Address book sync

Qwavel · 31 Oct 2006, 11:53 AM

Whatever happened to address book synchronizing? I thought it was coming soon a couple of years ago.

Is it still being considered or developed or anything?

Will is support Thunderbird?

MagicDavid · 2 Nov 2006, 08:14 AM

I will leave my usual support for any suggestion that opens up the address book.

Again, PLEASE let me export ALL the fields in my address book in any kind of open format. RSS, XML, full LDIF or any other format you can think of.

**Shelded** · 6 Nov 2006, 01:37 PM

Synch is not implemented, but isn't export implemented already? What aspect is missing? I think that's one of the good things about Fastmail already.

savirr · 6 Nov 2006, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shelded
Synch is not implemented, but isn't export implemented already? What aspect is missing? I think that's one of the good things about Fastmail already.

Fastmail allows an arbitrarily large number of email addresses and phone numbers for contacts. For contacts with a large number of email addresses / phone numbers, not all are exported in any of the csv formats available. Also, I'm not sure (but haven't checked) that any format allows the export of custom fields.

What is needed - and I would really like some feedback from fastmail staff on this - is an xml or similar export of *everything* in the address book. Individuals can then transform this for whatever use they have for it and, more importantly, have a local back up.

Simon

MagicDavid · 6 Nov 2006, 09:08 PM

Here here Simon! I have populated the Fastmail address book extensively - with multiple mobile number, addresses, email addresses etc.

The current formats do not export all fields - many are missed out - Date of Birth, Custom Fields (which are quite important), multiple email, mobile, telephone and property addresses - all of which I need access to regularly - very frustrating!

I often need to perform tasks like mail merges or use my address information for other tasks - as well as having a backup offline copy in case I haven't got an internet connection.

Getting my custom fields exported is also essential - I have use them for things like "send Christmas card" or "send birthday card" so I can run a report to get my Christmas list sorted and print off the labels

I don't know how the Fastmail Address Book works behind the scenes - but I can't imagine that it could be difficult to add an additional export format (on top of the existing ones) that exports the whole lot of data - perhaps xml or rss as I have suggested before.

Better still - if there could be a static link to an XML or RSS feed that I could subscribe to or WGET - then I could download it automatically every day and transform the file into something useful.

I can write some scripts to transform the XML into other formats and make them available online for others. For example I could generate an iCAL file of dates of birth that you could import or subscribe to in your calendaring software - never miss a birthday again

savirr · 6 Nov 2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MagicDavid
Better still - if there could be a static link to an XML or RSS feed that I could subscribe to or WGET - then I could download it automatically every day and transform the file into something useful.

That's a brilliant idea - just the sort of thing I could use as well.

Quote:

Originally posted by MagicDavid
I can write some scripts to transform the XML into other formats and make them available online for others. For example I could generate an iCAL file of dates of birth that you could import or subscribe to in your calendaring software - never miss a birthday again

[/b]

XSLT would probably be up to the task. I imagine this could get like stylesheets - users would end up creating a library of transforms on the address book for every possible eventuality. It could be a selling point if they were useful enough. Even better, new export formats could be expressed as XSLT transforms reducing the need for custom perl.

Simon

MagicDavid · 7 Nov 2006, 05:09 AM

Great idea!

Fastmail could use the existing file hostingsystem to provide the correct access security to the xml file/stream. It would also manage the bandwidth usage.

Perhaps adding a read-only pseudo-file to the root of our webdav folder would work? ie.

https://dav.messagingengine.com/username.fastmail.fm/addressbook.xml

Then you could use a http feed reader to access the file when required.

Fastmail developers - what do you think? I can come up with a possible XML format for discussion - but obviously only if you think this is possible - if that would be any help?

**Shelded** · 7 Nov 2006, 10:27 AM

The old addressbook had an option to display the entire listing as a "database" and I occasionally would use that layout to scrape the entire thing into Excel for work. It had fewer fields in that day but we have taken a step backward with the newer layout.

MagicDavid · 7 Nov 2006, 10:32 AM

Even scraping would be better than nothing for me - but as you say, even that isn't even possible now.

Qwavel · 10 Nov 2006, 01:00 PM

Export to XML would be a great start. Doesn't matter too much to me how it is accessed. Should be easy to implement too.

darens · 12 Nov 2006, 02:11 PM

To me the main thing is backing up.

There are umpteen posts here saying the responsibility for backing up data rests with the user.

But... we can't back up the address book, except by hand.

Because it's unlikely I'll have a current backup done by hand, I can't expect to have a current version always accessible (for example, it is inaccessible during the multi-day outages).

Therefore I can't use it as my addressbook.

After the server 3 outage I've gone back to pen and paper. Quite frustrating.

Please let us export, in any format, our *entire* address book!

Any other suggestions?

