INSTALLING


Upgrading mail files with the mail conversion utility

When you upgrade users' mail files to the current Notes® mail template or to the iNotes® template, you can upgrade one file at a time or use the mail conversion utility to automate design upgrade. You can also use the mail template conversion utility to convert a mail design from one language to another language. Run the mail conversion utility on an applicable Domino® server.

About this task

Be sure that you have already upgraded the Domino server that hosts the mail files and the Notes® clients that access those files, or users will not be able to use the features in the new design. Upgrade mail files when users won't be accessing them. Notify users that their mail files will be unavailable during the upgrade.

You can also use the mail conversion utility to migrate from Microsoft™ Exchange.

To use the mail conversion utility

About this task

Before running the mail conversion utility, make sure that all impacted Notes client installations are upgraded to the new release.

Procedure

1. Back up any customized mail files or mail templates on the impacted server or client systems.

2. Start the Domino server on which you want to run the mail conversion utility and on which the target mail files reside.

3. Shut down the Domino server mail router to prevent Domino from routing mail to the mail files while they are being upgraded.


4. Load the mail conversion utility.
5. When the utility is finished upgrading mail files to the current release mail template on the server, start the Domino server mail router.
6. Notify Notes users that you have upgraded their mail files to the new design.

Mail conversion utility task examples

About this task

You can use the mail conversion utility to convert one or more mail databases to the new design. The following table shows examples of various tasks the mail conversion utility can perform.

Note: When you use a wildcard character, such as an asterisk (*), to specify which files to upgrade to the new mail template, be sure that all databases in the directory (and, if specified, subdirectories) are mail files. When you use a wildcard character, Domino replaces the design of all databases specified by the wildcard character with the specified template. If you mistakenly replace the design of a non-mail database with the new mail template, use the mail conversion utility to restore the original design and then specify the correct template.

Table 2. Mail conversion utility tasks and descriptions
TaskDescription
Upgrade a single mail databaseThe mail conversion utility replaces the current mail template with the new release mail template.

This example finds the mail database user.nsf in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory.

load convert mail\user.nsf * mail9.ntf

Upgrade all mail databases in a directoryThis example finds all databases in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory that use the Notes 8.5 mail template, and replaces their design template with mail9.ntf, theHCL Notes 9.0.1 Social Edition mail template.

load convert mail\*.nsf StdR85Mail mail9.ntf

Upgrade all mail databases in a directory and in its subdirectoriesThis example finds all databases located in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory and all subdirectories of the \MAIL directory (for example, C:\NOTES\DATA\MAIL\GROUP1, C:\NOTES\DATA\MAIL\GROUP2, and C:\NOTES\DATA\MAIL\GROUP3) and upgrades them to the Notes 9.0.1 Social Edition mail template, mail9.ntf.

load convert -r mail\*.nsf * mail9.ntf

Upgrade all mail databases listed in a text fileYou can create a text file listing databases you want to upgrade and use it with the mail conversion utility to upgrade only those databases. For example, you can create the text file MAILLIST.TXT to list all the mail databases you want to upgrade and save it in the directory C:\TEMP. This example finds all databases listed in MAILLIST.TXT, determines whether the databases use a design template name that matches Mail*, and replaces the designs of the matching databases with mail9.ntf), the Notes 9.0.1 Social Edition mail template.

load convert -f c:\temp\maillist.txt mail*.ntf mail9.ntf

Create a text file that lists all mail databases in a directoryYou can use the mail conversion utility to create a text file that lists all primary mail databases on the server (it does not list replica mail databases). This example creates a text file, MAILLIST.TXT, in the C:\TEMP directory. MAILLIST.TXT contains a list of primary mail databases on the server but excludes replica mail databases. After you create the text file using this option, you can use the file to upgrade the mail databases listed in it. See Upgrading all mail databases listed in a text file in this table.

load convert -l c:\temp\maillist.txt

Convert mail files for use with IMAP in NotesIf you use a Notes mail file with IMAP, run the mail conversion utility to enable IMAP-specific features in the mail file. This example readies the mail database user.nsf in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory for use with IMAP.

load convert -e mail\user.nsf

Upgrade custom folder designYou can use the mail conversion utility to upgrade custom folder design to the Inbox design. This example upgrades the custom folder design of all mail databases in the \Mail subdirectory of the Notes data directory to the Inbox design.

load convert -u mail\*

Upgrade folder design of folders without the Preserve bitThe -s argument ignores any folder or view with preserve deselected. This corresponds to the Do not allow refresh/replace to modify option in the design properties.

System folders and other design elements from the original template used to create the mail file do not have this bit set, even if the database is set to inherit from design. System folders, such as the Inbox, are not updated if you run the mail conversion utility with the -s argument.

load convert -s mail\*

Convert the English mail template design to a non-English language, for example Germanload convert -g"German TestMail.nsf * mail9_en_de.ntf

Note: On the Linux™ platform, do not use quotes around the requested language name. Example syntax for Linux is as follows:

load convert -gGerman TestMail.nsf * mail9.ntf

Upgrade all previous users' mail designs listed in maillist.txt to Notes mail designload convert -u -f maillisttxt * mail9.ntf
Performs address fixup for all Microsoft Exchange migrated mail databases in dir_path and its subdirectoriesload convert -w db_path
Performs address fixup on the given Microsoft Exchange migrated mail database.load convert -w mail_db_path
Generates a text list containing all Microsoft Exchange migrated mail databases from the primary mail directory, excluding replicas. This feature is of lesser-importance than address fixup but it is necessary in the event that the subsequent option is required.load convert -w -l text_list_path
Performs address fix-up on all Exchange-migrated mail databases listed in the given text list file. Provides flexibility in allowing the administrator to manage the databases that need address fix-up.load convert -w -f text_list_file