Tonight I want to present my first VBScript. Before having lunch, I had some free time, so I surfed the net, when bumped into the developer section at Skype.com. I remembered, my every OS-reinstall destroyed Skype chat history. But to be honest, the default format of the history filer is very messy, so it is difficult to read. I decided to delve into the SkypeAPI technology and it turned out that making simple scripts is so easy. You can use PHP, JavaSctipt, JScript, Java and VBScript. I choose the last one, because it seemed to be the most easy to run in Windows. You just put in a file with vbs extension, and run. So here is the code I wrote, I'll tell how it works soon:
' Define global variables
Dim oFSO, chat_file, folder_to_save
' Directory where You want to save history (you can modify it)
' Now it is relative, so it will be created where Your *.vbs script runs
folder_to_save = "SkypeChatHistory"
line_count = 0
' Create FSO
Set oFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set_next_free_dir()
' Connect to Skype API via COM
Set oSkype = WScript.CreateObject("Skype4COM.Skype", "Skype_")
' Open skype, if it is not running
If Not oSkype.Client.IsRunning Then
oSkype.Client.Start()
End If
WScript.Echo "Skype history will be saved. Found " & oSkype.Chats.Count & " chat group."
' Iterate chats
For Each oChat In oSkype.Chats
names = ""
' First name is You, so it is unnecessary to keep
no_1st_flag = TRUE
For Each oUser In oChat.Members
If no_1st_flag Then
no_1st_flag = FALSE
Else
names = names & "_" & oUser.FullName
End If
Next
get_file("chat" & names & ".txt")
chat_file.WriteLine(vbNewLine & "==== CHAT HISTORY (" & Replace(names, "_", "") & ") ====" & vbNewLine)
line_count = line_count + oChat.Messages.Count
' Fix by an anonymous commenter
If oChat.Messages.Count > 0 Then
For Each oMsg In oChat.Messages
' Fix by Vadim Kravchenko
On Error Resume Next
chat_file.WriteLine(oMsg.FromDisplayName & " (" & oMsg.Timestamp & "): " & oMsg.Body)
Next
End If
chat_file.Close
Next
WScript.Echo "Backup was finished (" & line_count & " line saved). You can find your chats in: ./" & folder_to_save
' Garbage collection
SET chat_file = NOTHING
SET folder_to_save = NOTHING
SET oFSO = NOTHING
SET oSkype = NOTHING
' Access to a file given by name
Sub get_file(file_name)
' Parameter fix by: rommeech
Set chat_file = oFSO.OpenTextFile(folder_to_save & "/" & file_name, 8, True, -1)
End Sub
' Find an appropriate directory the logs to save, however, to avoid collision with former dirs
Sub set_next_free_dir()
If oFSO.FolderExists(folder_to_save) Then
ext = 1
While oFSO.FolderExists(folder_to_save & "_" & ext) And ext < 100
ext = ext + 1
Wend
folder_to_save = folder_to_save & "_" & ext
End If
oFSO.CreateFolder(folder_to_save)
End Sub
Save it to your Desktop (*.vbs), and double click on it. At the first time, Skype will ask you, whether you are aware of the security issues, and really want to add permission to connect the SkypeAPI ... if you trust me, just click OK. It will creates a folder called SkypeChatHistory and some files in it. Every filename consists the other member of the chat sessions, so, if you talked 3 times with your friend, John Doe, there will be a 'chat_John Doe.txt' in SkypeChatHistory with 3 conversation in it. If you are keen-eyed, you will notice conversation lines are in reversed order. --homework-- :)
Now, I think, this code is quiet enough to save messages, and learn from it the way it works. If you can write a really small function to invert the collection (oChat.Messages), please comment it, and I will extend the code. Perhaps I make a gui for it with Visual Studio, I don't know. It must be dozen of good Skype backup applications already.
Update: eigenein did a fantastic job making a Windows application for the same purposes: http://eigenein.github.com/skype-historian-website/
Sleep well!