**Shelded** · 13 Nov 2006, 08:27 AM

Before I use pen I would select all and copy it to the notepad. That's not the solution you want but it's not reasonable to use pens.

mentiro · 13 Nov 2006, 09:48 PM

It seems to me like a simple XML-based export/import would be super-easy to create....

darens · 14 Nov 2006, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shelded
I would select all

Hmm, sometimes I miss the obvious--all addressbook info is on one page, I can copy this. Even with all the links etc. it'll serve the purpose.

Quote:

and copy it to the notepad.

Except the notepad can't easily be backed up either, better to use something else (I email to a backup provider).

ChinaLamb · 14 Nov 2006, 04:27 AM

Here is a question for you, would you rather they spend their time working on a way to sync the address book, or work on a way to back it up? I say forget the stop-gap (backup) and go straight for the sync.

/CL

31 Oct 2006, 11:53 AM	#1
Qwavel Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 47	Address book sync Whatever happened to address book synchronizing? I thought it was coming soon a couple of years ago. Is it still being considered or developed or anything? Will is support Thunderbird?

2 Nov 2006, 08:14 AM	#2
MagicDavid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 164	I will leave my usual support for any suggestion that opens up the address book. Again, PLEASE let me export ALL the fields in my address book in any kind of open format. RSS, XML, full LDIF or any other format you can think of.

6 Nov 2006, 01:37 PM	#3
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	Synch is not implemented, but isn't export implemented already? What aspect is missing? I think that's one of the good things about Fastmail already.

6 Nov 2006, 09:08 PM	#5
MagicDavid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 164	Here here Simon! I have populated the Fastmail address book extensively - with multiple mobile number, addresses, email addresses etc. The current formats do not export all fields - many are missed out - Date of Birth, Custom Fields (which are quite important), multiple email, mobile, telephone and property addresses - all of which I need access to regularly - very frustrating! I often need to perform tasks like mail merges or use my address information for other tasks - as well as having a backup offline copy in case I haven't got an internet connection. Getting my custom fields exported is also essential - I have use them for things like "send Christmas card" or "send birthday card" so I can run a report to get my Christmas list sorted and print off the labels I don't know how the Fastmail Address Book works behind the scenes - but I can't imagine that it could be difficult to add an additional export format (on top of the existing ones) that exports the whole lot of data - perhaps xml or rss as I have suggested before. Better still - if there could be a static link to an XML or RSS feed that I could subscribe to or WGET - then I could download it automatically every day and transform the file into something useful. I can write some scripts to transform the XML into other formats and make them available online for others. For example I could generate an iCAL file of dates of birth that you could import or subscribe to in your calendaring software - never miss a birthday again

7 Nov 2006, 05:09 AM	#7
MagicDavid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 164	Great idea! Fastmail could use the existing file hostingsystem to provide the correct access security to the xml file/stream. It would also manage the bandwidth usage. Perhaps adding a read-only pseudo-file to the root of our webdav folder would work? ie. https://dav.messagingengine.com/username.fastmail.fm/addressbook.xml Then you could use a http feed reader to access the file when required. Fastmail developers - what do you think? I can come up with a possible XML format for discussion - but obviously only if you think this is possible - if that would be any help?

7 Nov 2006, 10:27 AM	#8
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	The old addressbook had an option to display the entire listing as a "database" and I occasionally would use that layout to scrape the entire thing into Excel for work. It had fewer fields in that day but we have taken a step backward with the newer layout.

7 Nov 2006, 10:32 AM	#9
MagicDavid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 164	Even scraping would be better than nothing for me - but as you say, even that isn't even possible now.

10 Nov 2006, 01:00 PM	#10
Qwavel Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 47	Export to XML would be a great start. Doesn't matter too much to me how it is accessed. Should be easy to implement too.

12 Nov 2006, 02:11 PM	#11
darens Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 46	To me the main thing is backing up. There are umpteen posts here saying the responsibility for backing up data rests with the user. But... we can't back up the address book, except by hand. Because it's unlikely I'll have a current backup done by hand, I can't expect to have a current version always accessible (for example, it is inaccessible during the multi-day outages). Therefore I can't use it as my addressbook. After the server 3 outage I've gone back to pen and paper. Quite frustrating. Please let us export, in any format, our entire address book! Any other suggestions?

13 Nov 2006, 08:27 AM	#12
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,849	Before I use pen I would select all and copy it to the notepad. That's not the solution you want but it's not reasonable to use pens.

13 Nov 2006, 09:48 PM	#13
mentiro Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 37	It seems to me like a simple XML-based export/import would be super-easy to create....

14 Nov 2006, 04:27 AM	#15
ChinaLamb The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: a virtually impossible but finitely improbable position Posts: 2,320	Here is a question for you, would you rather they spend their time working on a way to sync the address book, or work on a way to back it up? I say forget the stop-gap (backup) and go straight for the sync. /CL