Import contacts from flash drive
I have recently changed from Win XP to Ubuntu 14.04.LTS and have them on a dual boot system. I am about to start using Thunderbird, for Email, but am unable to load my old OE contact list to Thundrbird. I have the Contact list on a Flash drive as a CSF but don't seem to be able to import it. Can any one give step by step instructions?
Izabrano rješenje
Thanks again, still not able to align as you suggest but have imported anyway. I only have Name and Email fields to import so used View and Sort in FF to organise the Address Book.
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To import an address book, try these steps:
From TB, click on 'Address Book' (or 3-bar menu -> Tools -> Address Book).
In the list of address books in the left pane, click on the one you want to import (or use 'Personal Address Book').
From the menu bar, select Tools -> Import. An new window 'Import' will open.
Click on 'Address Books' and 'Next'.
Highlight 'Text file', select 'Next'.
Navigate to the folder where your CSV file is located. Left click on it once. Click on 'Open'.
duggabe said
To import an address book, try these steps: From TB, click on 'Address Book' (or 3-bar menu -> Tools -> Address Book). In the list of address books in the left pane, click on the one you want to import (or use 'Personal Address Book'). From the menu bar, select Tools -> Import. An new window 'Import' will open. Click on 'Address Books' and 'Next'. Highlight 'Text file', select 'Next'. Navigate to the folder where your CSV file is located. Left click on it once. Click on 'Open'.
I have tried your suggestion thankyou. When I Click the final 'Open' nothing happens, but if I select 'Comma Separated' from LDIF a new box opens. This box contains Address Book fields etc which I am not sure what to select. If I select 'Last Name', 'First Name' etc and click OK, a new box called Import appears. This says ' Imported Address Book' with Finish option to click. On going back to TB and clicking 'Address Book' the resulting box is empty, no data in the fields. Can you furter assist? Regards, DG.
Since I always use LDIF, I forgot there was more to do using CSV. Sorry about that. I just walked thru the steps on my own computer, so here are the amended instructions:
To import an address book, try these steps:
From TB, click on 'Address Book' (or 3-bar menu -> Tools -> Address Book).
In the list of address books in the left pane, click on the one you want to import (or use 'Personal Address Book').
From the menu bar, select Tools -> Import. An new window 'Import' will open.
Click on 'Address Books' and 'Next'.
Highlight 'Text file', select 'Next'.
Near the lower right corner change LDIF to 'Comma separated'.
Navigate to the folder where your CSV file is located. Left click on it once. Click on 'Open'.
For CSV, there is no standard for the number or order of the fields. The screen you see allows you to "match up" your input with the fields in TB. So the task is to select and move fields up or down until you get things aligned. If you don't want to use a field, uncheck it. Once you have everything set, click OK.
Note 1: the file name of your CSV file will become the name of the address book! Note 2: when you first look at the imported address book, it may be empty. Click on another one and then go back to the imported one.
duggabe said
Since I always use LDIF, I forgot there was more to do using CSV. Sorry about that. I just walked thru the steps on my own computer, so here are the amended instructions: To import an address book, try these steps: From TB, click on 'Address Book' (or 3-bar menu -> Tools -> Address Book). In the list of address books in the left pane, click on the one you want to import (or use 'Personal Address Book'). From the menu bar, select Tools -> Import. An new window 'Import' will open. Click on 'Address Books' and 'Next'. Highlight 'Text file', select 'Next'. Near the lower right corner change LDIF to 'Comma separated'. Navigate to the folder where your CSV file is located. Left click on it once. Click on 'Open'. For CSV, there is no standard for the number or order of the fields. The screen you see allows you to "match up" your input with the fields in TB. So the task is to select and move fields up or down until you get things aligned. If you don't want to use a field, uncheck it. Once you have everything set, click OK. Note 1: the file name of your CSV file will become the name of the address book! Note 2: when you first look at the imported address book, it may be empty. Click on another one and then go back to the imported one.
Thank you again. I still have an empty Persoal Address Book. I am not quite sure what you mean by "match up" the fields. In Note 2 when you say click on another one I don't see any other ones. When I go to TB and click on Address Book I get Address Book with empty fields and Person.......Book mail export mail export . . mail export
in the top left of the window. Sorry to be a pain but can you clarify? Regards, DG
As far as the address book names, was your CSV file named 'mail export.csv'? Click on one of those to see your addresses (if it worked!).
As far as matching up the fields, you have two columns: one from your CSV names, and one from TB. What you are trying to do there is make First name go to First name, Last name go to Last name, etc. If you are lucky, they will already be matched up. But if not, you can click on one and move it up or down in the list until it is across from the corresponding field name. This will get names, email, phones, etc into the right places. Make sure the fields you want are checked and the ones you don't want are unchecked.
I hope this makes it clearer.
duggabe said
As far as the address book names, was your CSV file named 'mail export.csv'? Click on one of those to see your addresses (if it worked!). As far as matching up the fields, you have two columns: one from your CSV names, and one from TB. What you are trying to do there is make First name go to First name, Last name go to Last name, etc. If you are lucky, they will already be matched up. But if not, you can click on one and move it up or down in the list until it is across from the corresponding field name. This will get names, email, phones, etc into the right places. Make sure the fields you want are checked and the ones you don't want are unchecked. I hope this makes it clearer.
Sorry about the delay in responding. In the Import Address Book window the two columns are:
Address Book Fields Record Data to Import
When I click on any entry, both columns are highlighted an move up and down together so not possible to align. Also both columns have different contents.
Izmjenjeno od strane davidgarside1
I just tried mine again and observed two things: when I highlight a line and click on move up or move down it changes the position in the list and also changes what the item is paired with. I swapped home phone and work phone, and swapped some addresses around. Make sure you are clicking on the buttons 'Move up' or 'Move down' !
Also note that once you have moved an item it will be unchecked, so check it again if you want it included.
Odabrano rješenje
Thanks again, still not able to align as you suggest but have imported anyway. I only have Name and Email fields to import so used View and Sort in FF to organise the Address Book.
There is another approach if you want to try it: Import your CSV file into a spreadsheet and reorder the columns to the way TB expects. Then save the spreadsheet as CSV and import that - sort of a work around.
As I said before, whatever name of the CSV file is used as the name in the address book.
On an earlier response it looked like you had several attempts at importing which may or may not have worked. you can right click on those 'mail export' address books and delete any or all you don't want.