I'm getting ready to dump AOL--pfc file

Hi,

I will soon be moving to where I can access broadband (yippee). How can I translate my AOL favourites file xxxxxxxxx.pfc to something I can read, decipher, print or import to a new ISP. I don't know which ISP at present. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Using 98SE. Bazza

 

Sorry Robo, didn't know it would make a difference--AOL UK (English version) v7.0 Revision 4114.540 (32 bit) from the help/about info. Bazza

Dialup V90 internal modem, Baz

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Robo, Thanks but no screaming hurry. I will not be needing this for around 2 weeks. Hope you can assist as I don't want to research/re-create favourites again if I can get out of ot. Bazza

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If you put it into the following format, you can import it into IE.

Code:

<!DOCTYPE NETSCAPE-Bookmark-file-1>
<!-- This is an automatically generated file.
It will be read and overwritten.
Do Not Edit! -->
<TITLE>Bookmarks</TITLE>
<H1>Bookmarks</H1>
<DL><p>
    <DT><H3 FOLDED ADD_DATE="1066855408">Links</H3>
    <DL><p>
        <DT><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=6&ar=CLinks" ADD_DATE="1066855429" LAST_VISIT="1086968810" 

LAST_MODIFIED="1066855429">Customize Links</A>
        <DT><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=hotmail" ADD_DATE="1066855429" LAST_VISIT="1086968810" 

LAST_MODIFIED="1066855429">Free Hotmail</A>
        <DT><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=windowsmedia" ADD_DATE="1066855429" LAST_VISIT="1086968810" 

LAST_MODIFIED="1066855429">Windows Media</A>
        <DT><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=windows" ADD_DATE="1066855429" LAST_VISIT="1086968810" 

LAST_MODIFIED="1066855429">Windows</A>
    </DL><p>
    <DT><H3 FOLDED ADD_DATE="1085415927">New Folder</H3>
    <DL><p>
    </DL><p>
    <DT><H3 FOLDED ADD_DATE="1085415929">New Folder (2)</H3>
    <DL><p>
    </DL><p>
    <DT><A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/1.htm?fname=%20&fsize=" ADD_DATE="1080942450" LAST_VISIT="1086968793" 

LAST_MODIFIED="1080942450">ClearType Step 1 Turn on Windows XP ClearType</A>
</DL><p>

 

Sorry I was a bit vague! Yes, if you remove all the crap around the urls in the PFC file, and then put the html code around each one as with the file, and save it as a HTM file you can import it into IE. I expect you could write a small program that would get rid of non html charset charachters, then work out where the urls are, and then put them into the format of an IE file.

I *think* you can import from a text file with URLS on each line, but I'm not sure.

No its got to be a bookmark file... tch..

 

Well, I could write a program to extract the URLs from the pfc file and generate a file such as the one Goldy posted. I don't think it would be too hard. Might take an hour or two. Maybe I'll just do that. I'll check back with you guys in a bit.

 

Thanks Wyatt, Goldy and Robo for the insights and help. Maybe the program could become a "killer app" for all those abandoning AOL. Bazza

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Ok, I finished the program. It should do ok. The only problem I had is that in the pfc file, there are tons of illegal, or null, or end of file characters. So, you'll need to do one thing before it will work.

Open up the PFC file in wordpad or notepad. Just delete the garbage at the beginning. About 10 lines. Just use common sense. Don't delete the links. As long as you leave the lines that have the links on them, it should still work.

Then, all you have to do is put both the exe and the pfc file in the same directory and run the exe. It will ask you to enter the name of the pfc file. The program will output a bookmark.htm file. You'll go into Internet Explorer and click File->Import and Export...->then follow the menu and point it to the bookmark.htm file. If I have some more time, I'll make it work more thoroughly.

http://personal.bgsu.edu/~wculber/PFCconverter.exe

Keep in mind, I went off of what robo's pfc file was, so hopefully yours is the same. If it doesn't work, email me your pfc file and I'll make it work correctly.

mailto:wculbertson@yahoo.com

 

Wyatt, thanks a bundle for your help. I will download your link and tackle it. I am in the middle of shifting house, packing, cleaning, squaring off with the landlord, etc., so it may be a day or two before I finally finish the exercise. Will make a copy of pfc file in case I stuff up your instructions. Thanks again. Bazza

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Wyatt, am I right in assuming you want me to delete all the graphic squares and stuff until I get to the first link. There are a hell of a lot of them. Much more than 10 lines in Wordpad.
Old file (not my current file), I am using is 74kb so too big for Notepad. Just checking. Bazza

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Wyatt, have emailed my latest Favourites.pfc file to you as there are lots of strange characters spread throughout the file, as well as at the start and end. Bazza

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Ok, your pfc file was quite different than robo's. So, I made a few changes and got the bookmark.htm file all ready for you. The program will need quite a bit more tweaking to be useable by anyone other than me. hehe. So, I'll email the file back to your aol address. Thought I'd give you a heads up here in case you weren't able to access that aol address anymore. So, just download the bookmark.htm file, then go to Internet Explorer->File->Import and Export...->Browse to the bookmark.htm file and import it.

 

Thanks Wyatt and Robo for your help. I will still be on AOL for quite a while at the cheapest rate after I get onto broadband so I can advise all those with my AOL email address of the new email address. I will be very intererested in seeing how the program works. Maybe you might want to jazz it up and put it on MG for any others moving from AOL. Bazza

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I got a message saying the email I sent you was returned. If so, I'll post the bookmark.htm file here for you.

http://personal.bgsu.edu/~wculber/bookmark.htm

Right click on the link and click "Save Target As..."

 

Wyatt, Thanks for the link . It will be a couple of days before I can tackle this little project as I am in the middle of moving. Thank you for the real effort you put in for me. Don't know why my email bounced. It shouldn't have. Thanks again. Bazza

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Wyatt, I'm back on the net again after a break of a few days while moving. Have imported bookmark file into IE as you suggested. Now all I have to do is open sub folders and sort them out into categories. Thanks again. Bazza

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