Exported address book is an empty file !
I try to export the address book of my Thunderbird application in Win7, because of planned re-installation of my laptop. Using the 'export...' function under the 'Extra' tab in the Address Book window, it always results in empty files, being a .ldif, .csv, .tab or .txt. Please can you tell how to work around ? Thanks !
All Replies (4)
Which address books did you try to export? Personal Address Book? Collected Addresses? Others?
There is no "Extra" tab in my Address Book. Sure this is Thunderbird?
It is indeed Thunderbird. In Dutch, the tab Tools is translated in Extra. We try to export 'Personal address book'.
Sorry, Collected Addresses.
The method is:
- click on 'Address Book'
- select 'Collected addresses'
- 'Tools' > 'Export'
- choose where to save eg: external hardrive
- Give file suitable name - not 'Collected addresses'
- save as type: 'LDIF' or 'Comma separated .csv'
- click on 'Save'
Alternative: Useful if you are considering moving to new computer and still using thunderbird, then you could either save the entire profile name folder or copy these files: 'abook.mab' (this is your 'Personal Address Book') 'history.mab' (this is the 'Collected Addresses')
Both of these files can be copy pasted back into a new profile name folder, overwriting the empty default ones that would have been created.
This is where to locate your profile name folder. Make hidden files and folders visible:
In Thunderbird
- 'Help' > 'Troubleshooting Information'
- click on 'Show Folder'
a new window opens showing contents of your 'profile name' folder. The 'abook.mab' and the 'history.mab' files will be in this window. Simply copy and paste to desired location eg: external hardrive
If you want to save the entire profile name: Go up the directory to 'profiles' folder your profile name' folder will be 'xxxxxxxx.default' unless you have named it otherwise and the x's will be letters and numbers. Copy the 'xxxxxxxx.default' folder and Paste into eg: external hardrive.