote:
> On 18/04/2024 07:54, John Hill wrote:
> [....]
>
>> It won't help with IOS, of course, but I find FindAnyFile very useful tor
>> finding things hidden in obscure places. Or things that I've forgotten where I
>> put them.
>>
>> Just a thought.
>
> Thanks, Old John!
>
> "EasyFind" is a great FREE facility too!
>
> https://www.devontechnologies.com/apps/freeware

Spotlight does this at least as good.

--
"Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutant!"

On 2024-04-18, Alan B <alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> John Hill <watcombeman@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

[snip]

>> It won't help with IOS, of course, but I find FindAnyFile very useful tor
>> finding things hidden in obscure places. Or things that I've forgotten where I
>> put them.
>
> +1 for FaF.

Or even mdfind, which I sometimes revert to.

<https://ss64.com/mac/mdfind.html>

--
Cheers, Alan

On 18 Apr 2024, Alan B wrote
(in article<uvqpdf$26fm9$1@alanrichardbarker.eternal-september.org>):

> On 2024-04-18, Alan B<alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> > John Hill <watcombeman@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > > It won't help with IOS, of course, but I find FindAnyFile very useful tor
> > > finding things hidden in obscure places. Or things that I've forgotten
> > > where I
> > > put them.
> >
> > +1 for FaF.
>
> Or even mdfind, which I sometimes revert to.
>
> <https://ss64.com/mac/mdfind.html>

I use HoudahSpot, which accesses the Spotlight index in a very powerful and
intuitive way - but, of course, this means it can't find files that aren't
indexed by Spotlight.

MST

On 17/04/2024 10:03, Martin S Taylor wrote:
> On 16 Apr 2024, Bruce Horrocks wrote
> (in article<2bc64f2f-1ad6-4555-b943-cab9d3788fa8@scorecrow.com>):
>
>>>>> Hi:
>>>>>
>>>>> Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
>>>>> and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just
>>>>> on
>>>>> my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
>>>>>
>>>>> Martin S Taylor
>>>>
>>>> I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
>>>
>>> It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing
>>> does
>>> that I need, and for £50...
>>>
>>> MST
>>
>> Here's a technique from 2017 which might still work.
>> <https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-archive-imessages-automator/>
>
> Thanks, but it doesn't. It seems messages are stored in a different format
> now.
>
> (It's one of the gripes I have with the Apple 'ecosystem' - in MacOS it's
> very hard (and in iOS impossible) to find where your data is stored, and in
> what format. That's why I store all my personal notes and jottings as
> separate .txt files in their own folder on iCloud Drive rather than relying
> on Notes.app.)
> MST

You can open Messages on the Mac and then, somewhat tediously, for each
thread, click on the thread and press cmd-P to print it.

Don't print to an actual printer but just click on the PDF button (not
the drop down marker - just the button) and it saves to a PDF named
after the thread. The save directory is remembered so that the rest are
a repetition of print - click PDF - click save.

Images are saved but attached files or videos aren't.

--
Bruce Horrocks
Surrey, England

On 2024-04-20, Bruce Horrocks <07.013@scorecrow.com> wrote:
> On 17/04/2024 10:03, Martin S Taylor wrote:
>> On 16 Apr 2024, Bruce Horrocks wrote
>> (in article<2bc64f2f-1ad6-4555-b943-cab9d3788fa8@scorecrow.com>):
>>
>>>>>> Hi:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Is there a way to archive text messages? I have them all stored on iCloud,
>>>>>> and they're starting to take up too much space there. I'd like them just
>>>>>> on
>>>>>> my Mac. Is there a way to do this?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Martin S Taylor
>>>>>
>>>>> I /think/ <https://imazing.com/> can do that.
>>>>
>>>> It does, but at a price. There doesn't seem to be much else that iMazing
>>>> does
>>>> that I need, and for £50...
>>>>
>>>> MST
>>>
>>> Here's a technique from 2017 which might still work.
>>> <https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/macos-archive-imessages-automator/>
>>
>> Thanks, but it doesn't. It seems messages are stored in a different format
>> now.
>>
>> (It's one of the gripes I have with the Apple 'ecosystem' - in MacOS it's
>> very hard (and in iOS impossible) to find where your data is stored, and in
>> what format. That's why I store all my personal notes and jottings as
>> separate .txt files in their own folder on iCloud Drive rather than relying
>> on Notes.app.)
>> MST
>
> You can open Messages on the Mac and then, somewhat tediously, for each
> thread, click on the thread and press cmd-P to print it.
>
> Don't print to an actual printer but just click on the PDF button (not
> the drop down marker - just the button) and it saves to a PDF named
> after the thread. The save directory is remembered so that the rest are
> a repetition of print - click PDF - click save.
>
> Images are saved but attached files or videos aren't.

You could try this. I downloaded the aarch64 darwin version and used the -t txt
option. A folder full of text files was created in ~/imessage_export

<https://github.com/ReagentX/imessage-exporter/releases/tag/1.8.0>

--
Cheers, Alan

On 2024-04-20, Alan B <alanrichardbarker@gmail.com.invalid> wrote:
> On 2024-04-20, Bruce Horrocks <07.013@scorecrow.com> wrote:

[snip]

>> Images are saved but attached files or videos aren't.
>
> You could try this. I downloaded the aarch64 darwin version and used the -t txt
> option. A folder full of text files was created in ~/imessage_export
>
><https://github.com/ReagentX/imessage-exporter/releases/tag/1.8.0>

With the -t html option, it looks like images are saved but I don't have
any messages videos etc. attached to test further.

--
Cheers, Alan