Yahoo Previa Group Files available until 12/14/2019

[man_btc]

The Yahoo Previa group's files will be deleted on 12/14/19. Over the years, I've saved a lot of them that might be useful to my '92, and just went back to download some stuff I only had saved the links to.

I suppose there's a way to copy everything over, but there's a lot of stuff that isn't relevant any more, things like for-sale listings. The rest is a mixed-bag as all these things tend to be. I'm sure many, many of the original posters are long gone along with their vans and preferences for sites less clunky than the Yahoo one was.

Now, I don't have the time to search throughout this site to see what may or may not be duplicated, nor what other Yahooligans are currently registered or may have arrived recently. As an intermediate measure, I copy-n-pasted the file list into a pdf - which preserves the links if you can still log in there - and am willing to copy any of them over on request (although no guarantees as to how promptly).

FWIW I also have accumulated notes on different topics which tend to be a mashup of c&p'ed comments made on different threads, sometimes pretty inconsistent when taken all together, but info is info, even if it has to be filtered/vetted later. Those are available too if you have a topic, but don't expect anything polished. There's often an agglomeration of inputs from Yahoo, this site, Toyotanation, something a parts guy maybe told me, plus some random blog or three...

Don't worry, nothing from Scotty Kilmer:LOL2:

So, if you know there's a topic that needs some extra Previa info here and you see it, let me know. I either have it myself or can go get it.

-Dan

9528

[apham8]

How do I get access? Seems when I click on the link in the PDF it tells me that you have to be a member? I just requested to join. Not sure if I'll get accepted before December when all content will be deleted. Very interested in this material.

[man_btc]

I wouldn't count on gaining access at this point; it's been flaky at best - sometimes being laggy, not showing images, either putting up a post right away or 1-2 days later, things like that.

I could post everything I've got, which doesn't include scanned pages from the FSM (which I have) and stuff about the 1994+ model supercharger (which I don't have - mostly discussions of oil issues and "black flakes" in the EGR passage I think). My concern was that a lot might duplicate what's already on threads here, and I didn't want to spend time searching through it all to avoid that.

We could set up a "Yahoo Previa Group" sub-library/archive maybe? I leave that decision to Tim et al.

Something you know you need right away and isn't here already? I could post it pretty quickly since it's probably already on my hard drive. If I don't have it, I could get it off the site. I don't want to be a hoarder, but don't want to spend time uploading everything in the short-term. Unless my PC blows up, I'll have it post-apocayahoolipse.

I don't know how to transfer all the conversations (starting in December 1998!) over and not sure that's even a good idea. The "signal-to-noise" ratio (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=signal%20to%20noise%20ratio) isn't as good as it is here, and includes a lot of references to discontinued parts and long-gone members and vendors. As I mentioned in the original post, I have what I consider to be useful extracts I could post as long as folks didn't mind the mish-mash copy-and-paste format.

I should mention a great source of Toyota documentation is available using Toyota's Technical Information System (TIS) at https://techinfo.toyota.com. You can buy a 2-day subscription for $20 and then download like mad - Technical Service Bulletins, supplemental manuals on things like electrical systems, even the manual chapters themselves as I recall, although I think it was piecemeal enough to make me not want to endure it given I've already got a paper manual.

[Previologist]

I have used https://www.httrack.com/ software to copy entire websites successfully. It can be a tricky getting the switches set right so that it copies not too much and not too little but it works and leaves everything in its familiar (in this case clunky, to be nice) format.

Also Fred posted this info on the group:

There is a Python script to retrieve all messages,
https://github.com/philpem/yahoo-group-archiver

[apham8]

I'd personally appreciate someone taking the time to save the website. And I'm sure others would as well. It doesn't even matter the format or how disorganized it is. There's always the search feature that can be used. Please make this available, I only bought my Previa less than a year ago and I plan on keeping it. And possibly getting a newer than my 1992 Previa in the future.

[man_btc]

I have enough software exposure to often be able to blunder along enough to get things done with the help of the google, but I tried for a while with the Python script and was only able to get a black screen to pop up for a second. I may revisit it later but it's getting cold and I still have to figure out how to TIG weld in some windshield channel frame pieces without melting my A-pillars - or anything near them for that matter...

[man_btc]

Currently downloading! Will obviously update later if it actually worked. Just like many Previa fixes, wound up being something "simple;" the name of the group in a command line had to be just previa, not the full URL...

Looks like 1 message about every 1/2 second, so will be awhile...

