I develop this utility to export sms data from backup file (*.ipd). To some people who have plenty of SMS, they can use it to export SMS data on PC. And then process it using any application you like (For example, MS excel). There is a .ipd sample in zip package for your reference. Any feedback is welcome. Enjoy it.

(1)Running following command and export data to "output.dat". You can open the .dat file using MS Excel and use its text_to_columm function to separate data to several columns.
sms_borer.exe xxxxxxxx.ipd

(2)Format of output file "output.dat"
One line is one SMS. Every Fields are separated by "|"(7CH). For example
"1|1|20060309-063046|20060614-134937|+861372550000|qwerty111"

1st Field: Seq no
2nd Field: Direction. 1 for receiving, 0 for sending.
3rd Field: UST(GMT +0)
4th Field: For receiving, time stamp with SMS
For sending, UST(GMT+0)
5th Field: Far end mobile number
6th Field: SMS content. Don't support unicode at this version.

(3)Test
Test on Win2K & XP and confirm it pass for following platform
DM Ver: 4.0.0.x, 4.0.1.x, 4.1.0.xxx
BB OS: 4.0.0.x, 4.0.2.x, 4.1.1.xxx, 3.8.0.xxx

(4)Limitation
This version don't support unicode.

Someone even tried this program? Look forward to any feedback.

I tried it, but it didn't give me anything useful. Not sure how I could use this utility in a beneficial way. If the SMS content field would actually show the text from the message it would be much more useful.

Sure. It's used to export info from SMS backup file. Have you tried the sample ipd in package? is it ok? If yes, you get correct way to use this utility.
If the content of your SMS include unicode (For example, East Asia Character), pls try another unicode version here. It work well with simplied chinese and should be ok for Japanese & Korean.

Say Hello to VIP BB user from China

Nice to see you here.

Hi haobo

I used this to export the SMS from my 7290. It does exactly what you say it does - I love it. I've been looking for a utility like this far ages! Great to see it here.

A tip for users is to create a new back up of ONLY your SMS using the desktop manager. The utility will then recognise the SMS and export the to output.dat file.

Once output, you can import the data in Excel using the import wizard. For the delimiter, select 'other' and enter the grep [ | ] character.

Thanks again haobo.

Cheers

Ali.

By the way, I used this on XP Pro SP2, using desktop manager 4.1.08 and 7290 version 3.8.0.139.

Havent tried it yet, but from the screenshots exactly what i was looking for , thanks a lot from Germany ..

Damn -- a fine application. I don't have a use for this, but can you possibly use this to extract other data so users can export this?

This is a much requested feature that just does not exist.. keep on it , and you will have a definiate market share, especially from IT professionals..

let me know if you do, i'll purchase it..

* Extract e-mail
* Extract sent messages
* Extract PIN messages
etc

There is a limitation on the number of records that can be exported. Is it possible to either remove this limitation, or somehow extract sections of the file at a time?

Thanks

HiHo,

me again... so i tried the program, and as bradwhiteau says it does not seem to extract all the messages that are stored in the ipd file. I tried IPDEditor too, which displays all messages, but that program does not allow the export of the messages :(...

I'm also trying to convert the file myself, found the documentation of the ipd file (general structure, database block set-up), but from that documentation it is not quiet clear, who to convert the none ascii parts, e.g. the conversion of the timestamp is a ridle to me, how to convert that? Maybe you can point me to another doc.

Hope you'll come back to this forum and see my remark ...

I have a utility for extracting SMS, Contact, E-Mail, Phone Log and Calendar info to a comma separated values file. Its not free, but it is cheap ($10). Its called bbExtractor and comes with a report writer called textifire.

I noticed someone asked for PIN messages. I don't know what that is, but I could add it to the extractor if there is interest.

MScott,

I am certainly not against buying a package...could you possibly provide details on here of the package, how it operates and how to purchase it for both myself and other interested people?

Thanks,
Brad.

Brad,

I can't put a URL in my posts until I've made at least 10 posts, but if you google either 'bbextractor' or 'textifire' the home page will come up.

You can buy the software from the products page, it downloads as a self-extracting zip file. Once you've installed it you just click 'Find Files' to search for ipds then double click the backup file you want to open. Every database in the ipd is listed on the main screen (there's usually about 60 or so). From here you double click the database name you want to open, or click the corresponding speed button on the top row and the contents of the database appear in a spreadsheet-like grid. From here you can export to a csv file or pipe the output to the report writer and reformat it how you wish.

There are some automation features tied to the 'Config' button, such as a default search start directory and automatic database opening that can save some effort if you use the program a lot.

This whole process started for me when my girlfriend gave her blackberry to her nephew and needed to pull her contact and schedule info off her phone and I was shocked to find there was no easy way to do it. I then added email, sms and phone log extractors as well as viewing cabability for all the other databases in the file.

