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How do I save: John <john@jsmiths.org> AND Jane <john@jsmiths.org> in Thunderbird's Address Book, to use one/other/both addressees?

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The address book accepts/saves the two entries, OK:

John <john@jsmiths.org>

and

Jane <john@jsmiths.org>
- but when I put them into a list it changes the name Jane to John (or vice versa).

I know this seems a strange request, but I have several friends who SHARE their ONE email address - sometimes I want to write to one of them and for that name to show up on the To: list, such that other recipients know who I am adressing and furthermore it is useful in archives to know myself.

Using Thunderbird 31.6.0 on Windows 8.1

The address book accepts/saves the two entries, OK: John <john@jsmiths.org> and Jane <john@jsmiths.org> - but when I put them into a list it changes the name Jane to John (or vice versa). I know this seems a strange request, but I have several friends who SHARE their ONE email address - sometimes I want to write to one of them and for that name to show up on the To: list, such that other recipients know who I am adressing and furthermore it is useful in archives to know myself. Using Thunderbird 31.6.0 on Windows 8.1

Chosen solution

Toad-Hall - very many thanks for this workaround... I have used it on two implementations and it works well. Now very happy to carry on!

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All Replies (6)

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When you create their entries in the mailing list, do not accept auto-complete. Instead, type in the entire name and address - Jane <john@jsmiths.org>

I have an older version of TB, but I just tried this and it worked - i.e., it did not change the second entry to John.

Modified by igorok2

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igorok2 - thanks for the suggestion...

I tried it out - even deleting both details from Address Book - and completely starting again, but it does not work for me?

Having entered both into Contacts satisfactorily, I then type individually both into my specific Collected Addresses, which appeared to be OK. Then went back to Contacts and immediately back to Collected Addresses to find two entries with same name.

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It is not possible to get two people with same email address into the Mailing list using the standard method, but there is a Workaround:

Use this method: in your address book you have two people with same email address. John Smith has email address: john @ jsmiths.org Jane Smith has emails address: john @ jsmiths.org

These two people are perfectly ok in an address book, but to get them into a Mailing List will not work by conventional method. So do the following to get them into the Mailing List.

In the Address Book Select one of the people and edit the email address. In the example I put a letter A in the front. Jane Smith has emails address: Ajohn @ jsmiths.org

Now move both people to the Mailing List. As the email addresses are not the same they will both move to Mailing List. Once in Mailing List, select the Mailing List double click on Jane Smith to edit the email address by removing the 'A'. click on OK

Now you should have two people sharing same email address in the Mailing List and if you go back and check the address Book entries you will find them both correct.

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Suluhisho teule

Toad-Hall - very many thanks for this workaround... I have used it on two implementations and it works well. Now very happy to carry on!

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Toad-Hall said

It is not possible to get two people with same email address into the Mailing list using the standard method, but there is a Workaround:

Well, I got it to work. See my step-by-step, above. Unless I misunderstood the question. But maybe it doesn't work on v31.*?

Modified by igorok2

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using Thunderbird 31.6 I am unable to add two separate people with shared email address. I tried the workaround offered by Toad-Hall. It will add both email addresses to the list; however, it will not use the display name, replacing it with the email address. I tried deleting both and reinsert them - just highlighted in list and used the delete key. OK Now when I try to re add them it will only add one of the two. I finally got it to add the second address correctly and not replace the first address with the incorrect display name by allowing it to do what it wanted until I had the two I needed in the list and then going back and deleting the various incorrect entries chosen by the add name to mailing list box. Incidentally I discovered that a blank line in the list or following the last name really gives it a fit. Also, clicking OK does NOT update the list displayed. You have to cycle through another list to force the update. It would seem to me that mailing lists are a pretty basic idea and need. In software list driven data storage is a pretty basic idea and it should be really simple to implement - update the list. The list driven software I use takes care of this stuff automatically. Oh well, live and learn - maybe just live.

Modified by Jesse Davis