Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Order?

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mangorunner
Posts: 10
Joined: October 25th, 2018, 8:54 am

Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Order?

Post by mangorunner »

I have imported one address book from a CSV file into TB. During that import, I went through the tedious process of mapping the TB fields to my CSV fields so that my TB address book data would be in the desired places. I now would like to import a second address book from another CSV file into TB. However, the TB fields are no longer in the default sort order. (Anyone who needs a list of TB address book field names and default sort order, see this link: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_addres ... _text_file ). The fields remain listed in the order used during the previous import. Is there a way to get the TB address book fields sorted back into their original (default?) order before doing a second address book import? (If not, I guess I can resort the fields in my CSV file to match the sort order that remains from the first import... but I'd rather not.)

Thanks!
Carol
sfhowes
Posts: 750
Joined: April 1st, 2012, 10:21 am

Re: Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Or

Post by sfhowes »

Does the order revert to the default when you restart TB, or even close and re-open Address Book?
mangorunner
Posts: 10
Joined: October 25th, 2018, 8:54 am

Re: Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Or

Post by mangorunner »

No, the fields do not revert to the default sort order when either of those actions are performed. I imported the first address book several weeks ago and have been using Thunderbird daily (and I like it!). I have opened the Address Book many times. The last-used sort order remains. It could be a blessing or a curse, I guess, as here is someone who was thrilled that it kept that last-used order and wanted to copy it from computer-to-computer within the same company/organization: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... &t=2901269

-Carol
sfhowes
Posts: 750
Joined: April 1st, 2012, 10:21 am

Re: Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Or

Post by sfhowes »

Even though the order appears to remain as it was for the previous import, most users would probably suggest that if you're importing csv files from multiple sources, or even a single one, it's easier to edit the csv in a spreadsheet to make it match the TB address book structure, before importing.
mangorunner
Posts: 10
Joined: October 25th, 2018, 8:54 am

Re: Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Or

Post by mangorunner »

Yeah, I just hate to reorder them into the ridiculous order that resulted from the last import. I may do a 3-line nonsense import just to get them back in default order. Then delete the nonsense address book.

Thanks for the confirmation that you can't reorder them without performing another import.
mangorunner
Posts: 10
Joined: October 25th, 2018, 8:54 am

Re: Second Address Book Import: TB Fields Back to Default Or

Post by mangorunner »

I meticulously combed my CSV file. The most important thing, I learned the hard way, is to REMOVE any quotation marks (") that appear anywhere (in any field) in the CSV file. If they appear in your Notes field (or anywhere else), Thunderbird does not like them whatsover. It messes up the import of every record thereafter. Like I said, I learned that the hard way after the first import. So I performed an Excel Search of the CSV file and eliminated all quotation marks. Cleaned up a few other fields. Did a field match (below, for anyone else who needs it) and then did the import. This time, everything came through beautifully. All of my very extensive Notes (in the Notes field) are fully intact. Woo-hoo!

Here is the field mapping/matching to import an Outlook Express (OE) Address Book in CSV format into TB Address Book, for anyone that is interested.

Thunderbird Field - Outlook Express Field
  • First Name - First Name
    Last Name - Last Name
    Display Name - Name
    Nickname - Nickname
    Primary Email - E-mail Address
    Secondary Email - (none)
    Work Phone - Business Phone
    Home Phone - Home Phone
    Fax Number - Business Fax
    Pager Number - Pager
    Mobile Number - Mobile Phone
    Home Address - Home Street
    Home Address 2 - (none)
    Home City - Home City
    Home State - Home State
    Home ZipCode - Home Postal Code
    Home Country - Home Country/Region
    Work Address - Business Street
    Work Address 2 - (none)
    Work City - Business City
    Work State - Business State
    Work ZipCode - Business Postal Code
    Work Country - Business Country/Region
    Job Title - Job Title
    Department - Department
    Organization - Company
    Web Page 1 - Personal Web Page
    Web Page 2 - Business Web Page
    Birth Year - (none)
    Birth Month - (none)
    Birth Day - (none)
    Custom 1 - Middle Name
    Custom 2 - Office Location
    Custom 3 - Home Fax
    Custom 4 - (none)
    Notes - Notes
    Screen Name - (none)
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