Anyway, I hope you find this utility useful and I am open to suggestions on how to improve it.

-Mike

Hey MScott.

I purchased your program and it works great! I managed to extract the SMS, all 3500+ of them. One issue/improvement...

It seems it extracts the received SMS, but not the sent...is that in a different folder, and can I extract those also somehow? Or is that another change to the program?

Thanks,
Brad.

Hey Brad,

Glad you like the software. All the databases stored in the ipd can be viewed in bbExtractor by double clicking the name on the main screen. I haven't found one that contains the outbound SMS files but if it's there I'll find it. I'll keep you posted.

Mike

Incoming and outgoing SMS are stored in the same database. Look for field type 0x0B. If the first byte of data for that field is 0x00, the message was sent. If the first byte of data for that field is 0x01, the message was received.

Thanks Tateu,

I rolled a Sent/Received flag into my last update of bbExtractor which also fixes the email timestamp issue. If you still need any help with timestamps, just drop the tech support guys a line at textifire.

Mike

Hi, the program worked fine when tried with sample.ipd. then when i tried to use it with my exported ipd (8100 pearl with latest s/w), i got the following:

--Inter@ctive Pager Backup/Restore File--2--75--1--
Name of database 57 is SMS Messages
Read body of record fail!Abnormal exit!!

** Database 57: îαdÆ3╓á╗\↕
Records: 0
Columns: -919833700

what is the actual command to run the file?

can a bat file be made to choose the file by a *.ipd method?

Thank You haobo.
Your application works perfectly.

I had about 1400 SMS which I exported using your program. Imported the lot in Excel and reformatted the way I wanted.

There is a bit of data correction involved to get around the limit of 255 SMS.
The way i did it is I opened the ipd file with a Text Editor and removed the first 255 sms that were already exported, Save and rerun the SMS_BORER on the saved ipd file. With 1400+ SMS I had to do this multiple times.

But IT WORKS and one can expect more from a free software.

So Thanks once again for your efforts.


To run the program:
sms_borer.exe "Backup-(2007-09-01).ipd"

This will create a "output.dat" in the same directory.
Import from it in Excel.

Now Edit "Backup-(2007-09-01).ipd" using your fav text editor (notepad) will do. I personally use TextPad. Remove the first 255 SMS. Make sure you LEAVE the first 3 lines intact as they are needed.
Save it and rerun the progi.

Enjoy.

Hi,

i tried this program as I wanted to download all my sms from my 8100 pearl to my laptop(I want to print them out)

But I cant get away with this instructions resp.dont know how this works.

Can give me anyone instructions, how this can be done(easily).

thank you very much!!!

Matthias

works great! has it been corrected to go beyond the 255 SMS?
Thanks

If you're getting the following error:

D:\!sav\SMS-Borer>sms_borer.exe tmo8700.ipd
--Inter@ctive Pager Backup/Restore File--2--68--1--
Name of database 57 is SMS Messages
Read head of record fail!Abnormal exit!!

** Database 57: ¿≥/²
Records: -1176156265
Columns: 452398978

abnormal program termination

Then what you are probably doing is backing up ALL the databases in the Desktop Manager backup feature.
When I got this, i went back to the DM, then Backup\Restore, ADVANCED
Then go to File, New
You should have all the BB databases on the right and nothing on the left.
From the right, select ONLY the SMS Messages database and move it to the left.
File, Save As and save it wherever.

Run the SMS Borer on this new .ipd file and there ya go

the 255 message limit is annoying so go with netstud69's post earlier in the thread to get around this.

Yeah... so i am missing how to run this, any help would be appricated.

I also started an open-source project to extract SMS messages from IPD files. You can find the project page at ipddump - Google Code

Hi
i can't download this app using Opera browser. Am I missing something here ?

download link open a blank page!

Could you resend the zip file or send a link where I can download and try?
Thanks!

Hi, For some reason I can't download the zip file off your post. Is it possible that you could email it to me on please.

Thanks

Hi, I can't download the file. When I click on it the page goes blank and nothings downloads. When i right click on the file and select save target as, again it does not work. Any chance of emailing it to me.

Thanks

I can't open this file... is it still on-line?

Hi, you can try ipddump.

Trying it out.

trying it out,

is there any way i can export the content of the .dat file to .ipd file after editing the dat file? for some testing purpose i need to have some more sms in the inbox. it could be easy if we could upload the contents of the dat file to ipd after editing the dat file (add more sms manually) and then perform a restore using desktop manager. or is there any alternative way where we can have large number of messages in inbox/send items without receiving/sending manually.

Thanks,
Anp

Just a blank screen. File located anywhere else?

I can download this pice of software. What can I do?

link broken help?