New massively improved address book available - Page 5

axiem · 9 Jan 2005, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by specialK
I'm more than happy for all fields to be stored as text: some countries outside the US have letters in their zip/postal codes.

Point taken. Though the US isn't the only country where people have middle names, right?

Incidentally, did anyone else notice that the dropdowns for number of messages per page and such have changed, too? Or am I just behind the times?

Chipper · 9 Jan 2005, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by prelog
I agree that most countries have different ways of specifying contact information - sometimes ever changing ways of specifying them. It would probably be difficult and time consuming to keep correct validation, well, correct

As for dates, you can always safely use ISO 8601 dates. In fact, I would suggest using them everywhere you can - they're easy to read and easy for a computer to parse. The simplest form of a date is YYYY-MM-DD, as in, 2005-01-08. They're also the standard for VCARD dates (see section 1.2 in version 2.1's specification).

Here's a great introduction (with explanations on why it makes sense) : A Summary of the International Standard Date and Time Notation

Thank you for the site on "A Summary of the ISO Date/Time Notation" -- I'm currently writing some programs at work and one of the things I'm doing is changing the data base from the old (hideous!) mmddyy format to ccyymmdd format. That site gave me some other great ideas as well.

greenplum · 9 Jan 2005, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by prelog
I agree that most countries have different ways of specifying contact information - sometimes ever changing ways of specifying them. It would probably be difficult and time consuming to keep correct validation, well, correct

As for dates, you can always safely use ISO 8601 dates. In fact, I would suggest using them everywhere you can - they're easy to read and easy for a computer to parse. The simplest form of a date is YYYY-MM-DD, as in, 2005-01-08. They're also the standard for VCARD dates (see section 1.2 in version 2.1's specification).

Here's a great introduction (with explanations on why it makes sense) : A Summary of the International Standard Date and Time Notation

It just defaults to yyyy-mm-dd whatever you input -I've just noticed when I put a date in and then tried 20th September 2004, 25/2/2004, 25th Dec, 2004 and in each case defaults to above so presumably ready to used for something else (reminders..calender ???)

robmueller · 9 Jan 2005, 02:54 AM

Basically we decided that there's some many subtle variations between countries on what a phone number, address, etc is, and even how individual users prefer formatting them, that we wouldn't do any validation on those fields, just store whatever the user inputs.

Dates however are pretty much consistent around the world these days, and eventually we would be adding a reminder feature, so parsing them now and storing them in the DB as a true date would be a good idea, rather than having to go over it later again.

Rob

an3 · 9 Jan 2005, 03:06 AM

I'm sorry, but there are things about the old address that I really miss! Such as being able to edit (in the "Continuous" view) a whole bunch of addresses at a time. Is there a way those features could be included in this improved version? I hope so.

Cheers

an3

DarioMor · 9 Jan 2005, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vaio
Hmm...
Suddenly everybody I know is called "No Name". Most Amusing. Now I'll have to try and remember what their real names are! (and do a lot of editing)

This new "feature" is very annoying. Most of my 470 address entries have no name and all my e-mail are sent to

"No Name " <realaddress@provider.com>

To adjust more than 300 items is not a good new year job.

I looked for an option to disabe it but there isn't.

If it possible to have exactly the same behaviour I had before?

**Sherry** · 9 Jan 2005, 04:22 AM

I'm really surprised that FM didn't put this out on the beta first to solve the problems/bugs before poor Kurian gets swamped with "help". I've only had one landline so far but expect to get swamped tonight. I didn't get any notice (email) telling me of the "big change" coming? Did anyone else?

Sherry

robmueller · 9 Jan 2005, 04:28 AM

Can you send your address book (as an attachment) to robm AT fastmail DOT fm. I'll look into it.

Rob

Quote:

Originally posted by Fenman
IE6 Win98SE

I export an LDIF adressbook file from Mulberry as 'addressbook.txt'

It uploads fine into Mailsnare Visual Office, Yahoo (UK) and LaPoste but Fastmail says:

"Could not parse address book file: Failed to match next LDIF field at: \%r\%ndn: cn=Alan Aardvark,mail=aaadvark@hotmail.com cn: Alan Aardvark sn: Aadvark givenname: Al"

Am I dong something wrong? Thanks.

