John_Honest
asked on
How To Extract IE History
I want to convert my IE history into a flat text file.
I see that there is a file called C:\WINDOWS\History that I can browse with my Windows Explorer tool (or with the "history" option of IE), but I can't figure out where to go from there.
I'd prefer a command-line solution, such as a Perl script or C program that reads and dumps a file. Or even just a file format that would enable me to develop such a thing. If there is a way to just make IE dump the information for me, that is acceptable.
I'm running IE 5.5 on Windows 95.
I see that there is a file called C:\WINDOWS\History that I can browse with my Windows Explorer tool (or with the "history" option of IE), but I can't figure out where to go from there.
I'd prefer a command-line solution, such as a Perl script or C program that reads and dumps a file. Or even just a file format that would enable me to develop such a thing. If there is a way to just make IE dump the information for me, that is acceptable.
I'm running IE 5.5 on Windows 95.
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ASKER
Well, reqhar, I liked the tool you showed me, but I can't get it to work on my Windows 95 system. The author says that I need the "VB6 libraries" to work the tool. I think my old Windows 95 system does not have those libraries. I went to microsoft.com, but I couldn't find any such libraries.
The author of the tool compares his tool to another tool -- "History Reader," I think. I downloaded that one and tried it out. It wants me to tell it where the History file is, but it doesn't believe my (truthful) answer.
So close, yet so far...
I don't think astaec's solution would work for me. I have 117 weeks of history that I want to transcribe, and a fair amount of material for each of those weeks. Transcribing all that history by hand would just take too long.
The author of the tool compares his tool to another tool -- "History Reader," I think. I downloaded that one and tried it out. It wants me to tell it where the History file is, but it doesn't believe my (truthful) answer.
So close, yet so far...
I don't think astaec's solution would work for me. I have 117 weeks of history that I want to transcribe, and a fair amount of material for each of those weeks. Transcribing all that history by hand would just take too long.
John,
Neither program will work for you with 117 weeks of history. It would probably take a week to read all that information.
The VB6 runtime files are located here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=12704
Visual Basic 6.0 Run-time Files
VBRun60sp3.exe is a self-extracting executable file that installs the latest versions of the Microsoft Visual Basic run-time files required by all applications created with Visual Basic 6.0. The files include the fixes shipped with Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 3.
reghakr
Neither program will work for you with 117 weeks of history. It would probably take a week to read all that information.
The VB6 runtime files are located here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=12704
Visual Basic 6.0 Run-time Files
VBRun60sp3.exe is a self-extracting executable file that installs the latest versions of the Microsoft Visual Basic run-time files required by all applications created with Visual Basic 6.0. The files include the fixes shipped with Visual Studio 6.0 Service Pack 3.
reghakr
YIKES! That's a ton of history.
Ideally reghakr's solution works for you. If I were cornered and had to image some quickly, I'd take screen shots and cut/paste to word files to save (ALT+PrtScreen) until I can get what I need to at least capture some and keep in a Word file.
Asta
Ideally reghakr's solution works for you. If I were cornered and had to image some quickly, I'd take screen shots and cut/paste to word files to save (ALT+PrtScreen) until I can get what I need to at least capture some and keep in a Word file.
Asta
Sorry meant to include this:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q182/5/92.ASP
Since the above implies you can print all history folder contents, perhaps an option "may be" to rather than printing as output, printing the results as an ascii file/text file to save.
Back to work,
Asta
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q182/5/92.ASP
Since the above implies you can print all history folder contents, perhaps an option "may be" to rather than printing as output, printing the results as an ascii file/text file to save.
Back to work,
Asta
ASKER
Reg --
Thanks for the pointer to the VB material. I downloaded and installed it. Now the tool pops up, but when I push the start button I get the error message:
Run-time error '429': ActiveX component can't create object.
Any ideas? I'm stuck.
I bought my Windows 95 system a while ago -- maybe 1996 or 1997. I'm guessing that the author of the software developed it on a more recent system. But what could have changed? Do I need to update my ActiveX libraries, too?
-- John
ASKER
Asta --
The material you found is about printing what you see. If I could just get the history browser part of IE to display *all* my history, I could copy-and-paste and be done.
But I can't. IE requires me to execute several clicks to get down to the details of each site visited, and I have hundreds per week. I can't do that.
BTW, inspired by your note, I thought that, if I could import my IE history into Netscape, I could then have it all in one big list. No such luck. I can import IE favorites as bookmarks, but I can't import an IE history file.
-- John
-- John
The first thong you should do is upgrade Internet Explorer. This will update many important DLL
s on your system.
here's a link to version 5.5:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/ie55sp1/Install/5.5_SP1/WIN98Me/EN-US/ie5setup.exe
NOTE: You cannot install version 6.0 on a Win95 system.
After updateing IE, go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and download all critical updates for your machine.
John, either way, the History Book will not work with history that large.
reghakr
s on your system.
here's a link to version 5.5:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/ie55sp1/Install/5.5_SP1/WIN98Me/EN-US/ie5setup.exe
NOTE: You cannot install version 6.0 on a Win95 system.
After updateing IE, go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and download all critical updates for your machine.
John, either way, the History Book will not work with history that large.
reghakr
ASKER
Reg --
Thanks for your help. I'll use History Book on my newer WinMe system and give up on the Win95 history.
-- John
Good choice, John. Best of luck.
Great input, reghakr.
":0)
Asta
Great input, reghakr.
":0)
Asta
Yes, sorry, I was still reeling from the fact that there were 117 weeks (not days) of history.
John, if you would...
Open Windows Explorer to c:\windows\history. Right-click on the History folder, then choose properties. Notice how many files, folders, then the size, then the bytes used size.
If you ever do delete your history, I'm afraid IE may lock up completely and/or it will take so long it may look like it's froze. And when you're done, remember to scandisk and more importantly defrag your hard drive.
Good Luck
reghakr
John, if you would...
Open Windows Explorer to c:\windows\history. Right-click on the History folder, then choose properties. Notice how many files, folders, then the size, then the bytes used size.
If you ever do delete your history, I'm afraid IE may lock up completely and/or it will take so long it may look like it's froze. And when you're done, remember to scandisk and more importantly defrag your hard drive.
Good Luck
reghakr
I use the old school methods of exploring my History folders (expanding details and copying links I enjoy to a target folder in my Favorites for the respective history files prior to deleting them if I've overlooked just adding them at time of visit). Easy and helpful for me.
Asta