T-Bird Address Book transferfrom WLM to TB

[DOC.N]

Having difficulty importing csv file (Address Book Contacts) from WLM to T-Bird. No name or email address transfers--just a person figure and the category.
What am I doing wrong?

[tanstaafl]

See the WLM section in http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_and ... _your_mail

Normally you would "Export the contacts using the Windows Contacts program as a .csv file. You can import it using Tools -> Import -> Address books -> Text Files." However, I don't think Windows 10 has that program installed. It was originally released for Vista. I'm uncertain if it was installed after XP. See if https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 9d199d96ca helps.

Another approach might be to export your contacts from WLM as vCards, install the MoreFunctionsForAddressBook add-on for Thunderbird (it adds support for vCards) and then import the vCards into Thunderbirds address books.

Also see http://www.freeemailtutorials.com/windo ... ntacts.htm . It claims that File -> Export in WLM can be used to export address books as a .csv file that Thunderbird understands. Is that what you used?

[DOC.N]

Thank you, tanstaafl!

You are correct. And I did use Windows Contact .csv file. Grabbed the file and attempted to import it into T-Bird through Tools>Import> Address books>Text Files. But the fields in T-Bird Address book are arranged in a different order when compared to the WLM Contact .csv file. Is there a way to change the order of the fields? Perhaps that might fix it.

I tried to download and install ImportExportTools-3.2.5.xpi but it wold not install. I checked my firewall, made sure it was turned off and tried again, but no luck.

I am running OSX with WLM 2010. MS apparently not going to support WLM at all in the near future--at least that's what I've heard. T-Bird is close to WLM and has a great deal of appeal. I finally loaded my contacts manually which took about 2 hours. That is working. However, in order to make the manual task a little less time consuming I chose not to include all my contacts. I'll pick them up later--I hope.

Thanks so much for your help. I really like the possibilities of T-BIrd. BTW, I am using SoftMaker 2018 and love it.

Gratefully,

DOC.N

[tanstaafl]

Normally the import wizard for Thunderbird lets you change the order of the fields in a imported address book file. Another approach is to open the file in a spreadsheet and adjust the column order before importing it into Thunderbird.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_addres ... _text_file
https://thunderbirdtweaks.blogspot.com. ... files.html

The upper left most screen shot in the bottom comment of https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1171731 shows an example of re-arranging the address fields using the import wizard.

If you managed to download the *.xpi file for ImportExportTools go to tools -> add-ons, left click on the gear like icon in the upper right corner (adjacent to the edit field that has search all add-on in grey), and select "install add-on from file". http://kb.mozillazine.org/Importing_folders has more details on how to install that add-on.

"I am running OSX with WLM 2010"
I thought WLM (the email client, not the chat program) required Windows.

You may find http://kb.mozillazine.org/Getting_start ... hunderbird useful.

[tanstaafl]

MS apparently not going to support WLM at all in the near future--at least that's what I've heard.

I agree. Windows Essentials 2012 (it included Windows Live Mail 2012) reached end of support on 10 January 2017 and is no longer available for download from Microsoft

Windows Live Mail was replaced with their Windows Store app "Mail" in Windows 8. They want users to move to either Outlook, Outlook 365, or their "Mail" app (which is pre-installed in Windows 8 and later). In 2016 they announced Outlook.com was discontinuing support for Windows Live Mail but in reality they just dropped support for the DeltaSync protocol. You could still use it with POP/IMAP.

[DOC.N]

Thank you! I looked at the screen shot in https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1171731. It shows a header for the Address Book page. My Address book page has no header. What am I missing?

[tanstaafl]

I don't know what you mean by header in this case. I'm used to seeing a title bar, with a menu toolbar and address book toolbar underneath it. That's managed by view -> toolbars.

That is a old thread, from before Thunderbird added "All Address Books" as a container/wrapper for the individual address books. So some details will vary. However, the "Import Address Book" window with the up/down buttons should stay the same.

[DOC.N]

I called it a header--not as in a text file. Your reference to it as "title bar" is much more accurate. My title bar is like this:

*(book image) Address Book
All Address Books
Personal Address Book
Collected Addresses

It's in T-Bird's format, but this is all I have. The up/down button (arrow) functions to select either "Personal Address Book" (where I have entered most of my contacts manually) or "Collected addresses."

As you can tell, I'm very new at this and not too computer savvy. I usually don't have so much difficulty getting around. Thanks for your help.

[DanRaisch]

Your address book window should look something like this. (Ignore the large red arrow, and the green blocks are there to mask personal data.)



The area on the left is called the "Directory pane" and the area on the right the "Contact pane."

[tanstaafl]

The import wizard is used to import address books (among other things). From either the main window or from the address book window use tools -> import, and select address books, and then the type of file. Its what is supposed to display the import and then the import address book (the one letting you move the address book fields) windows that was in the screen shot I linked to.

You seem to be getting distracted by the up/down arrows to select an existing address book. You need to use tools -> import -> address books, select a .csv file type, select the actual file, and only then will you get the window that lets you remap the fields as needed to be compatible with Thunderbird's address book format. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_addres ... _text_file defines that format.

[DanRaisch]

Note that imported data will not be added to either existing address book but will be found in a new address book file created by the import process.

[DOC.N]

I have nothing like the screen shot above. I have used Tools>Import>Address Books and selected a .csv file type many times. You mention "select the actual file." I have exported the WLM Contact csv file many times. I assumed the WLM file to be the "actual file." I have a gmail account. Should I have exported the actual gmail contacts? I'll give it a try. Thanks again tanstaafl for your help. Thanks also DanRaisch.

[tanstaafl]

Open the .csv file with Notepad and verify it has several display names and email addresses. You don't need to understand the format to spot that.

See https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-export- ... ts-1171992 for how to export gmail contacts from webmail. You need to decide whether to use vCard (have to install an add-on to import them) or .csv (need to deal with remapping the order of the fields).

[DOC.N]

Thanks, tanstaafl, for your patience with me. I finally got the gmail contact list added to my Address Books and it appears to be working fine. I used the https://www.livewire.com/how-to-export-...ts-1171992 link and it worked well. Easy-to-follow instructions. Thanks again! DOC.N