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Importing and exporting contacts

  • 4 replies
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  • Last reply by Robb

Robb
Robb
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I'm having problems importing a contacts csv file into my Linux Thunderbird installation. I export a blank csv "Contacts" file to determine the field layout sequence (e.g., first name, last name, phone #, etc.) and then open the csv file in a spreadsheet. I then open the csv file containing the contacts data I wish to import into Thunderbird and rearrange the data fields to match the field heading sequence of the exported Thunderbird Contacts file and save this rearranged file. However, when I perform the Thunderbird Contacts import process, I'm presented with a different csv column sequence then the one contained in the exported csv contacts file. So I'm really confused - shouldn't the csv export file field sequence layout and the import file field sequence be identical? Why do I get two different layouts?

Help! This layout sequence conflict has me totally confused and I'm not new to computers or flatfile dbases.

I'm having problems importing a contacts csv file into my Linux Thunderbird installation. I export a blank csv "Contacts" file to determine the field layout sequence (e.g., first name, last name, phone #, etc.) and then open the csv file in a spreadsheet. I then open the csv file containing the contacts data I wish to import into Thunderbird and rearrange the data fields to match the field heading sequence of the exported Thunderbird Contacts file and save this rearranged file. However, when I perform the Thunderbird Contacts import process, I'm presented with a different csv column sequence then the one contained in the exported csv contacts file. So I'm really confused - shouldn't the csv export file field sequence layout and the import file field sequence be identical? Why do I get two different layouts? Help! This layout sequence conflict has me totally confused and I'm not new to computers or flatfile dbases.

Chosen solution

Matt & sfhowes - thanks for the help - the link is exactly what I’ve been searching for but was unable to find on my own.

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All Replies (4)

Matt
Matt
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It is the heading names that are important, not the order.

Robb
Robb Question owner
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So if I understand your answer correctly, I need to rename all of my first row column heading to correspond to the naming convention and spelling of the comparable field naming convention of Thunderbird and it doesn't matter what sequence the respective fields are arranged in the csv file. And the TB importer will automatically identify and map the data in each of the csv records to the appropriate TB address book record fields - yes?

sfhowes
sfhowes
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The order of the names doesn't matter, but it will be a lot easier to match the input fields with the address book fields if the names are the same as the ones in TB, and also if the order is the same or close to the order of the TB fields, since the matching has to be done manually by clicking the Move Up/Down buttons.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Import_address_list_from_text_file

Robb
Robb Question owner
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Chosen Solution

Matt & sfhowes - thanks for the help - the link is exactly what I’ve been searching for but was unable to find on my own.