**JeffK** · 9 Jan 2005, 04:32 AM

DarioMor and others who have the No Name problem.

Try this

http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...411#post288411

Back up your address book first though. Also it may work just be exporting and importing ie you won't need to do it in Thunderbird format.

Jeff

robmueller · 9 Jan 2005, 04:46 AM

I've added notes to:

http://wiki.fastmail.fm/index.php/AddressBookNotes

To keep track of suggestions. Feel free to add any additional items.

Rob

Fenman · 9 Jan 2005, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Oriiginally quoted by robmueller

Can you send your address book (as an attachment) to robm AT fastmail DOT fm. I'll look into it. Rob

Many thanks, Rob. Just done.

Fenman

**Shelded** · 9 Jan 2005, 05:25 AM

Other concerns:
* Where's the functionality to sort on anything in descending order? Missing

* Can I sort on email address? It seems only Nick, First, Last, and Company.

Posted this to wiki.

**Gankaku** · 9 Jan 2005, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by robmueller
I've added notes to:

http://wiki.fastmail.fm/index.php/AddressBookNotes

To keep track of suggestions. Feel free to add any additional items.

Rob

Thanks Rob.

I just want to let you know I've been playing with this today and am so happy with it. Pretty much everything I daydreamed about is in there!

**Sherry** · 9 Jan 2005, 05:36 AM

I spent some time putting in Nicknames to sort by. Later, when going back, it resorted by LastName (I'm practicing in one of my accounts but, in my good account, I'm planning to use the Nickname as a way to sort by Family, Friends, Work etc. but I really need it to stay that way...

Sherry

**Sherry** · 9 Jan 2005, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shelded
Other concerns:
* Where's the functionality to sort on anything in descending order? Missing

When I click on Sort (again) it reverses the sort order.

Sherry

9 Jan 2005, 03:06 AM	#65
an3 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Salem, Oregon, USA Posts: 24	I miss the old one! I'm sorry, but there are things about the old address that I really miss! Such as being able to edit (in the "Continuous" view) a whole bunch of addresses at a time. Is there a way those features could be included in this improved version? I hope so. Cheers an3

9 Jan 2005, 05:36 AM	#74
Sherry Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 8,687	Problem... I spent some time putting in Nicknames to sort by. Later, when going back, it resorted by LastName (I'm practicing in one of my accounts but, in my good account, I'm planning to use the Nickname as a way to sort by Family, Friends, Work etc. but I really need it to stay that way... Sherry

9 Jan 2005, 02:54 AM	#64
robmueller Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,102 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	Basically we decided that there's some many subtle variations between countries on what a phone number, address, etc is, and even how individual users prefer formatting them, that we wouldn't do any validation on those fields, just store whatever the user inputs. Dates however are pretty much consistent around the world these days, and eventually we would be adding a reminder feature, so parsing them now and storing them in the DB as a true date would be a good idea, rather than having to go over it later again. Rob

9 Jan 2005, 04:22 AM	#67
Sherry Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: USA Posts: 8,687	I'm really surprised that FM didn't put this out on the beta first to solve the problems/bugs before poor Kurian gets swamped with "help". I've only had one landline so far but expect to get swamped tonight. I didn't get any notice (email) telling me of the "big change" coming? Did anyone else? Sherry

9 Jan 2005, 04:32 AM	#69
JeffK Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Kingaroy, AU Posts: 3,179	DarioMor and others who have the No Name problem. Try this http://www.emaildiscussions.com/...411#post288411 Back up your address book first though. Also it may work just be exporting and importing ie you won't need to do it in Thunderbird format. Jeff

9 Jan 2005, 04:46 AM	#70
robmueller Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,102 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	I've added notes to: http://wiki.fastmail.fm/index.php/AddressBookNotes To keep track of suggestions. Feel free to add any additional items. Rob

9 Jan 2005, 05:25 AM	#72
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	Other concerns: * Where's the functionality to sort on anything in descending order? Missing * Can I sort on email address? It seems only Nick, First, Last, and Company. Posted this to wiki.