oTool is a data export utility to assist in migration of Lotus Notes data. This oTool documentation covers all required parameters. oTool exports only actual attached files from RTFs. It does NOT support export of Notes Formula Fields and has partial support for inline images.
Data Export Capabilities
| Field Type | oTool | Comments |
| Authors |  | Exported as stored in Notes |
| Checkbox | | If there is more than a single option populated, will be double quoted. |
| Colour | | Exported as hexadecimal value |
| Combo Box | | If there is more than a single option populated, will be double quoted. |
| Date/Time | | Exported as stored in Notes |
| Dialogue List | | If there is more than a single option populated, will be double quoted. |
| List Box | | If there is more than a single option populated, will be double quoted. |
| Names | | Exported as stored in Notes |
| Number | | Exported as stored in Notes |
| Password | | Exported as plain unencrypted text |
| Radio Button | | Exported as stored in Notes |
| Readers | | Exported as stored in Notes |
| Text | | Exported as stored in Notes. However, since Excel files have a cell character limit of under 255 characters (120 in practice) please be cautious about exporting Text data. If Excel is used as an intermediary tool you may need to parse the text data. |
| Time Zone | | Exported as coded text |
| Formula |  | Exported as blank. However, computed View formula content is exported. |
| Rich Text Attachments | | Stored in identified folders |
| Rich Text Embedded Text | | Partially Supported – dependent on content |
| Rich Text Embedded Images | | Partially Supported – dependent on content |
| Rich Text Light Attachments | | Stored in identified folders |
| Rich Text Light Embedded Text | | Partially Supported – dependent on content |
| Rich Text Light Embedded Images | | Partially Supported – dependent on content |
| Price | $750.00 Available Now | Download upon payment |
Export Data Example
The “Demo Exports” View shows examples of source data, with descriptions and limitations. Here is an example of an exportable document.
Steps in using oTool to export data from ANY unencrypted Notes database
oTool REQUIRES that the source database have Notes Views to support and potentially format the data. Data accessibility is based on the permissions of the active user.
1) Create a Notes View in the source database which has a column for each required exportable data Field. This View name should NOT have any spaces, but may be hidden.
2) This View may have selection criteria or Column Formulas.
3) This View must be flat and have at most a single sorted column.
Creating an Export View in the Source database
For the Attachments export, it is desirable to create a second View.
4) This View should be filtered to show only documents with attachments. This View name should NOT have any spaces, but may be hidden.
5) This View should contain only required identification Fields. These Fields are not used in the export.
6) This View must be flat and have at most a single sorted column.
Creating an Export View for Attachments in the Source database
The export process is defined in an “Xport Information” document in this database. A single document defines the export parameters for a single source database. The following are required:
7) The fully qualified Server name. For example: “CN=Dev2/O=kinetic“. Leave this field blank for Local.
8) A fully qualified Source Database path. It should have double “\\” in the path. For example: “c:\\NotesData\\Otool.nsf” for a Local database, “KSI\\KSI_CRM\\IENGroupCal.nsf” for a Server database. In the case of a Server source database, the path is in reference to the Server’s Data Directory.
9) The name of the View which defines the CSV export fields. This View name should NOT have any spaces. This is the View created in Step 1.
Once the base criteria are defined, run a test pass.
10) Click on “Get Row Columns”
11) The Rows, Columns, and Field Names will show in the status area at the bottom.
Creating an Export Definition for a Local database
If this pass is successful, enter the following information:
12) The Folder Path of the exported data. This MUST be at the first level of the file system. For example “C:\OTool_Test“.
13) The maximum number of lines in each CSV file. Both CSV files and Excel files have a 32k line limit. The default is 30,000
14) Choose a multi-value separator. The default is “~”
You are now ready to export text data.
15) Click on “Create CSV”
16) Confirm that there is a CSV file created in the location you specified in step 12. If there are more Notes Documents in the source View than the number specified in Step 13, there will be several CSV files, named sequentially.
17) A Status result will show in the status area at the bottom.
CSV Export
Notes:
a) Multi-Value fields (Checkbox, Dialogue List, List Box) are exported surrounded by quotes. In the case of multiple values, there will be double quotes. These may be removed with a Search and Replace process in a text editor.
b) Colour field values are exported as a hexadecimal value.
c) Password field values are exported as plain text.
d) Since Excel files have a cell character limit of under 255 characters (120 in practice) please be cautious about exporting Text data.
To export attachments, you may use the same View as for the text export, or the one you created in Steps 4-6.
18) Enter the name of the Attachments View if it is different than the Text Export View.
19) The Attachments Export base folder is usually the same as for the Text Export. Change if required.
20) Click on “Migrate Attachments”
A status summary will appear in the status area at the bottom.
Attachments Export
A folder will be created within the folder specified in Step 12 or 19. There will be a folder for each Notes Document which has attachments. If a Notes Document has more than one attachment, all the Attachments will be within one folder. Each Folder has a name which is the Doc UNID of the source Notes Document. There may be Attachments which cannot be exported using oTool. These will be identified in the Status Summary. These will need to be exported manually, These Attachments or the Notes Document may have some corrupt elements.
Full Definition and Status Screen
Any number of additional Notes databases may be migrated by creating additional Xport Information documents, one per export set.
For a Benchmarks summary, please visit the Benchmarks page.
Contact Information:
GalaxySMB.ca
jfederer (you know what goes here) ksi.ca
Lotus Notes, IBM Notes, Domino, and LotusScript are registered trademarks of HCL Technologies.