Address Book User Interface

Maybe I'm just whining, but the UI for address book and iCal are horrible. Using address book is almost impossible. The little red bookmarks aren't bookmarks, The three pane file browser is gone, so browsing your address book is difficult. Is there a good replacement? My upgrade to Lion has not been a happy experience.

Same here, with two different machines (MacMini G4, iMac Intel).
And BTW this topic isn't answered as stated at the top of the thread.
People points to another thread with a different issue: app is hanging.
The problem here is about unresponsiveness, Address Book is painfully slow now. When editing or entring data. Or searching.
Tried trashing some preference files, and others in Application Support/Address Book, without any results.
Message was edited by: venosa
Message was edited by: venosa

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My Address Book Wish List

Just sent the following to Apple Feedback. Curious to see if any others share similar hopes -- or if any of my requests are in fact already possible, but I've just been too dense to figure out how to do them:
(using AB 4.0.4 under OX X 10.4.8)
Nine Improvements Many Address Book Users (including me)
Would Really Like To See:
1) Phone dialer function.
Since Macs still have internal modems, why not take advantage of the fact and provide users with the option of having Address Book dial the number you've just used Address Book to look up? There are 3rd party apps that do this, but it's the kind of feature that really should be built right in for full compatibility.
2) Auto Fill + Auto Capitalization options for each text field.
Users should be able to designate which text fields do or do not use one or both. (Previous editions of Address Book had a hyper-active auto-fill function, while the latest version seems to have abandoned it altogether.)
The auto capitalization should work the same as when you start typing a name into Mac Mail's "To" field, offering a list of possible matches (different cities, for example), beginning with the one most recently used.
The auto capitalization should be a separate user pref which can be turned on or off for any text field.
3) More display options for Name column
Specifically, it would be nice to be able to have Last Name / First Name for scrolling through the Name column, but still show First Name / Last Name in the individual Card View on the right.
4) More intelligent search capability
For example, by entering a phrase with quote marks, I should be able to see only those cards which contain that exact phrase, not just any card which happens to contain any one of the words in the phrase.
5) Intelligent handling of two-surname couples.
For non-business, personal entries, there's a reality out there which needs to be acknowledged: there are a lot of unmarried couples sharing the same address and basic contact info, AND there are many married couples where the wife has retained her own surname.
Address Book needs to be able to deal with two-surname couples much more intelligently, so that (for example) a search can be run using EITHER surname to access the same card. Also, you've got an Anniversary field, but apparently no option to add a second "Birthday" date (since most couples do have different birthdays).
There needs to be a basic template in which the members of couples with different surnames each get equal "weight" in the database -- and this applies to same-sex couples as well, so the pairs of Surname and Birthday fields should not be automatically designated as "His" and "Hers".
6) Ways to enter partial dates
For certain date fields (such as "Brthday" and "Anniversary"), it's often the case where only a year is know, or a year and a month but not the exact date. Sometimes a date is just a best guess or an approximation. But Address Book seems determined to create a complete date, using the current month and day if none are entered, and not even letting manually erase same after it does.
A little flexibility here, please! I know I can put anything I want down in the Notes field, but couldn't the Birthday and Anniversary ones be made a little less rigid in their formatting?
7) Remember the new template fields when editing
I've added several new fields for the template which appears when I create a new entry. But it's annoying when those new fields all disappear as soon as I then need to edit that entry later on.
You've given us the option to add additional fields to our default template when we CREATE a new entry; why not also give us the option to access those same additional fields (and field names in the pull down lists) when we EDIT the same entry?
This should even apply to entries which were originally created using the original Apple template -- the new fields and field names created by the user should become available whenever you go into Edit mode.
8) Make Distribution Lists easily printable, exportable, and more flexible.
Should be able to select more than one e-address from a particular contact for a distribution list (as in both members of a couple, or both the home and work e-addresses for a particular individual -- instead of having to create a separate card just for those separate e-addresses).
Also like to be able to simply copy/paste a distribution list (and/or Export it as a Tab or Paragraph delineated text file), which I could either print out, or e-mail to a friend who needed it, etc.
9) Hours of Operation field.
For commercial/business entries, a default "Hours" field would be nice, with some sort of easy-to-select options to facilitate entering the times a business, a store, or even a customer service line is open on given days. There should even be the ability to enter seasonal hours for different times of year.
I hope that these features have already been incorporated into the next release of Address Book -- and if not, that you'll give serious consideration to implementing them as soon as possible. Your users will thank you.

