Sustainability of Digital Formats: Planning for Library of Congress Collections |
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Introduction | Sustainability Factors | Content Categories | Format Descriptions | Contact |
Full name | Microsoft Outlook Item (MSG) |
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Description |
The Outlook Item MSG (.msg) file format is a syntax for storing a single Message object, such as an email, an appointment, a contact, a task, and so on, in a file. Any properties that are present on the Message object, including Attachment objects, are also present in the MSG file. MSG is based on the CFB_3 format which implements a simplified file system through a hierarchical collection of storage objects and stream objects which behave as directories and files, respectively within a single file. Message files contain objects which contain properties and collections of properties. For all intents and purposes, objects are represented by storages and properties are represented and reside in streams. MSG specifies five storage elements, each representing one major component of the Message object and a number of streams are contained within those storages, each stream representing a property (or a set of properties) of that component. The storages are:
The numbers and types of storages and streams present in a MSG file depend on the type of Message object, the number of Recipient objects and Attachment objects it has, and other properties. Properties define attributes of the object like the sender email, whether a read receipt was requested by the sender, whether this message was auto forwarded, an attachmentâs filename, etc. String properties in MSG must be either Unicode or non-Unicode. The .msg File Format does not allow the presence of both simultaneously. |
Production phase | MSG files provide a mechanism for the storage of an email message, an appointment, a contact, or a task within a file system. |
Relationship to other formats | |
Defined via | CFB_3, Compound File Binary File Format, Version 3 |
LC experience or existing holdings | The Library of Congress includes MBOX files in its collections, especially in the Manuscripts and Music Divisions as well as other personal papers repositories. |
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LC preference | The Library of Congress Recommended Formats Statement (RFS) lists MSG as an acceptable format for Email: For individual messages. |
Disclosure | Fully documented. Proprietary file format developed by Microsoft. |
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Documentation | [MS-OXMSG]: Outlook Item (.msg) File Format specification available from Microsoft. |
Adoption | MSG is implemented in the following Microsoft products: Microsoft Exchange Server 2003-2013 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003-2013. |
Licensing and patents |
The MSG format specification is covered by the Microsoft Interoperability Program. See Useful references below. Microsoft claims no patents in the MSG format. Patents and licenses may apply to some operations and protocols that are used by Microsoft in its electronic mail products and that the MSG format is designed to support. In late 2015, the only patents listed by Microsoft as associated with the related protocol specifications listed in this format description are associated with operational systems for managing messages according to a retention policy: US 8620869 B2 -- Techniques to manage retention policy tags; and US 20140095641 A1 -- Techniques to manage retention policy tags. |
Transparency | A .msg file can be saved in Outlook or compatible email client and then viewed in an hex editor or binary file parser. |
Self-documentation |
See CFB_3. Accessibility FeaturesMSG does not have specific features to support digital accessibility but as a text-based format, it does comply with Section 508 guidelines for accessible email. These guidelines include information about five areas of focus for email: Structure (which, in part, advocates for plain-text or HTML formats), General Content of messages including color contrast, file attachments and signature blocks, Graphics and Sensory Characteristics including the use of alt text, Data Tables with a focus on structured data and their headings, and Saving Files as a document file. MSG is specifically listed as a preferred option for this, along with EML. Accessible-email.org also provides an accessibility evaluation tool "aimed at email marketing professionals and industry developers to give them an overview of their current level and possible improvements" in terms of accessibility and usability. |
External dependencies | None |
Technical protection considerations | None |
Tag | Value | Note |
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Filename extension | msg |
From specification |
Internet Media Type | application/vnd.ms-outlook |
Not registered with IANA but listed on MIME Types by Content Type. |
File signature | See CFB_3 | |
Other | NF00280 |
See https://www.archives.gov/files/lod/dpframework/id/NF00280.ttl. |
Pronom PUID | x-fmt/430 |
See http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/PRONOM/x-fmt/430 for Outlook 97-2003. |
Wikidata Title ID | Q61707607 |
See https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q61707607 for Outlook 97-2003. |
General |
Microsoft reports that there are scenarios for which storing a Message object in the MSG format would not be advisable:
MSG provides some security mechanisms for ensuring that clients read the correct number of bytes from constituent streams.
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History |
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