Local Skype Chat Viewer

A simple, local, browser-based viewer for your exported Skype chat history. This tool allows you to read your Skype backups in a familiar and convenient chat interface, running entirely on your own machine. No data is ever uploaded to any server, ensuring your privacy.

Key Features

• Familiar Chat Interface: View your conversations in a classic two-panel layout.
• Fully Local & Private: Everything runs in your browser. Your personal messages never leave your computer.
• Supports Two Formats:
  1. Modern Microsoft Export: Works directly with the .tar archive you can download from your Microsoft account.
  2. Legacy Text Export: Can import and display logs from older, local Skype databases exported as .txt files by tools like SkypeLogView.
• Chat Management:
  • Merge Chats: Simply drag and drop one chat onto another to merge them.
  • Rename Chats: Edit chat names directly in the interface.
  • Save Changes: Download an updated data file with all your modifications.
• User-Friendly:
  • Chat Search: Quickly find conversations.
  • Media Attachments: View images from modern exports directly in the chat.
  • Alphabetical Sorting: Chats are sorted alphabetically for easy navigation.

How to Use

Prerequisites

You need Python 3 installed on your computer to process the initial data files and run the local web server.

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Option A: For Modern Microsoft Exports (.tar file)

This is the standard backup you can download from Microsoft's "Export my data" page.

1. Download Your Data: Get your Skype data export from Microsoft. You will receive a file like skype_username.export.tar.

2. Unpack the Archive: Extract the .tar file. You will get a folder structure like this:

   /your_skype_export/
   ├── messages.json
   ├── endpoints.json
   └── media/
       └── ... (image and video files)
   

3. Download This Project: Clone this repository or download the ZIP file and extract it.

4. Combine Files: Copy all the files from this project (index.html, style.css, app.js, prepare_data.py, etc.) into the unpacked export folder from Step 2. Your folder should now look like this:

   /your_skype_export/
   ├── index.html
   ├── style.css
   ├── app.js
   ├── prepare_data.py
   ├── import_legacy_skype.py  (and other project files)
   ├── messages.json
   ├── endpoints.json
   └── media/
   

5. Process the Data: Open a terminal or command prompt in this folder and run the Python script:

   python3 prepare_data.py

   This script will read messages.json, group all messages into conversations, and create a single processed_data.json file for the web interface.

6. Start the Local Server: In the same terminal, run the following command to start a local web server. This is required because modern browsers block local file access for security reasons.

   python3 -m http.server --cgi 8080 --bind 0.0.0.0

7. View Your Chats: Open your web browser and go to the address: http://localhost:8080. You should now see all your chats.

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Option B: For Legacy Text Exports (.txt file)

If you have an old Skype history exported into a text file from a tool like SkypeLogView.

1. Get Your Text File: Make sure you have your chat history in a single .txt file. The file structure should look like this:

   ==================================================
   Record Number     : 1693
   Action Type       : Chat Message
   Action Time       : 17.08.2016 18:39:22
   End Time          : 
   User Name         : Pavel
   Display Name      : Pavel Nedurov
   Duration          : 
   Chat Message      : Hello, are you there?
   ChatID            : nedurov.p
   Filename          : 
   ==================================================
   

2. Download This Project: Clone this repository or download the ZIP file and extract it into a new folder.

3. Add Your Log File: Copy your exported text file into the project folder and rename it to skype_messages.txt.

4. Process the Data: Open a terminal or command prompt in the project folder and run the legacy import script:

   python3 import_legacy_skype.py

   This will parse the text file, group messages, merge duplicate chats, and create the processed_data.json file.

5. Start the Local Server: In the same terminal, run:

   python3 -m http.server --cgi 8080 --bind 0.0.0.0

6. View Your Chats: Open your web browser and go to: http://localhost:8080.

Editing and Saving Your Changes

You can rename and merge chats directly in the web interface. These changes are stored temporarily in your browser session. To save them permanently:

1. Click the "Save" button in the top-left corner.
2. Your browser will download a new, updated processed_data.json file.
3. Replace the old processed_data.json file in your project folder with the one you just downloaded.
4. The next time you open the viewer, it will load with your saved changes.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.