Download AddressBookToCSV 1.1 from www.versiontracker.com. It will export your contacts to a CSV file that can be imported by Gmail.
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Bind Local Address Book to Server?

A priority for our firm, and a main reason we are setting ups an SLS, is to be able to use Group Address Books to share contacts across the Groups we would like to set up. The documentation says this is possible, but as I see in other posts, this doesn't actually appear to have been implemented yet. Has anyone noticed Page 11 of the Address Book Server Administration Manual, posted at Apple's SLS documentation page:
"To use Address Book Server on a client, you need to bind the client to Address Book Server. Before binding a client computer, make sure Address Book Server is running (see “Starting or Stopping Address Book Server” on page 15).
To bind Address Book on a client to Address Book Server:
1 Open Address Book on the client computer.
The only versions of the Address Book application that support using Address Book
Server are those in Mac OS X version 10.6. Earlier versions of Address Book don’t
support binding to Address Book Server.
2 Choose Address Book > Preferences, and then click Accounts.
3 Click the Add button.
4 In the Add Account dialog, select Mac OS X Server as the Account Type.
5 Enter the user’s name and password. Enter the URL of the Address Book Server.
6 Click Create.
An account is now added to the account list. The Address Book application now shows a new group with the user’s name and your server designated. Any groups in the shared address book are displayed below this via a disclosure triangle."
All of this sounds great: once "bound" to the server, manual appears to be saying that the local Address Book app will show the user's address book as well as any Group the user is a part of. Perfect. Only problem is that when I go to create an Address Book account with the type "Mac OS X Server", there is no such option under the pull down account type menu.
I have all the latest versions of everything on the server as well as client computers, and this option simply isn't there. Address Book Server is running, and there are no configuration choices that would appear to "turn on" this option or otherwise make it available to the client computers. Anybody have an explanation? Has Apple just not implemented this yet? If not, why Apple would put this in their current documentation? Am I missing a configuration setting of some type?

Hi
Unfortunately for you the admin manuals are not that clear - what a surprise. It's not really your fault but you're taking the instructions too literally. By "Address Book Server" the manual means the Server the Address Book Service is running on. This would be whichever server is the Open Directory Master.
Preceeding the part you quoted is:
+"Address Book Server is integrated with Mac OS X Server’s foundation technologies. Address Book users are authenticated from Open Directory and Kerberos."+
This certainly implies an OD Master environment.
In a multiple server environment (Master/Replica or Connected Server) it's not clear if the Service can only be used/accessed on the OD Master.
To 'bind/join' clients to an OD Master (and in essence the Address Book Server) you use Directory Utility. In 10.6 client this is accessed via the Accounts tab. In 10.5 the application exists as standalone in the Utilities folder. In 10.4 the application is in the same place but is known as Directory Access. As far as the manual says only Address Book in 10.6 seems to be supported?
For LDAP Services to work as they should DNS Services must be configured correctly and resolving on both pointers. For the best experience clients must be using the Server for their DNS (assuming the Server is the only Server on the network) or a suitable DNS Server that can resolve the Server properly.
I personally don't think there is a Group Address Book feature available. If the iCal service is anything to go by you're really talking about individual address books which have then been delegated read/write access to other users in the LDAP node. If you consider carefully what it is you want there is no reason why you can't offer a 'group-type' address book with what's available?
Tony

Allow user to edit their own Address Book server entry

Hiya.
I'm looking for a way to let users edit their own information in the Address Book Server/Open directory. I've made sure the main group for users is in the AB Read-Write Groups group in WGM.
I've even checked the box in Server Admin that says "Allow users to edit their own contact information", but after adding the account to an address book client and authenticating as a user (For example, myself), I can't edit my own contact info anywhere that will push to the server.
Is there any way to do this?
Thanks!

You'd need to write a php script or something to interface with applescript…

Custom attributes added to user objects not visible in OWA address book

Hi,
I am using Exchange 2013 and recently added a new custom attribute in the user object properties using the details template editor to be visible in the GAL The new attribute is correctly getting displayed in the GAL from outlook clients but not visible
in OWA address book. Is there a way to update the display of user objects in OWA address book to include the new custom attribute?
Thanks!

