FAQ — GPT Exporter This document provides answers to common questions about using GPT Exporter, understanding how it works, and resolving typical uncertainties. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. General Questions Q: What is GPT Exporter? A: A fully offline desktop tool for viewing your official ChatGPT data export. It processes the export ZIP and displays your chats locally in a clean interface. Q: Does the program send anything to the internet? A: No. It works fully offline by default, without telemetry, analytics, or cloud usage. Q: Why does the viewer open in my browser? A: The viewer is written in HTML/CSS/JS. A browser is the fastest, most compatible, and lightweight way to render chat content without additional libraries. Q: Why does the program run a local server? A: The local server serves the chat viewer and JSON files from your disk. It runs only on 127.0.0.1 and is not accessible from outside. Future versions may optionally allow extended configurations. Q: Can I use it without internet? A: Yes. After downloading the EXE, the program works entirely offline. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. ZIP Export Questions Q: What ZIP file should I use? A: Use the official ChatGPT export received via email under Settings → Data Controls → Export Data. Q: Does the program change or delete anything inside the ZIP? A: No. The ZIP is only read. Extracted chats are saved separately. Q: Do I need to extract the ZIP manually? A: No. GPT Exporter handles the ZIP automatically. Q: Does it support both old and new ChatGPT export archive formats? A: Yes. GPT Exporter v0.1.1-nova supports older exports with a single conversations.json and newer official exports that include export_manifest.json and multiple conversations-xxx.json shards. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Platform Questions Q: Does it work on Linux or macOS? A: The main application targets Windows EXE. Developers can run the source version on Linux/macOS if they install Python and run app/main.py manually. Pre-built EXE is for Windows only. Q: Will there be mobile versions? A: Not planned for the current version. The project is focused on desktop exports. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. EXE Size and Performance Q: Why is the EXE file so large? A: PySide6 includes the entire Qt library, which significantly increases file size. This is normal for GUI applications packaged in PyInstaller. Q: Can the EXE be compressed? A: Yes, but compression tools often cause antivirus false positives. The project prioritizes safety and trustworthiness. Q: Does the program save data anywhere else besides the chats folder? A: Yes. Extracted chats are stored inside: /chats/first/ Temporary working folders are created next to the executable inside: /.gpt-exporter/ These temporary folders are removed automatically after export finishes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Chat Viewer Questions Q: Why do filenames look like “12.my-chat-title.json”? A: The format preserves original order and ensures compatibility with the viewer. Q: What are deep links? A: URLs like: #v=chat&f=12.my-chat-title.json&m=34 They scroll directly to a specific message. Q: Why are some expected messages missing? A: GPT Exporter v0.1.1-nova saves only text parts. Empty message parts and nodes without text are skipped during export. The current release supports both legacy single-file exports and newer official ChatGPT archives with sharded conversation files. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Errors and Common Problems Q: I see “ZIP not recognized”. What should I do? A: Ensure you are using the official ChatGPT export ZIP and that the archive is valid. GPT Exporter v0.1.1-nova supports both legacy archives with a single conversations.json and newer archives that use export_manifest.json with sharded conversation files. Q: The viewer doesn’t open automatically. What now? A: Open your browser manually and go to: http://127.0.0.1:xxxx where “xxxx” is the port shown in the app. Q: A chat file doesn’t display. Why? A: Most likely the file is not a valid JSON chat produced by export.py, or it is corrupted. The current viewer renders JSON chat files. If legacy `.txt` files are present in `chats/first/`, they may still appear in the sidebar but are not the primary supported viewer format in v0.1.1-nova. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Security Questions Q: Can anyone access my local viewer? A: No. It’s bound strictly to 127.0.0.1, meaning only your device can access it. Q: Does GPT Exporter upload my chats? A: Never. All work is local. Q: Is it safe to store sensitive data extracted from ChatGPT? A: Yes, as long as your device itself is secure. GPT Exporter does not encrypt data. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Development Questions Q: Can I modify the viewer? A: Yes. All files are inside the web/ directory. Q: Can I add features to the application? A: Absolutely. The project is intentionally simple and easy to extend. Q: Why was PySide6 chosen? A: It provides a stable Windows GUI with minimal complexity and excellent cross-platform behavior for developers. Q: Will there be paid versions? A: Future versions may introduce feature-based editions (free/pro/business) with optional limitations such as number of chats or archive size. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of file