Comments on: Address Book: Picked Last for Kickball

By: zukeeper

zukeeper — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:05:27 +0000

I love AB too. Really, I do.
The main irritant however, is it’s inability to make template changes apply to existing entries. I’m always tweaking the template, adding additional custom fields. I’d love to have the changes I make to the template be available to existing contacts. For some reason, they only seem to show up when I’m making a new entry. This drives me nuts. for example, I’ve added a Flickr url field last week. Today, my friend Bob shared his Flickr site with me, and I’d like to add that to his AB entry. However, when I’m in edit mode, the Flickr field won’t show up. Seems I only have one chance to have it available, and if that field is left blank, you have to manually enter it as a custom field when you want to edit the contact later. This needs a fix. Or is there one? Anyone?

By: Matthew Cornell

Matthew Cornell — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:02:54 +0000

Thanks for the post. I’m a new mac user, and I find Address Book frustratingly close to the usable/unusable line. I ranted a bit about it here.

Also, I wish the Quicksilver plugin for AB supported creating a new contact based on text. Auto-recognition of emails, addresses, and phone numbers (like what the new Mail.app tries to do) would be *awesome*.

Thanks for the post.

By: Sylvester

Sylvester — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:44:35 +0000

I haven’t tried this but there apparently is a way to see Google Contacts in AB. It’s a one way deal though, you can’t edit them. The tip is at http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=200703080908446&query=google%2Bcontacts

By: Vladimir Campos

Vladimir Campos — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:29:21 +0000

I love AB, but am using it less and less because I can’t sync it to Google Contacts.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 22:05:34 +0000

I just got a Motorola Razr and am extremely dissappointed that it doesn’t sync with address book. I had a Nokia and it worked great. I loved being able to send SMS messages through my phone. Apparently Motorola is pisses about the whole iPhone thing. That and the fact that Apple switched to Intel chips. Does anyone know of a plugin or hack?

By: Sylvester

Sylvester — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:08:09 +0000

Jay (#47) I think I have successfully modified part of my Birthday Greeting project to send contact information via email. If you will email me I can send a sample of the output to see if it meets your needs

slydude at gmail.com

By: Sylvester

Sylvester — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:55:31 +0000

I was cruising the web looking for more AB actions for Automator when I stumbled on this page. Imagine my surprise to discover my Birthday Greetings article mentioned. The more I use AB the more I like it.

Now what can I think of next?

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 10 May 2007 00:04:53 +0000

I saved my address data file on an external drive. I’m trying to retrieve the data from another computer but can’t seem to get the data into that computer’s address book. How do I do this??

By: Jim Bates

Jim Bates — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:36:15 +0000

Greetings:

I am looking for some way to unlock custom fields in Apple’s Address Book. Since you’re Address Book LDAP is so popular, I figured you’re familiar with programming, or changing, AB.

I know that Address Book, or at least Sync Services, keeps track of Custom Fields, because they appear in other apps.

I know Apple has Custom fields listed in their Contacts Schema (http://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppleApplications/Reference/SyncServicesSchemaRef/Articles/Contacts.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40001541-209998).

But in Address Book>Preferences>Template>there is no “Custom” Field, not even grayed out.

Address Book’s existing Relationship fields just won’t cut it.

Who can help me get Address Book to show the existing Custom fields that are already there, but hidden?

Thanks,

Jim

By: ben

ben — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:35:32 +0000

and if you want it to keep the apple addressbook in sync with gmail, try abgmerge . . . here is a little write up. http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/12/03/abgmerge-sync-gmail-and-address-book-contacts/

By: Sally

Sally — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:00:58 +0000

#64 just select the card and then EDIT / COPY
or.. read the manual Daniel

here’s one that’s NOT IN THE MANUAL

who knows how to FIND all cards (contacts)
from a specific country?

who knows how to create a smartGROUP that lists all cards with an address in DE (DE is the abbreviation for Germany similar to USA for United States of …)

issue:
if some of the addresses have an incorrect country name (abbreviation instead of full country name)
there is no simple way to fix it today
unless… you know of one

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 02:47:22 +0000

To Jason or other address book users:

Is there a way within Address Book or via another associated application to duplicate an Address Book Card without having to tediously cut and paste the various fields? I use Address Book for contact management and there are occassions where I would like to repeat the same card within different Groups. Thanks

By: scott hampton

scott hampton — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 16:09:06 +0000

PD - there is a duplicates check: Card — Duplicate Entries

I use address book a lot, keeps the Nokia synced easily.

BUT: WHY isn’t there a way to get the letters of the alphabet as tabs on the side. I have an engineer’s memory for names, and am constantly playing the “OK, that lawyer’s name… started with an A? Oh, hell, what was the company? Stern something?” It would be nice to be able to jump quickly instead of relying on search!

By: PD

PD — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:45:42 +0000

i want a duplicate checker in Address Book…

By: Gerard van Schip

Gerard van Schip — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 11:01:28 +0000

I agree, Address book is very cool, I use it daily but one thing bugs me… Not being able to sync to Thunderbird. Yes you read that right. I can’t stand Apple’s mail client, way to simple and a pain in the butt if you have several email accounts.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 19:20:23 +0000

anyone know how to get Address Book to print the contact name and the company name at the same time?

By: Petros

Petros — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:00:06 +0000

I use Address Book to maintain a local image of all the contacts in my phone. It would, however be much userful if I could use the same set of information in Thunderbird. Unfortunately that’s actually thunderbird’s fault for not using a more modular address book system.

By: Q

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 01:38:07 +0000

If your phone supports phonebook sync with Mac OS X over bluetooth, you can have Address Book display the name and number of the person calling you when your bluetooth phone rings. Most Sony Ericsson phones have this feature. It’s really cool.

