Application servers from SEAL Systems are an integral part of release processes of our customers. If a document reaches a certain status or importance, or if it has to be converted in a more comfortable format, it is nowadays converted in PDF/A rather than TIFF. The conversion is done with background processes without any additional efforts and interaction of a user.
For standard applications the converters of DPF4Convert Worklflow are available.
This large suite of conversion methods has been enhanced with long term archiving of email directories. Project related directories can now be completely converted and archived into PDF/A. At this process the structure is archived, too.
File formats
PST files: includes all information, which an Outlook clients manages (not only mails, but also dates, contacts, tasks).
MSG files: includes an email of Outlook. Such a file only occurs when an email is stored separateley.
EML file: a mail of Outlook Express
The solution
There are two challenges with PST conversions.
At first all Outlook objects can be part of a PST file. The task is the filtering of the mails.
Further on mails can contain additional file attachements. Typical file formats, which we know how to handle, must be converted as well: images (TIFF, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, …) and Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). But there could be more file containers as mail attachments: ZIP or additional Outlook mails. The PST file contains no linear list of objects, but a directory-like structure, which has a file on each last point.
The PST file is separated into single mails. The result are MSG files. The attachments are removed from these MSG files and converted in a separated process. With this a recursive treatment of MSG files could be possible when there are attachment with mails.
The original MSG files are converted to PDF/A.
All files which can be converted have then the standardized format PDF/A. They can provided for further management in the DMS or archive system of the customer. There they are available as single file or as compiled PDF/A file.
The structure information, which are gained from the nesting of the mail attachments and from the header data of the mails, can be provided as an xml file or as bookmarks within the PDF/A file. The first approach serves well if the xml file with the structure information should keep together the single files (output as single file, xml file references the single files).
The approach with bookmarks is recommended, if a big compilation file with internal navigation sould be generated. Then the bookmarks have links to the file headers.
With this eMail Connector a universal configurable driver for PLOSSYS netdome and gXconvert is available and this distribution method becomes as easy printing. It is available for all sources: Office and CAD, PDF, PLM, DMS, and SAP. MultiSource Input and MultiChannel Output with SEAL Systems.