Hi Abu,
Please see following link:
Customize Details Templates
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms.exch.toolbox.detailstemplate(v=exchg.150).aspx
It says, Use the Details Templates Editor to customize the client-side graphical user interface (GUI) presentation of object properties that are accessed by using address lists in Microsoft Outlook.
My understanding is this setting only visible in Outlook.
Please correct me if there is any misunderstanding.
Thanks
Mavis
Mavis Huang
TechNet Community Support

How do I share address book and calendars with other iCloud users?

I guess the title of the discussion question says it all.
My wife, and other family members want to SHARE Contacts, Calendars etc... with other iCloud users.
Simple task... most people would want to do it...
But... I can't find an easy answer... how do I do it?

Roger, thanks... I had continued my search and found this information on the discussion.
Now, my biggest concern is the ADDRESS BOOK... I'd like to publish, specific GROUPS within my master Address Book to other iCloud users... with either Read Only, or Read Write permisions.
Do you have any knowledge or suggestion on how that can be accomplished in iCloud?
It seems as though this would be FOUNDATIONAL in iCloud if APPLE expects it to be a USABLE SERVICE.
Thanks for your help...

Can multiple users share 1 address book w/out MobileMe?

To date we've used MobileMe, so synchronizing our address book amongst two user accounts (1 MacBook) was easy. However, that's the ONLY service of MobileMe I use anymore. It's just WAY too expensive for what it provides, especially compared to free services like Google. Thus, we're not renewing.
QUESTION: Is it possible to copy the address book file to a shared folder and share it like one would an iphoto or itunes library? Just checking before I try it, in case something explodes. Also, where is the file located? Thanks in advance!
p.s. Sorry if this is a repeat (likely)- I checked the first several pages and couldn't find anything.

You could try Address Book and Calendar Server (http://www.addressbookserver.com) which lets you share your contacts with your own server running on your own network.
PS: I am the developer of AddressBookServer so naturally biased towards it.

How do I share my Address Book with other users on same computer?

This continues to elude me. I tried Address Book sharing, syncing, etc. but they either didn't work or are way too slow. I just simply want to be able to use the same database for all users on the same computer. I'm really surprised that Apple doesn't offer this functionality.
I read one solution about creating a separate hard drive solution, selecting Ignore Permissions on it and moving the database to that and then setting up symbolic links for each user to point their Address Book database to that database. But this still seems like a major pain.
Is there not something more simple and reliable?
Thank you.

macsense wrote:
This continues to elude me. I tried Address Book sharing, syncing, etc. but they either didn't work or are way too slow. I just simply want to be able to use the same database for all users on the same computer. I'm really surprised that Apple doesn't offer this functionality.
I read one solution about creating a separate hard drive solution, selecting Ignore Permissions on it and moving the database to that and then setting up symbolic links for each user to point their Address Book database to that database. But this still seems like a major pain.
Is there not something more simple and reliable?
No. You don't have to use an external drive and can put it in a folder in /Users/Shared and set inherited ACLs to allow different users to read/write to it as outlined in this [post|http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7245381&#7245381]. You'll still need to erase original address book folders and put symbolic links to the shared folder if you do that. there is nothing simpler I'm afraid.

How can I share the same music but separate calendars and address book for 2 users on the same computer?

Can anyone help to answer if I can share the same music account on itunes but still maintain separate calendars and address books on the same computer?

Make sure each user has their own computer login.
Copy the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder to /Users/Shared.
Hold Option and launch iTunes.
Select Choose library and select /Users/Shared/iTunes/ folder.
Quit iTunes and log into other user.
Hold Option and launch iTunes.
Select Choose library and select /Users/Shared/iTunes/ folder.
That is all you need to do.
Any changes in iTunes by one will be seen by all others (since you are using the same library).
All users will have their own Contacts & Calendars and all other info.
If you are using Fast User switching, you must quit iTunes before switching users if others wish to use iTunes.

How do I copy an address book from one user account to another?

How do I copy an address book from one user account to another?

You haven't understood me. Follow these steps:
1. Log in the user where are the files you want to transfer, and open a Finder window.
2. In Finder, select Go menu (on the menu bar) > Go to Folder, and type /Users/Shared. Now you're on Shared folder, so leave that window.
3. Open a new Finder window without closing the old one, go to the folder with the files you want to transfer, and copy them to Shared folder.
4. After copying the files to Shared folder, go to  > Log Out, and log in the other user.
5. Repeat the step 2, and you will get access to the transferred files. Now, you can open them directly from this folder, or you can copy them to a folder on your user folder

Is it possible to have two different address books on one user account ?

