EML to SQLite Indexer Skill (V7.0.0 - Management & Export Edition)#

This skill indexes EML email files from a specified directory into an SQLite database and provides a feature-rich web interface for searching and management. It includes automatic deduplication, IP access control, Excel export, and a JSON-formatted scheduled backup and restore system configurable via the web interface.

Features#

• Efficient Indexing: Uses MD5 fingerprinting for automatic deduplication, ensuring no duplicate emails are imported. Supports processing millions of email records.

• Key Information Extraction: Automatically parses and stores email sender, recipient, subject, body content, and sent time.

• Web Query Interface: Provides a Flask-based web interface with:

  • Advanced Search: Keywords (subject/body, case-insensitive), sender (fuzzy matching), recipient (fuzzy matching), and date range filtering.
  • Excel Export: Export search results to an Excel-compatible CSV file, including the original file path.
  • File Deletion: Delete specific emails from both the database and the physical disk (Admin only).
  • Pagination: Optimized for large datasets to prevent browser slowdowns.

• IP Access Control: Configurable whitelist of allowed IP addresses for web access, enhancing security. By default, only localhost and 127.0.0.1 are allowed.

• Web-Configurable Scheduled Backup:

  • Scheduled Mode: Configure via the web interface to set the backup frequency (e.g., every X days) and specific hour (0-23) for execution.
  • JSON Format: Backups export email data as structured JSON and compress it into a ZIP file, named eml-indexer_YYYYMMDD.zip, offering excellent cross-platform compatibility.
  • Automatic Circular Overwrite: The system automatically retains a configured number of backups, deleting the oldest one when the limit is exceeded.
  • Manual Management: One-click download of JSON backup ZIPs and upload of ZIPs for database restoration via the web interface.

• Admin-Exclusive Interface: When accessed from localhost or 127.0.0.1, a "⚙️ System Settings" tab is displayed, providing IP management, backup configuration, and deletion functionalities.

Installation & Deployment#

1. Environment Requirements#

• Python 3.8+ (latest stable version recommended)
• Recommended OS: Windows, Linux

2. Dependency Installation#

Ensure your Python environment has the following packages installed:

bash

pip install -r requirements.txt
# Or install manually:
pip install Flask tqdm

3. File Structure#

text

eml_indexer/
├── app.py              # Web application (Flask) - includes scheduled backup thread
├── indexer.py          # Core EML indexing script
├── requirements.txt    # Python dependencies list
├── SKILL.md            # Skill documentation (English)
├── config.json         # Runtime configuration (allowed IPs, backup frequency, retention)
├── emails.db           # SQLite database file (generated after running indexer.py)
├── backups/            # Directory for JSON backups (automatically created)
└── templates/
    ├── detail.html     # Email detail page template
    └── index.html      # Email search and management main page template
└── references/
    └── SKILL-TW.md     # Traditional Chinese version of the skill documentation

Usage#

1. Index EML Emails#

Run indexer.py to import EML files from a specified directory into the database. It automatically skips already indexed emails on subsequent runs.

bash

python indexer.py <EML_DIRECTORY_PATH> <DATABASE_PATH (default: emails.db)>

2. Start Web Query Interface (with Scheduled Backup)#

Execute app.py to start the Flask web server. The background scheduled backup thread will also start automatically.

bash

python app.py

After starting, visit http://localhost:5000 in your browser.

3. Manage System Settings#

When accessing the web interface from localhost or 127.0.0.1, click the "⚙️ System Settings" tab. Here you can:

• IP Management: Add or remove allowed IP addresses.
• Backup Settings: Configure "Backup Interval (Days)", "Backup Time (Hour)", and "Number of Backups to Retain".
• Manual Backup: Click "Create and Download Backup (ZIP)" to generate an immediate JSON backup.
• Manual Restore: Upload a JSON backup ZIP file to restore the database.

Version History#

• V7.0.1 (2026-03-30):

  • Added Excel Export functionality (includes file paths).
  • Added Physical File Deletion functionality (Admin only).
  • Updated documentation to include Traditional Chinese version in references/SKILL-TW.md.

• V6.0.0 (2026-03-29):

  • Web-configurable scheduled backups (days interval and specific hour).
  • Backup filenames formatted as eml-indexer_YYYYMMDD.zip.
  • Integrated scheduled check logic into the background thread.
  • SKILL.md updated to English, with author changed to "威廉陳". Original Traditional Chinese SKILL.md moved to references/SKILL-TW.md.

License#

MIT License