Journal migration tool
I've written a command-line tool for migrating journal entries from any LJ-style server to any other LJ-style server. This tool needs testers. It should run on any system with a recent Python installed. That means OS X out of the box, most Linux distros, and any Windows system where the user has installed python.
Get it
Github: ljmigrate
Tarball: ljmigrate.tar.gz
Zipfile: ljmigrate.zip
Latest version: 1.5 090110a Sat Jan 10 23:51:35 PST 2009
Documentation: README, README for Windows
Features
- Archives entries, comments, and user pics locally.
- Can optionally generate simple html versions of entries with comments and a userpic.
- Can optionally migrate from one LJ-style server to another. E.g., from LiveJournal to InsaneJournal. Post metadata (user pic keywords, mood icon, tags, music, location) is preserved when the destination supports them. Privacy info is preserved: if a post is private or flocked in the source, it will be private or flocked at the destination. Custom filters aren't moved, though.
- Can optionally migrate only posts with particular tags, if you want to move only a portion of a journal to a new service.
- Archives communities. Can also migrate them. Community comments are also archived. See README.
- Cannot migrate comments or memories. These limitations are LJ limitations.
Tutorials
karma_apple's illustrated tutorial for Windows users
alter_writes's illustrated tutorial for Mac users
lumnata's detailed instructions
Instructions for Terminal-comfy Mac users:
Download the tarball: ljmigrate.tar.gz
Safari will warn you that it might contain an application. (Oh noes!) Firefox/Camino won't.
Unpack it. (Double-clicking works.)
Run the Terminal.
Change directories to wherever it was you unpacked the file. E.g.,
Read the README.
Edit the config file
Run the tool in the Terminal:
Watch. Wait. Report results to me in a comment here.
To use a new version of the tool, just move or copy your account folder into the folder for the newer version.
Instructions for Terminal newbies are in the README.
Thanks to:ldybastet & kannnichtfranz for early testing & bug-reporting.
Known bugs:
1) Migration will fail for posts that use LJ features you don't have permission to use on the destination. For instance, polls: if your LJ post has a poll but you haven't paid for polls on IJ, it'll fail.
Call for Windows help
I'd like to write up detailed instructions for non-technical Windows users who'd like to use this (say, to migrate communities). Could one of you give me a hand with this task? Thanks!
Get it
Github: ljmigrate
Tarball: ljmigrate.tar.gz
Zipfile: ljmigrate.zip
Latest version: 1.5 090110a Sat Jan 10 23:51:35 PST 2009
Documentation: README, README for Windows
Features
- Archives entries, comments, and user pics locally.
- Can optionally generate simple html versions of entries with comments and a userpic.
- Can optionally migrate from one LJ-style server to another. E.g., from LiveJournal to InsaneJournal. Post metadata (user pic keywords, mood icon, tags, music, location) is preserved when the destination supports them. Privacy info is preserved: if a post is private or flocked in the source, it will be private or flocked at the destination. Custom filters aren't moved, though.
- Can optionally migrate only posts with particular tags, if you want to move only a portion of a journal to a new service.
- Archives communities. Can also migrate them. Community comments are also archived. See README.
- Cannot migrate comments or memories. These limitations are LJ limitations.
Tutorials
karma_apple's illustrated tutorial for Windows users
alter_writes's illustrated tutorial for Mac users
lumnata's detailed instructionsInstructions for Terminal-comfy Mac users:
Download the tarball: ljmigrate.tar.gz
Safari will warn you that it might contain an application. (Oh noes!) Firefox/Camino won't.
Unpack it. (Double-clicking works.)
Run the Terminal.
Change directories to wherever it was you unpacked the file. E.g.,
cd ~/Desktop/ljmigrateRead the README.
Edit the config file
ljmigrate.cfg to mention your accounts.Run the tool in the Terminal:
./ljmigrate.pyWatch. Wait. Report results to me in a comment here.
To use a new version of the tool, just move or copy your account folder into the folder for the newer version.
./ljmigrate.py --help provides usage info.Instructions for Terminal newbies are in the README.
Thanks to:
ldybastet & kannnichtfranz for early testing & bug-reporting.Known bugs:
1) Migration will fail for posts that use LJ features you don't have permission to use on the destination. For instance, polls: if your LJ post has a poll but you haven't paid for polls on IJ, it'll fail.
Call for Windows help
I'd like to write up detailed instructions for non-technical Windows users who'd like to use this (say, to migrate communities). Could one of you give me a hand with this task? Thanks!
If I migrate my stuff now and want to do so again in say, half a year, I will have the stuff I migrate now twice, right? Is there a possibility to let the script check for the (last?) posts which are already there, so migrating could be done on a monthly basis for example?
I need to make this task easier to do, I know, but it should do the right thing if you run it again.