Lotus Domino Administrator 6 Help - Upgrading mail files with the mail conversion utility

UPGRADING TO LOTUS NOTES 6 AND LOTUS DOMINO 6

Upgrading mail files with the mail conversion utility
When you upgrade users' mail files to the Notes 6 mail template or to the iNotes Web Access (R6.0) template, you can upgrade one file at a time or use the mail conversion utility to automate upgrading the design. Be sure that you have already upgraded the Domino server that hosts the mail files and the Notes clients that access them to Domino 6, or users will not be able to use the features in the new design. Upgrade mail files at a time when users won't be accessing them -- for example, early mornings or over a weekend. Notify users that their mail files will be unavailable during the upgrade.

Note Before using the mail conversion utility, make sure that all clients are upgraded to Lotus Notes 6.

To use the mail conversion utility

1. If users have customized their mail files, instruct them to back up these customizations. For example, users can make a copy of their mail file that includes only the database design. This allows users to apply changes they made to their Notes 4.6 or Notes 5 mail file to the new Notes 6 mail template, if necessary.

2. Start the Domino server on which you want to customize mail files.

3. Shut down the router. Enter:

tell router quit

and press ENTER to prevent Domino from routing mail to the mail files while they are being upgraded. Mail is stored in MAIL.BOX while you upgrade the mail files. After you upgrade the mail files and load the router task again, the router processes and delivers the mail in MAIL.BOX.

4. Load the mail conversion utility. Type

load convert [arguments]

and press ENTER.

The mail conversion utility command uses arguments to specify options. It has the form:

load convert [-r | -l | -f | -m | -e | -u | -s] mailfilepath existingtemplatename newtemplatefilename
where -r converts mail files in subdirectories of the specified directory, -l creates a text list of mail files, -f uses a text list of mail databases to determine which mail files to upgrade, -m converts the file or files for IMAP use in Notes 5, -e converts the file or files for IMAP use in Notes 6, -u converts all custom folders to the Inbox design, and -s upgrades folders created without the Preserve bit set. Mailfilepath specifies which mail file or files to upgrade, existingtemplatename specifies a certain mail file design (for example, only mail files using Notes 5 design) to upgrade, and newtemplatefilename specifies the template with which to upgrade the mail files.

5. Once you have finished upgrading mail files to the Notes 6 template on this server, load the router. Enter:

load router

and press ENTER.

6. Notify users that you upgraded their mail files to the Notes 6 design.

Mail conversion utility tasks

You can use the mail conversion utility to upgrade one or more mail databases. The following table describes the tasks that the mail conversion utility can perform.

Task Description

Upgrading a single mail database This example finds the mail database USER.NSF in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory. The mail conversion utility replaces the current mail template -- regardless of which template the mail file uses -- with MAIL6.NTF, the Notes 6 mail template.
load convert mail\user.nsf * mail6.ntf

Upgrading all mail databases in a directory This example finds all databases located in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory that use StdR46Mail, the Notes 4.6 mail template, and replaces their design template with StdR60Mail (MAIL6.NTF), the Notes 6 mail template.
load convert mail\*.nsf stdr46mail mail6.ntf

Upgrading all mail databases in a directory and in its subdirectories This 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 6 mail template, MAIL6.NTF.
load convert -r mail\*.nsf * mail6.ntf

Upgrading all mail databases listed in a text file You 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 STD* (StdR46Mail, for example), and replaces the designs of the matching databases with StdR60Mail (MAIL6.NTF), the Notes 6 mail template.
load convert -f c:\temp\maillist.txt std* mail6.ntf

Creating a text file that lists all mail databases in a directory You 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

Converting mail files for use with IMAP in Notes 5 If you use a Notes 5 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 -m mail\user.nsf

Converting mail files for use with IMAP in Notes 6 If you use a Notes 6 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

Upgrading custom folder design You 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\*

Upgrading folder design of folders without the Preserve bit Do not use the -s argument with the mail conversion utility when upgrading mail files from the Notes 4.6 design to the Notes 6 design. The -s argument ignores any folder or view with the Preserve bit deselected. This bit 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. This affects mail files being upgraded to Lotus Notes 6 because required script libraries have been removed and action buttons have been upgraded.
load convert -s mail\*

Note When you use a wildcard character, such as an asterisk (*), to specify which files to upgrade to the Notes 6 mail template, be sure that all databases in the directory (and, if specified, subdirectories) are mail files. When you use a wildcard character, Lotus Domino replaces the design of all databases specified by the wildcard character with the specified template, such as the Notes 6 mail template. If you replace the design of a non-mail database with the Notes 6 mail template by mistake, you can use the mail conversion utility by to restore the original design and then specify the correct template.

See Also

Using Upgrade-by-mail

Using seamless mail upgrade

Running the mail conversion utility to enable a mail file for IMAP

Convert utility options

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Task	Description
Upgrading a single mail database	This example finds the mail database USER.NSF in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory. The mail conversion utility replaces the current mail template -- regardless of which template the mail file uses -- with MAIL6.NTF, the Notes 6 mail template. `load convert mail\user.nsf * mail6.ntf`
Upgrading all mail databases in a directory	This example finds all databases located in the \MAIL subdirectory of the Notes data directory that use StdR46Mail, the Notes 4.6 mail template, and replaces their design template with StdR60Mail (MAIL6.NTF), the Notes 6 mail template. `load convert mail\*.nsf stdr46mail mail6.ntf`
Upgrading all mail databases in a directory and in its subdirectories	This 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 6 mail template, MAIL6.NTF. `load convert -r mail\.nsf mail6.ntf`
Upgrading all mail databases listed in a text file	You 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 STD* (StdR46Mail, for example), and replaces the designs of the matching databases with StdR60Mail (MAIL6.NTF), the Notes 6 mail template. `load convert -f c:\temp\maillist.txt std* mail6.ntf`
Creating a text file that lists all mail databases in a directory	You 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`
Converting mail files for use with IMAP in Notes 5	If you use a Notes 5 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 -m mail\user.nsf`
Converting mail files for use with IMAP in Notes 6	If you use a Notes 6 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`
Upgrading custom folder design	You 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\*`
Upgrading folder design of folders without the Preserve bit	Do not use the -s argument with the mail conversion utility when upgrading mail files from the Notes 4.6 design to the Notes 6 design. The -s argument ignores any folder or view with the Preserve bit deselected. This bit 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. This affects mail files being upgraded to Lotus Notes 6 because required script libraries have been removed and action buttons have been upgraded. `load convert -s mail\*`