By: Shawn Blanc

Shawn Blanc — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 15:29:58 +0000

Nice evangelism for address book. I use the app very regularly.

I primarily use address book for group e-mail lists, printing newsletter lables, and then sending e-mails to all those folks that will be getting the snail mail newsletter with the automator actions.

By: Didier

Didier — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:02:06 +0000

Ther is also a Filemaker plugin to link Filemaker to the address book (and back).

http://www.productivecomputing.com/

The Address Book Manipulator plug-in provides a lightning fast two-way data exchange between FileMaker Pro and Apple’s Address Book.

By: links for 2006-10-21 « kobak del.icio.us könyvjelzői

links for 2006-10-21 « kobak del.icio.us könyvjelzői — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:27:57 +0000

[...] Address Book: Picked Last for Kickball at The Apple Blog addressbook pluginek (tags: mac osx addressbook software apple tips plugins macosx plugin) [...]

By: End of Silence - Random musings from a geek dad » links for 2006-10-21

End of Silence - Random musings from a geek dad » links for 2006-10-21 — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:18:51 +0000

[...] Address Book: Picked Last for Kickball at The Apple Blog (tags: addressbook mac osx tips) [...]

By: Rault

Rault — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 04:45:51 +0000

I love Address Book too, for its invisibility.

My favorite add-on is iAddressX, by MibaSoft. Works like JABmenu; only $8. Works flawlessly.

By: Rault

Rault — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 04:42:41 +0000

I love AddressBook as well, for its invisibility! It holds everything so nicely and never gets in your way until you beckon it forth.

My favorite add-on works like QuickSilver; it’s called iAddressX, by MibaSoft (www.mibasoft.com) for $8. Works flawlessly.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:29:05 +0000

There is also a great Vonage script that I used with Address Book that allows me to select a number and choose “Call”. It then tells Vonage to make a call to the selected number and route it to my phone. All I have to do is click the number and pick up the phone, no dialling involved.

You can download the script here http://www.abfconsulting.com/vonage/Dial-with-Vonage.sit

By: Sandy

Sandy — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:10:02 +0000

Like the connectivity of AB but hate that I can’t keep a family together on one card. Would like to have a photo, e-mail, cell phone, and b-day for individuals in a family but have them all on the same card. Would be nice for printing out a team roster, or phone list. Right now, I have to have a seperate card for each kid and spouse. Unless I’m missing something?

By: Matte

Matte — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:08:33 +0000

Mac OS X is wonderfull! From easy thing like Address Book to the rich features of a UNIX OS.

Tnx for the Google Maps plugin… It’s fabulous!

By: Barry

Barry — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:48:31 +0000

To Alex #43:

Select the “Custom” label in the drop down list and then enter whatever label you would like.

Just note, that if you sync with a cell or PDA, your custom labels may not sync across properly.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 17:02:43 +0000

I downloaded the Googe Map plug-in and nothing happened. Google Maps shows nothing and Address Book shows nothing.

What did I do wrong?

By: links for 2006-10-20 at [MacStansbury]

links for 2006-10-20 at [MacStansbury] — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:48:28 +0000

[...] Address Book: Picked Last for Kickball Another app I use all the time, yet don’t use very well. (tags: apple software tips plugins macosx) [...]

By: Dennis

Dennis — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:49:59 +0000

Anyone interested in a Quicksilver-like app for accessing Address Book should also check out LaunchBar. Not only does it do everything that Quicksilver does with Address Book, but it also creates smart groups for all companies, job titles, email addresses, and phone numbers in your Address Book. This allows you to do searches across only email addresses or only companies, for example. On top of that, all your Address Book groups (including Smart Groups) show up in LaunchBar as well. Very handy!

By: Shaun

Shaun — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:08:53 +0000

Yep, Address Book is a handy tool (have they fixed syncing smart groups via .Mac yet?). On a related note regarding Plaxo, there’s a video of Steve Jobs demoing NeXTSTEP 3.o on You Tube, where one of the features mentioned is “live data” (in the example, a graphic created by a coworker, and saved on that coworker’s machine is inserted into a pub Steve creates, and when the original is updated, it auto updates in Steve’s pub in real-time). Apple clearly has been mining the old NeXT attic with OSX (check out that video for proof, including the layout for Address Book!), and I wonder if this is on their radar screens? I know I love the idea behind Plaxo, but am hesitant to send my private data “out there” where I can’t know what kind of security is in place. It would be nice to get this kind of collaborative data sharing going in a big way, built in to OS X, and leveraged across many apps.

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:30:23 +0000

I love the AB but one thing i’m missing is a text export of the complete address details. Let’s say someone asks you to send the contact details of someone in your AB. Sure, you could just send the vcf file, but some non techs will not know what to do with it, so its better just to send it as plain text in an email. If i cut/paste the complete entry, the formatting is all screwed up and i have to correct by hand. Any ideas ?? Thanks !

By: Joseph Crawford

Joseph Crawford — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:02:46 +0000

The only thing keeping me from using Address Book, Mail, etc is the fact that Mail cannot send HTML messages. I know it can recieve them however trying to send one i have found to be impossible. I am using Entourage but would prefer to use Mail.

Maybe once Leopard is released i will make the switch as you can use HTML emails in that version of Mail.

By: mark

mark — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 12:45:56 +0000

these folks seem to have the right idea:

http://www.objective-decision.com/en/products/contactizerpro/

this seems to be (a) what i wish address book and ical were and (b) what now up-to-date and contact should have become, by now, but probably never will.

i wish apple would make both address book and ical more robust, like this.