I currently have my address book on my mac however I would like to IMPORT an address book that I saved from our family reunion which was stored on someone else's macbook. I would like to keep this new address book separate from my own on my mac. Every time I try to Import the saved Address book, i get a message that says that if I import the new address book it will replace the old one...which is not what I want to do. Also, I do not wish to create another user account just to assign an address book to it.

You can install additional language packs if you want to run the same Firefox version in different languages like I wrote above.<br />
Select the one(s) that you want to install and click them on the XPI site to trigger the installation.
http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/latest/win32/xpi/
The Locale Switcher extension allows to switch the language.

One address book library for multiple users on notebook

Good morning! I have been searching the forums but only find solutions if you are running OS X Server. I just bought a MacBook Pro running Leopard and my wife and I have separate accounts so we can keep our iTunes libraries, etc separate. I was able to successfully share an iPhoto library and now want to do that with Address Book. Any tips on how?

I am new to the Mac and looking for the same solution of sharing the address book without using a mobile me account nor any other type of server. I have been searching the forums and have not found a solution for a very simple problem.
Can anyone tell me how to share the address book so my wife and I see the same exact address book and both have permission to make changes?
iPhoto was easy to share by moving my iPhoto library to the "Shared" users folder. I allowed read and write access to the iPhoto Library for both users, but my wife's account does get an error when it tries to save. It mentions that some recent changes may be lost. I double checked and my wife's account does have read and write privileges.
Perhaps this is what eeperman meant by limited function.

Multiple users sharing address book (intranet)

Can one machine with multiple users share the address book? Basically I am setting up 3 users (parent control) so they can't stuff up the settings (desktop etc.) Two of them will share the address book,iPhoto,iTunes etc. of the administrator. The other will be independant.
Can it be done simply. Yes I know about Prefs/User Groups and Users/Shared Folder. I have an existing setup (Address Book etc.) in the admin user, as the system has only had 1 user for a few years.
Cheers

You would think Apple, the forefront of Home computing, would have a built in preference selection allowing multiple users on the SAME computer to share simple things like address book and calendar data.
Seems like a no-brainer.
Its ridiculous that I have to buy a subscription to an online account, send all my personal stuff to some server in California or wherever in the world it is just so that I can share the info with my wife on the computer we share here at home
Money Grab or what?
V.K. wrote:
if anything one should try a symbolic link with some inherited ACLs to make everything in the address book folder read+write for both users.
"if anything" apple needs to provide an update that streamlines this sharing business, or at least provides a work around that is understandable for the average user. We spent good money on this machine to make some things in life easier, not to become programmers or system managers

Can you share iCalander/Address Book with other users and restrict them from seeing certain entries?

I'm doing some research for my boss concerning iCloud. He would like to setup a way to syncronize iCalender and the Address Book between three users but keep his personal information private. For example, he wants to be able to update his calender from his phone about an upcoming meeting/project so that the three computers at work are all updated and see upcoming events. Same goes for the contacts. If he adds a new contact or if I add a new contact, for a client or whoever it may be, he wants it to sync up for everyone. At the same time, if he adds a personal event to iCal such as, "Dinner with the girlfriend" or something irrelevant to work, he doesn't employees to be able to see that. My first idea was to setup an iCloud account but I'm wondering if you can even restrict certain things within an account.
Anyone have any other ideas? They would be greatly appreciated.

iCloud appears to provide no Address Book sharing. You might be able to do this through Google, but it would be likely to be all contacts or none.
iCloud allows you to share calendars privately (editable if you wish) to other iCloud users or publicly (non-editable) to anyone - they would need a CalDAV client to read it, such as iCal or Google Calendars.
You share individual calendars, so private events should be in their own calendar which is not shared.
More on Calendar sharing here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2690

How do I stop an automatic 'sharing' of my files with another Mac user in my address book?

Hi all
I have just installed Lion and it has started to 'share' access to other mac users files - all of which come from my address book. How do I stop this and delate the links that have been created ? Very embarrassing right now - some of these people are my clients!

Pamachi --
The easiest ways are through FaceTime (video calling) or actual screen scaring via iChat.
http://www.apple.com/mac/facetime/
http://www.apple.com/macosx/apps/all.html#ichat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTPz9G9MoNI

Address Book User Interface

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