JSON to XML Telegram Chat Converter

A GUI application to convert Telegram chat JSON exports to XML format with filtering options.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• Tkinter (usually comes with Python)

Installation

1. First, ensure you have Python installed:

python3 --version

2. If Python is not installed, install it using Homebrew:

brew install python

3. Verify Tkinter is installed (it usually comes with Python):

python3 -c "import tkinter; tkinter._test()"

If you see a test window appear, Tkinter is installed correctly.

4. If Tkinter is missing, you can install it with:

brew install python-tk

Running the Application

There are several ways to run the application:

1. Double-Click Method (Easiest)

Simply double-click the Run Converter.command file in Finder.

2. Shell Script

Double-click or run the run.sh script.

3. Terminal Method

1. Open Terminal and navigate to the project directory:

cd path/to/json-to-xml-tgchat

2. Run the script:

python3 jsontoxml.py

Usage

1. Click "Select JSON file" to choose your Telegram chat export file
2. The output location will automatically be set to the source file directory
3. Adjust export options as needed:
   • Enable/disable human-readable format
   • Include/exclude reactions
   • Filter by date range
   • Select specific authors (for private chats)
4. Click "CONVERT" to process the file
5. The converted XML file will be saved in the selected output directory

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues:

1. Verify Python installation:

which python3

2. Check Tkinter installation:

python3 -c "import tkinter; print(tkinter.TkVersion)"

3. If you see permission errors, you might need to run:

chmod +x jsontoxml.py
chmod +x run.sh
chmod +x "Run Converter.command"

4. If the double-click methods don't work:
   • Right-click the file
   • Select "Open With" → "Terminal"
   • Click "Open" if prompted about security

For additional help, click the "HELP" button in the application interface.