Import contacts from gmail / .csv-file

[PankeJo]

so another problem came up.

I exported my contacts from gmail into a .csv file, then tried to import this into Thunderbird.

First thing I noticed: the .csv has way more columns than TB wants to import. A bit weird tbh that there's no popup or sthg to let me know about this - but no big deal, I rearrange everything in calc, delete empty columns etc.

but then - the 'address book fields' in the 'import address book' window do not match the column headers in the actual address book. Like, I can select to import into 'first name' and 'last name' - but in the actual address book there's a column header 'name', and that's it. Where does the data for this column come from, is it 'display name' or 'screen name' or what? I guess I'll find out out tomorrow, for now I'm really fed up with this sorry mess of an import thingie. Grr...

[DanRaisch]

Manually add one or more contacts to the Thunderbird address book and then export the data from Thunderbird to a CSV format file. Load that file into a spreadsheet and review the column titles and order. Load the Gmail data into a spreadsheet and rename and reorder columns so that they match those output from Thunderbird. Try the import again.

[PankeJo]

Thanks for all your tips. Actually I guess this is no longer a question and more like a rant about this whole process, and really especially the fact that the column headers in the address book don't match the data fields you're given in the import dialog.

Also - the 'import address book' window, the one where you match the data fields to one another: this whole thing would be a lot easier if you could only change the size of that window...

Anyway, I guess I'm good now, thanks again. Figured out that 'name' actually corresponds to 'display name'.

[DanRaisch]

You're welcome. Glad to hear you sussed things out.