OutlookFTP

OutlookFTP sends a copy of your Microsoft Outlook data to another server (Unix etc) via FTP. It is designed to be run in batch so you can run this nightly or hourly. This utility is a small but important part of Paul's latest anti-spam system. OutlookFTP was designed by Paul and developed by Lelesys. (Here is the detailed plan.)

1. OutlookFTP must find Outlook contacts, calendar, notes and tasks, create csv files and FTP them to the specified server.
2. Run on Windows XP with Microsoft Outlook 2000, XP and 2003, for specified user(s).
3. Developed in C# with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003, with programatic source formatting and inline documentation.
4. Program must have no user interface. To be run via command line and/or nightly as a Windows Scheduled Task, with status output to outlookftp.log (If easy to do, when run via command line, print status to standard output, but when run via Scheduler, then instead print status to outlookftp.log.) cf redemption

outlookftp.cfg

# outlookftp.cfg - configuration file for outlookftp.exe
winuser = paul (which Windows user)
fields = First Name,Last Name,E-mail Address,E-mail 2 Address,E-mail 3 Address.
ftpserver = f7.net
ftplogin = paultmp
ftppword = foo
(use rot13 to obscure)
ftpdir = mail/config
ftpfile = contacts.csv

outlookftp.log

Here is a sample outlookftp.log file. Each time outlookftp.exe runs, it should append outlookftp.log as below. The logfile should be created in the directory from which outlookftp.exe was run. (ok?)

2003-11-16 03:26pm found C:\Documents and Settings\Paul.BOXSTER\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Microsoft Outlookimap.f7.net-00000005.pst
2003-11-16 03:26pm created c:\apps\outlookftp\contacts.csv
2003-11-16 03:26pm ftp [email protected] mail/config/contacts.csv
2003-11-16 03:28pm ftp ok

Sample Output

Here is a sample output file, created via Outlook File->Export.

Enhancements

• Allow OutlookFTP to run in "reverse"; pulling data from the ftp server, and installing it into the local output. Thus OutlookFTP can be used as a simple mechanism to keep the home PC with the latest Outlook data from work PC, for smart folks who avoid Exchange. ;) Note: mnosal points me at slipstick for other sync options.
• Have OutlookFTP run N minutes after idle time (vs. every hour, which is both too often and also not often enough.)
• Have OutlookFTP also publish a beautiful web calendar to the location of the person's choice, which could also easily be htaccess protected if desired, and could also have RequestAppointment links.

Notes

1. Batch FTP
2. microsoft.public.outlook.contacts
3. Maybe extend OutlookFTP to work in both directions, for people who use Outlook with a Unix server (vs Exchange), so their data can be kept up to date nightly between home and work PCs etc.