Deleting Duplicate messages

K

kb

Does anyone know how to delete duplicate messages in Entourage
automatically? I've recently got a Macbook Pro and just started my
Entourage account, which proceeded to download all of my emails twice
from my Email Server account and then delete the original from my
Email Server account. Now I have two copies of every message in my
Entourage and none left on my Email Server.
If I can't figure out a way to delete each duplicate message with some
kind of filter then I will have to manually sift through over 13,000
messages to delete the duplicates. Nightmare - does any whizz out
there have a solution that may help?
Cheers guys - KB.
 
J

Jolly Roger

Does anyone know how to delete duplicate messages in Entourage
automatically? I've recently got a Macbook Pro and just started my
Entourage account, which proceeded to download all of my emails twice
from my Email Server account and then delete the original from my
Email Server account. Now I have two copies of every message in my
Entourage and none left on my Email Server.
If I can't figure out a way to delete each duplicate message with some
kind of filter then I will have to manually sift through over 13,000
messages to delete the duplicates. Nightmare - does any whizz out
there have a solution that may help?
Click to expand...

I wrote an AppleScript called "Remove Duplicate Messages" a while back
that does what you want - enjoy:

(Diane - feel free to host this script on the MVP site if you want.)

Remove Duplicate Messages
by JollyRoger <[email protected]>

This script removes duplicate messages from the current selection in
Entourage. The script determines whether a message is a duplicate of
another message by examining these message headers:

• Subject
• From
• Date
• MessageID

If these message headers match, the script flags the message as a
duplicate and removes it from Entourage.

To install the script, simply place the script in the Microsoft Script
Menu items folder (usually located at /Users/you/Documents/Microsoft
User Data/Entourage Script Menu items).

To use the script:

1. In Entourage, select (highlight) any number of messages in the
message list of any folder.
2. From the Entourage menu bar, choose "Remove Duplicate Messages" from
the script menu.

Archives

If the pArchiveDuplicates property is set to true, the script saves
copies duplicate messages to disk before removing them in Entourage.
The script saves archives in a folder named "Removed Duplicate
Messages" in the Entourage Script Menu Items folder. You can change the
name of this folder by editing the value of the pArchiveFoldername
property.

Log

If the pLogging property is true, the script records all operations and
errors to a log file named "Remove Duplicate Messages.log" in the
Entourage Script Menu Items folder. To change the name of this log
file, edit the value of the pLogFileName property. The log file is
created with Unix line endings. To change the line ending character the
script uses, change the pLinefeed property accordingly.

Download Location

You can download this script from this location on the internet:

<http://jollyroger.kicks-ass.org/jollyroger/RemoveDuplicateMessages.zip>

Disclaimer

This software is offered with no guarantee of support whatsoever
(unless freely and unexpectedly given, purely out of the grace and
excellent basic goodness-of-heart of said author, who makes absolutely
no claims whatsoever to promise same). Nevertheless, and with all
serious intentions of being a "fine person of some reasonable degree of
earnestness, kind-hearted interest, human understanding and worthwhile
character," said author would like to hear from you concerning your
excellent or other adventures (or misadventures) with this software.
 
D

Diane Ross

I wrote an AppleScript called "Remove Duplicate Messages" a while back
that does what you want - enjoy:

(Diane - feel free to host this script on the MVP site if you want.)
Click to expand...

I¹ve added it to the Duplicates: Removing or Creating page:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq_topic/duplicates.html>

Thanks for sharing.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>
 
J

Jolly Roger

I¹ve added it to the Duplicates: Removing or Creating page:

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq_topic/duplicates.html>

Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...

Welcome.

Can you change the description to this please?:

This script removes duplicate messages from the current selection in
Entourage. The script determines whether a message is a duplicate of
another message by examining the Subject, From, Date, and MessageID
headers. The script saves copies optionally archives duplicate messages
to disk before removing them in Entourage.
 
K

kb

Welcome.

Can you change the description to this please?:

This script removes duplicate messages from the current selection in
Entourage. The script determines whether a message is a duplicate of
another message by examining the Subject, From, Date, and MessageID
headers. The script saves copies optionally archives duplicate messages
to disk before removing them in Entourage.
Click to expand...

Hi there Dianne and JR - thanks for your help - just a quick question
- if there is a chain (eg continuing conversation with same subject
but distinct messages) of different emails with the same subject eg.
RE: Mr Jones - that were sent on the same day from the same person,
eg. a continuing email conversation. Does this script risk not
determining that they are in fact different distinct messages even
though they have the same subject, from, date and messageID headers?
As I can't really risk loosing any messages - as there is no longer a
backup on my server.
Cheers again - KB.
 
D

Diane Ross

Hi there Dianne and JR - thanks for your help - just a quick question
- if there is a chain (eg continuing conversation with same subject
but distinct messages) of different emails with the same subject eg.
RE: Mr Jones - that were sent on the same day from the same person,
eg. a continuing email conversation. Does this script risk not
determining that they are in fact different distinct messages even
though they have the same subject, from, date and messageID headers?
As I can't really risk loosing any messages - as there is no longer a
backup on my server.
Click to expand...

It will only get the duplicates of the same message not subsequent messages
in a thread.

If you look on the Duplicates Page there are several delete duplicate
scripts. Some will delete for only the folder selected while other delete
all duplicates in ALL folders. I generally like the script that is for one
folder at a time. This is a personal preference. One it gives me a bit more
control over what is happening and often it¹s only one folder that¹s
affected and it¹s way quicker.

--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
Entourage Help Page
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
One of the top five MS Entourage resources listed on the Entourage Blog.
<http://blogs.msdn.com/entourage/>
 
J

Jolly Roger

Hi there Dianne and JR - thanks for your help - just a quick question
- if there is a chain (eg continuing conversation with same subject
but distinct messages) of different emails with the same subject eg.
RE: Mr Jones - that were sent on the same day from the same person,
eg. a continuing email conversation. Does this script risk not
determining that they are in fact different distinct messages even
though they have the same subject, from, date and messageID headers?
Click to expand...

The message ID header will be different for each response, so they will
not be considered duplicates.

The neat thing about my script is that it stores archives of each
message it removes from Entourage, and keeps a log of what it does. So
if you run it and you find it deleted something you didn't want
deleted, all you need to do is find the message file in the archive
folder and drag that file back into the Entourage window.
 
J

Jolly Roger

I'm sorry to be a pain, Diane, but can you fix my typo in that last
sentence of the description?:
 
K

kb

I'm sorry to be a pain, Diane, but can you fix my typo in that last
sentence of the description?:
Click to expand...

Thank you so much both JR and Dianne - this use of an online forum was
a first for me and you've both been most helpful - thank you!!!

KB.
 
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