9535

[apham8]

Much appreciated

[Previologist]

Currently downloading! Will obviously update later if it actually worked. Just like many Previa fixes, wound up being something "simple;" the name of the group in a command line had to be just previa, not the full URL...

Looks like 1 message about every 1/2 second, so will be awhile...

9535

I'll be interested to hear your results, and what the final download product looks like. One disadvantage of the software link I posted is that if it works, the messages will be in the exact same awful, clunky format that the web version of the yahoo group uses. Here's to hoping your download comes out in a more functional form.

[man_btc]

It looks like I have everything downloaded, although it'll take some doing to make it more digestable than it is.
62046 messages, each downloaded as a "<message#>.json and a <message#>_raw.json (I tried running some through an online json-XML translator, and the "raw" ones produced the text like you'd see on a regular post, but lots of control characters before it; the .json files are 'readable' with something like notepad but sprinkled with control characters throughout - and any attachments are in separate attachment folders that I'm sure link to their messages if I understood JSON (JavaScript Object Notation). All the photos and files are there in folders labelled with the original file or album name, but with other details in a separate .json file in each folder with additional information about the photos - the description text that would appear under the album name, etc..

Bottom line is it's all been extracted and saved after 12 hours, but there's some work to make it searchable & easier to work with. Maybe there's someone who understands JSON & vbulletin well enough to suggest a path forward. That should probably be an off-this-forum discussion.

[man_btc]

Thought I'd mention that I've place it all in a Google Drive folder. Placed a link in the Yahoo group but don't want to put in in the forum here because it'd eventually show up in a Google search and I'd rather not make it "public." Available via PM (approx 2.5GB)

I've run out of time to deal with this for the moment, but passing on what I recently googled:

As mentioned before, the Group messages download as ".json" files. They are really meant to be used by a program that translates them into nicely-formatted webpage or email text. While you can open them in a text-editor like notepad, it's difficult because the content appears as a dog's breakfast of text interspersed with lots of control characters.

(As a side note, that is what is considered to be the strength of the JSON file format - it contains all the standardized "ingredients" needed for different programs to manage and display messages on the web, yet is still in a text form that a human programmer can easily read instead of interpreting digital code.)

As predicted, some are already fooling with ways to allow ex-Yahooligans to view their saved messages in a more easily-digestible format.

Here's someone who's written a "script" that runs under a program called AutoIt.

AutoIt script to convert json files to eml files

https://groups.io/g/GroupManagersForum/message/22447

AutoIt itself
https://autoit.en.softonic.com/


We'll get this sorted eventually. At least the Group data is not being lost on December 14, for what that's worth.

[cb97alltrac]

Thank you for downloading and keeping the Yahoo files; i have 2 previas and have used them several times to solve unique previa problems. Lots of good info in there!

[man_btc]

Well >takes welding helmet off and holds over heart< they're gone, only the ongoing email distribution list left (and I'm not sure how anyone would even join it). As mentioned, I've got the files, albums and messages archived, though the messages are in a messy .json file format only a Yahoo "neo" website program would present in an easily-readable form.

I'm open to posting stuff here if you can't find something that already exists regarding your interest. For the moment I reckon that's a better method than trying to dump stuff into the forum. At one point we'll figure out how to organize it - a separate Yahoo Archive section? I really don't know.

The full set of files are available via a download link if you send me a private message. Around 3.5 GB . If I post it here it's visible to any google search and not sure that's a good idea.

In the meantime, I've also got to attend to my '99 Camry, of late bashed in the front left by a red-light-running suspected DUI'er. My wife'd kill me if i dragged that home next to the windshield-less Previa and the OBD P0140 '98 Camry...

Maybe I need more tools! Yeah, that's it...

[man_btc]

Camry - sorry, P0441, and I've got the EGR VSV in hand, having checked out the other stuff...

[Previologist]

as of right now the home page still exists and it has information that might help someone trying to subscribe. I would expect that page to remain there, but I don't expect it with any great degree of certainty. :LOL2:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/previa/info

I don't know who the group owner is, or if they are even alive or active any more, and I've been on the group for many years

Just in case, here is what it says:


Group Description

This group is a continuation of Martha's Previa E-Mail List. It promotes the exchange of Previa-related ideas, modifications, and advice.

As created, you will receive individual messages as they are submitted to the group. This can be changed to digest form - and you can read archived messages at http://www.egroups.com/list/previa/


Group Moderator: previa-owner@egroups.com

To subscribe, send a message to previa-subscribe@egroups.com or go to this e-group's home page at http://www.egroups.com/list/previa



Group Information



Members :3346
Category :Toyota (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/dir/1600064988)
Founded :Dec 15, 1998
Language :English


Group Settings



This is a restricted group.
Attachments are permitted.
Members cannot hide email address.
Not listed in Yahoo Groups directory.



