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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Importing Windows (Outlook) Address Book

Linda Hermann - May 28, 2008 - 3:19 pm

I am trying to import my address book created in Microsoft Outlook into my Mac address book. I had had a problem with my windows laptop (it crashed) so had to send it to our computer guru for evaluation, etc. He took out the hard drive from that laptop and copied it to a disk. He also sent me via e-mail my Outlook address book and saved it as a csv file (or so he says). But when I attempt to import the file in Mac's Address Book, I get the message: "The file you selected does not appear to be a valid comma separated values (CSV) file nor a valid tab delimited file. Please choose another file."

I'm pretty sure our guru knows what he is doing and did save the file correctly. It shows in my e-mail as "winmail.dat" Can you shed some light on this? Thank you.

earthsaver - May 28, 2008 - 4:40 pm

Try using TNEF's Enough to extract the file from the winmail.dat file. Then you should be good to go. Your guru failed to send you the file alone because he's using Outlook with a certain setting that encodes attachments this way instead.

- Ben

Linda Hermann - May 29, 2008 - 9:41 am

Hi, Ben:

Thanks for getting back to me so soon. I did, in fact, use TNEF's Enough which converted the file to a CSV file. Then I opened the Mac address book, chose File>Import, and then selected the CSV file. Nothing happened except I received that error message. Should I e-mail you the winmail.dat file so you can take a look at it? Or am I doing something else wrong? I'm in a quandary! Thank you.

earthsaver - May 29, 2008 - 11:11 am

Hmm. Might try converting it to a tab-delimited file. Easiest way to do this is to open the file in TextEdit. In the Find command window, search for and replace all with . To create the tab character, press Option+Tab. Save the file with a .txt extension and try importing again.

Linda Hermann - May 29, 2008 - 11:59 am

Before I do that, I want to make sure I'm not expecting something to happen that is not supposed to happen. When I choose the Mac address book, then click File>Import, isn't all the information from the CSV file supposed to automatically convert and the information/data is now in my Mac address book? I can see the information from the CSV file, but it is in a separate file and not converting or automatically conforming to my Mac address book.

I hope I am making myself clear. This is difficult! I will definitely try to convert the file to a tab delimited, but just wanted to make sure I'm not misconstruing what "Import" actually means. I don't think I am. Thanks again. We should be able to close this transaction shortly. I can also e-mail my "guru" and tell him he needs to try again!!

earthsaver - May 29, 2008 - 12:10 pm

You've got "Import" right. The Address Book import mechanism will let you preview the data being imported with a panel where you associate data fields with data to ensure fields are matching up properly and the data goes where it should. Are you seeing that? Are you able to clip the popup menus to choose the correct data for each field? You'll see the preview on the right; click the Forward button if the first card has headers.

Linda Hermann - May 29, 2008 - 12:40 pm

I can see the text file with all the information on the right and the pop ups on the left, but it is a separate file entitled "Linda1(squiggly line which I can't find on my Mac keyboard) CSV" It is a separate file and NOT part of my address book. The data did not conform into my address book. It is a separate file only. Am I making any sense??? Sorry to be such an idiot! Thank you.

Linda Hermann - May 29, 2008 - 12:53 pm

Hi again, Ben!
I'm truly an idiot! What do I actually type in the "Find" box? Do I type "all", and then what do I type in the "Replace with" box? Do I type a . ? Or do I actually press the Option + Tab button in the "replace with" box? Guess this is pretty difficult to do via e-mails because it is difficult to put into words what you want to say! Or something like that! Thanks, Ben.

earthsaver - May 30, 2008 - 1:44 pm

Doesn't matter what the file is called (squiggly line is a tilde; find it below Escape). Once you get to that import window, what do you do? First you need to associate data entries with fields on the left and then look on the right side to confirm they're correct. Then, you click the button in the lower right that imports the data.

Have you done all this only to find the data not being imported?

If you want to convert to tab-delimited, you enter a comma in the Find field and press Option+Tab when the cursor is in the Replace field. Then click Replace All. Save with .txt extension and try importing again.

Linda Hermann - May 30, 2008 - 4:15 pm

Hi again,

I'm so sorry to be such a you know what! I have done what you said. The button on the lower right is the "OK" button. But when I click OK nothing happens and the data is not, in fact, imported. I think I'll simply try to save as a .txt file and try again. If that doesn't work, I will retype all of the information, because I could have probably already done that in the same amount of time (or less!) that this is taking, through no fault of yours!

I'm truly sorry and will try the second option. Just trying to learn "stuff" but this is giving me a headache!!! The file must have been saved incorrectly in the first place. We will see. Thank you again, so, SO much!!