Title: Export
Last modified: October 7, 2025

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# Export

 *  Resolved [michaelberger](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelberger/)
 * (@michaelberger)
 * [8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/export-82/)
 * The Friends of the Trap Grounds in Oxford UK ([https://www.trap-grounds.org.uk/](https://www.trap-grounds.org.uk/)),
   a Nature Reserve near the centre of Oxford run by volunteers.
 * When the website was initially developed some years ago, and still ongoing, members
   and the public submit sightings of special things seen during a Trap Grounds 
   visit via our Sightings web-page. This was adapted from the Guestbook plug-in(
   presumably the wp_comments file).  We now have close on 1000 entries. To try 
   and manage this list more sensibly, and also to enable the sightings to be analysed
   for research, I had hoped to export the observations file, clean it up, and make
   it available as searchable text to researchers and others by creating a document
   grouping the sighting content by date of post. 
 * Using the Export facility in Guestbook, I have downloaded and edited a file but
   find that the _datetime _column associated with the download is a string of undecipherable
   digits (presumably an address link to a separate database). 
 * I then tried using the _WP Import Export Lite _plug-in, but when I try access
   the comments database, it says there are 0 files found, probably because the 
   Guestbook database has a different title not recognised by the export plug-in.
 * I would appreciate any suggestions that could resolve the problem of including
   the timings  alongside the observations in an exported Guestbook csv file.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  Plugin Author [Marcel Pol](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mpol/)
 * (@mpol)
 * [8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/export-82/#post-18672835)
 * Hello Michael,
 * The guestbook uses a CSV file for import and export. That means it is just a 
   text file, where each field is separated by a comma.
   In the database the guestbook
   uses its own tables wp_gwolle, not wp_comments.
 * Most import and export plugins use XML files, which are very different from CSV
   files. These are not compatible.
 * The datetime field is a UNIX timestamp. There are websites where you can convert
   a UNIX timestamp to a human readable datetime.
 * This guestbook plugin has an importer from comments, but not an exporter.
 * With LibreOffice Calc, you can import the CSV file into an excell sheet, which
   might make it more compatible for you and viewers.
   I don’t know if LibreOffice
   Calc can change a UNIX timestamp to a human readable datetime. You could look
   into that.
 * Please understand that names and email addresses are private information. You
   want to think twice before publishing them. I assume most visitors who posted
   in the guestbook assumed their email address to remain private.
   You could and
   probably should remove that email column from the published list.
 * Regards, Marcel
 *  Thread Starter [michaelberger](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelberger/)
 * (@michaelberger)
 * [8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/export-82/#post-18673420)
 * Hi Marcel
 * Very helpful reply. Much appreciated.
 * I am using LibreOffice and an Export option in Guestbook downloaded the full 
   file with me choosing CSV. It needed some cleaning up from spam entries and symbols
   such as & had some additional material that had to be cleaned up. Ohterwise great!
 * Thanks for your comment about emails etc. We work here under UK Data Protection
   guidelines and our intention is to ask for a First name only and to only show
   this alongside the date and moderated post on the live site . Similarly, if a
   copy of the posts is requested for research or other serious work, this will 
   only cover date and post content.
 * Incidentally, I submitted a sample of posts to an AI program with a request to
   list all the birds seen, and how frequently, to be compiled in a table and got
   it all very rapidly.
 * Still need to check for accuracy, but impressed.
 * Again, our thanks
 * Best wishess
 * Michael
 *  Thread Starter [michaelberger](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelberger/)
 * (@michaelberger)
 * [8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/export-82/#post-18673423)
 * PS – we do not release emails – used for admin purposes, mainly moderation.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Export’ is closed to new replies.

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 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [michaelberger](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelberger/)
 * Last activity: [8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/export-82/#post-18673423)
 * Status: resolved