Membership requires approval.
Messages are not moderated.
All members can post messages.



Group Email Addresses (to complete the address and domain for all of the below add AT Yahoogroups (insert period) com

hopefully that will help prevent spambot abuse



Post Message :previa (previa@yahoogroups.com)
Subscribe :previa-subscribe (previa-subscribe@yahoogroups.com)
Unsubscribe :previa-unsubscribe (previa-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com)
List Owner :previa-owner (previa-owner@yahoogroups.com)

[hotrod325]

Could someone please post where to go to view the saved Previa group files? Says on a google drive now.

thanks!

[Previologist]

It's on the OP's google drive. Maybe send him a pm and he might have email notifications if this site has such things. Otherwise he'll be be back eventually

[man_btc]

Sent 'im the link via pm. As this is all search-engine-accessable, I only want to do it that way.

[hotrod325]

Recieved the google drive link. Thanks so much!!!
long live the Previas !!! 🚙 ✌🏼

[man_btc]

The original Yahoo Previa Group files I archived were in ".json" format which made them laborious to read. I since ran across a program that could extract all the posts to readable, dated .eml files in text form. They are numerous (over 60 thousand), very often include info that is extremely dated by now (references to parts that are now long discontinued), but may contain a few gems for those that want to search through them.

Placed in a Google Drive folder with the original downloads, they're a 133MB .zip file that I can provide a link to but don't want to publish here where it's exposed to everyone on the interwebs. The posts are unfortunately not linked in threads and don't include attachments (which are in a separate folder), but their file names are the post number, so looking at sequential files will probably uncover most of the full discussions.

If you do download them, you want to make sure your PC can search the contents of files ending with an .eml extension, so if there's an issue with that, take a look here:https://www.howtogeek.com/99406/how-to-search-for-text-inside-of-any-file-using-windows-search/

[apham8]

The original Yahoo Previa Group files I archived were in ".json" format which made them laborious to read. I since ran across a program that could extract all the posts to readable, dated .eml files in text form. They are numerous (over 60 thousand), very often include info that is extremely dated by now (references to parts that are now long discontinued), but may contain a few gems for those that want to search through them.

In a file with the original downloads, they're now in a 133MB .zip file on Google Drive that I can provide a link to but don't want to publish here where it's exposed to everyone on the interwebs. The posts are unfortunately not linked in threads and don't include attachments (which are in a separate folder), but their file names are the post number, so looking at sequential files will probably uncover most of the full discussions.

If you do download them, you want to make sure your PC can search the contents of files ending with an .eml extension, so if there's an issue with that, take a look here:https://www.howtogeek.com/99406/how-to-search-for-text-inside-of-any-file-using-windows-search/

Thanks for following through on making this information accessible! I’m sure the information will be indispensable.

[man_btc]

If you know where else I should put the download where it's only available to members (like the "wanted" posts) let me know. I don't want a link to my personal OneDrive on here where anyone could see it, but it's probably not good that it's on a private drive where I have to be asked for it and where it could potentially disappear. On the other hand I don't want to burden the site with having to host a large file that won't be accessed much.

[apham8]

Do whatever works best for you, if we have to directly contact for the link then that’s what we’ll have to do.

[Previologist]

The original Yahoo Previa Group files I archived were in ".json" format which made them laborious to read. I since ran across a program that could extract all the posts to readable, dated .eml files in text form. They are numerous (over 60 thousand), very often include info that is extremely dated by now (references to parts that are now long discontinued), but may contain a few gems for those that want to search through them.

In a file with the original downloads, they're now in a 133MB .zip file on Google Drive that I can provide a link to but don't want to publish here where it's exposed to everyone on the interwebs. The posts are unfortunately not linked in threads and don't include attachments (which are in a separate folder), but their file names are the post number, so looking at sequential files will probably uncover most of the full discussions.

If you do download them, you want to make sure your PC can search the contents of files ending with an .eml extension, so if there's an issue with that, take a look here:https://www.howtogeek.com/99406/how-to-search-for-text-inside-of-any-file-using-windows-search/


This is awesome Dan. I had the previous incarnation but it was pretty difficult, this is waaaaay easier. Thank you for doing this! :drive::clap:

I don't use windows but Thunderbird can read and search these eml messages very easily.

[cb97alltrac]

Thank you! Much appreciated.