1.5 Exporting Search Results to PST or PDF Files

  1. After you have displayed and selected one or more archived messages in the Browse, Search, or Advanced Search tab, click the Export button.

    The Export Messages dialog displays

  2. Select either Export to PST or Export to PDF and continue with the instructions that match your selection.

1.5.1 Export to PST

Core Settings Tab

Path: Retain Server Manager > Overview > Search Messages > search or browse, then select one or more messages messages > Export > Export to PST

Table 1-2 Using the PST Export Core Settings Tab

Field, Option, or Button

Information and/or Action

Send email when export is complete

  1. Type a valid email address of person to notify.

Download Filename

  1. Accept the generated filename or type an alternative.

Maximum size of PST in GB

  1. Type a smaller number if desired. Size cannot exceed 49 GB.

Ensuring Adequate Disk Space

Because PST exports can be very large, you might want to designate an additional drive to contain them. If a drive is added, make sure to change the Exports Path in the Storage Panel to point to the new drive. In Linux, make sure that the ownership of the Exports Path is set to tomcat:www or exports will not run.

PST files are larger than the corresponding files stored in Retain. Furthermore, you cannot estimate how large a PST export will be based on the size of the selected messages stored in Retain.

Message body size, the number of messages, the type of messages, the size of attachments that are included, and the number of recipients all factor in the PST file size. Retain doesn’t have this information before the export is created and therefore cannot estimate the exported file size.

Setting the PST File Maximum Size

Outlook cannot open PST files that are larger than 50 GB. Therefore, Retain caps exported files at 49 GB maximum.

You can specify a smaller maximum size if needed.

Typing a number larger than 49 in the Maximum size field is allowed, but when the export runs, the maximum size reverts to 49 GB.

The PST Export Process

When all messages have been exported to PST format, Retain

  1. Checks the size of the PST export.

  2. If the PST file is smaller than the specified limit, Retain saves it with the name specified in the Download Filename field and makes it available for downloading.

  3. If the file is larger than the specified limit, Retain does the following:

    1. Splits the resulting file into separate PST files that are no larger than the limit.

    2. Compresses the files into a combined .zip file with the name specified in the Download Filename field.

PST Export Speed

Disk I/O is the main limiting factor to export speed. The following points also apply:

  • If possible use SSD storage in the Export Path location to greatly increase the speed at which the export runs.

  • If this is not possible, the next best option is to add more processing power.

  • Adding memory will have very little effect, if any, on export speed.

Running the Export Process

When you are satisfied that all options and parameters are set correctly, Click the Export button. Progress and status of the export job are shown in the The Exported Items Tab.

1.5.2 Export to PDF Option

The default view provides a list on top of the PDF viewer which works as a table of contents to provide access to the exported archive and requires that Adobe Flash is installed on the viewing workstation.

Select the desired message or messages, then click the Export button.

Core Settings Tab

Basic PDF export settings are set here.

Send email when export is complete to

Document Title

Document Subtitle

Comment to include

Download Filename

Password protect PDF (leave blank for none)

Output tab

Fill out the various options as desired.

PDF Export Output Tab

CC

BCC

Creation date

Store date

Status flags (opened, read, etc.)

Box type (sent, received, etc.)

Parent folder

Attachments tab

File output and included fields can be edited

PDF Export Attachments Tab

You may restrict which attachments are included and excluded by extension. By default all attachments are included. You may also set the maximum attachment size in MB.

Include attachments with extension

Exclude attachments with extension

Maximum size of attachments, in MB (must be less than 2048)

Export potentially dangerous attachments

Miscellaneous tab

Select which attachments to include and exclude from the PDF.

PDF Export Miscellaneous Tab

You may set the page size, or the total PDF size.

Page Size to use

Letter

A4

Maximum size of PDF in MB (must be less than 2048)

Time Zone

Additionally, any restrictions to the size or time zone for the PDF. If the archive size does not exceed the maximum size, then the archive will be contained in one file. If the archive is larger than the defined limit, it will be exported in multiple PDFs. Time zone information will be used for formatting any time and date information in the email headers. The time written to the cover sheet and date column in the PDF table of contents is written according to the time zone of the Retain Server.

When ready to export, select ‘Export’. Depending on the size of the selected archive, the export may take some time.

Currently running export jobs are listed under the ‘Exported Items’ tab.