whatsapp-text-to-json

Convert exported Whatsapp chat text files to JSON message file containing messages. Also convert JSON message file to JSON word 'frequency of use' file.

Exporting chat from Whatsapp

Go to the chat you want to export, then go to Group Info, select Export Chat (Without Media), export and unzip it to extract the txt file.

Converting chat txt to JSON message file

How to convert the chat txt file to a JSON file containing an array of all messages with timestamp and user information. By default 'omitted media' lines and message type information is excluded.

npm run messages -- _your_chat_file.txt

Appending -t flag will add message type property in generated JSON file.

npm run messages -- _your_chat_file.txt -t

Appending -m flag will retain 'omitted media' lines

npm run messages -- _your_chat_file.txt -m

Converting JSON message file to JSON 'frequency of use' file

How to convert the JSON message file into a JSON file of all words and their frequency of use.

npm run words -- _your_chat_file-messages.json

Appending -a flag will not include any words with apostrophes in them.

npm run words -- _your_chat_file-messages.json -a

Examples

Example of generated JSON message file

{
  "data":[
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:41:17.000Z","user":"Dave","message":"Dave changed the subject to “Test Chat”","type":"action"},
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:41:24.000Z","user":"Dave","message":"Dave was added","type":"action"},
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:41:24.000Z","user":"You","message":"You were added","type":"action"},
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:41:25.000Z","user":"John","message":"John was added","type":"action"},
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:41:38.000Z","user":"Dave","message":"Testing testing, this is a test message","type":"message"},
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:42:32.000Z","user":"Rich","message":"Testing again.","type":"message"},
    {"date":"2014-02-11T14:42:43.000Z","user":"John","message":"Still testing...?","type":"message"}
  ]
}

Example of generated JSON 'frequency of use' file

{
  "data":{
    "guys":297,
    "down":343,
    "trumpets":10,
    "weekend":218,
    "mate":171
  }
}

Using example chat files

npm run messages -- ./example/_example_chat.txt -t -m
// written to ./example/_example_chat-messages.json...

npm run words -- ./example/_example_chat-messages.json -a
// formatting messages...
// collating and filtering words...
// creating unique words object...
// written to ./example/_example_chat-words.json