How to restore trashed Address Book file?

Hi,
I had launched Address Book (and Mail 2.1.1) and was creating some new groups. All of a sudden I got the spinny colored cursor. I waited awhile, then did a Force Quit. Now when I launch Address Book all my addresses and groups are gone. Any way to restore them?
Thanks!

Your may restore them from…
• a contemporary backup copy originally created using the Back Up Address Book option in that application
• a synchronized copy of your contact data maintained at .Mac or on another synchronized computer
• in limited cases, by doing this:
1. navigate to Macintosh HD:Users:<username>:Library:Application Support:AddressBook
2. drag the AddressBook.data file out of that folder to the Desktop
3. duplicate the AddressBook.data.previous file
4. rename the duplicated file AddressBook.data
5. launch the Address Book application
If the third option fails and you have not previously synchronized or backed up your data files, there is no way to recover the data. You should periodically back your contact data using the option to do so provided in the Address Book application, and perform a similar process for event and task data with the option provided in iCal.

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ICal and Address Book, and many other applications, store user specific details in the Library folder for each user on the machine. Preferences files are located in the Preferences folder in Library, other data is often stored in an application-specific folder in Library/Application Support. In the discussions, the "~" symbol is used to indicate the home directory for a user, so iCal's files are in ~/Library/Application Support/iCal, and Address Book's are in ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook.
However, both these applications use Sync Services, which may have a separate copy of the data, and may try to restore it if you just delete the application data files. (And, yes, SS stores its data in ~/Library/Application Support/SyncServices). So rather than going for the data files, you will probaly get better results by using the apps themselves to delete their data.
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How to restore my address book from Time Machine?

First I know there are other threads with this (Properly) but non of them seemed to be specifically what i needed!
So by accident I deleted all my address contacts on my mac by accedeint. (I was trying to stop my Mac user account picture from changing all the time). I knew I had deleted them but didnt think anything of it. I came to text someone today and half my contacts have gone from my iPhone and my iPad . But i dont know how to get them back on to my address book via time machine.
I have tried the simple going back to where the last backup was and hiting restore, but nothing happens. I can i get them off iCloud if timemachine wont work? or have i truly lost them?

Open Address Book and then go to File > Import and select the most recent Address Book backup from your Time Machine Backup > Users > Your Name > Documents and import that should work.
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How can I restore my Address Book from Time Machine, iCloud keeps overwriting

This was all done on my MacBook Pro, using Mavericks updated. With the Address Book, and iCloud.
Ok, this is really a mess. I have close to a 1,000 contacts in my address book. I'm not going to manually sort them. I have a bunch of groups in my address book. These groups are very important, and not something simple to sort out. I have already read this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/message/18790074?searchText=How%20can%20I%20restor e%20my%20Address%20Book%20from%20Time%20Machine,%20iCloud%20keeps%20overwriting# 18790074
My situation is similar, and yet a little different.
I accidentally deleted a group in my address book. So, with my handy dandy Time Machine backup, I quickly went into Time Machine, and restored the group. However, I was connected to the internet, and iCloud promptly deleted the nicely restored group. So I went into Time Machine again, and restored the username/Library/Application Support/Address Book folder. Again, opened the Address Book, was content to see my group was intact and there. After about 20 seconds it disappeared before my very eyes. I was now starting to get frustrated. iCloud had again erased my ‘restored’ group.
          I promptly disconnected from the internet, restored my address book, and exported a copy in abbu format. I then reconnected to the internet, and as I expected, iCloud once again deleted my ‘restored group’. I then imported my abbu ‘backup’ file, and everything was once again intact… for about 20 seconds before iCloud again deleted my group.
          Ignorantly, I deleted everything in my address book (while connected to the internet). I then allowed iCloud to update everything. After it seemed like it was done (it doesn’t tell you what is going on). I went ahead and imported my abbu file. This again resulted in nothing in my address book. I again disconnected from the internet, and imported the abbu file. I then exported all my contacts and each group in the vcf format. I started importing each group into iCloud.com online, and everything was working smoothly. Then, it started getting errors, and not importing all the contacts.
          OBVIOUSLY there is a bug, or problem, or something wrong here. iCloud is being extremely stubborn, and extremely un-friendly to it’s user. I’m kind of at my wits end with this. If anyone has any ideas, I really could use some help I think that iCloud could use some help too. Perhaps some lessons in politeness. Perhaps a lesson in ‘restoration.’ Perhaps a compatibility with Apples own Time Machine??? Please any help would greatly be appreciated!
Shane

I don't know why you moved the app. Move the application back into your "Applications" folder which is where it belongs and should always stay. Then drag the app down to your Dock, if the Dock icon is not there already.
Now, open AddressBook. The click on the TM icon on your Dock. Now do you see the TM screen with AB open? Good. Use the TM time arrow back button until AB appears the way it used to be. Then click restore.
-mj
[email protected]

Had to wipe my drive so I could do a clean install of snow leopard Now I look every where on how to move bookmarks, address book and I cal settings. I have them back up on a external drive with Time machine but can not move, copy or restore my old sett d

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Use migration assistant to move your files. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4889

I lost my address book when I installed Mountain Lion and have not been able to recover it. WHen I type in a name in an email the address shows up, so I know it is in there. How can I restore my address book?

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The auto-complete in Mail addresses comes from two sources: (1) The "Previous Recipients" list, which can be viewed via Mail > Window > Previous Recipients. (2) Your Address Book (now called "Contacts").
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Restore entire Mail and Address Book files

Hi,
I reformatted my computer (erase and reinstall) to clear out all the clutter. I figured I could use the Time Machine records to restore whatever files I needed. I have encountered 2 problems:
I have consulted this Apple article for assistance: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301239
1) Mail: When copying the Time Machine files for Apple Mail (the mail folder and com.apple.mail.plist files) back onto my user accounts a strange things happens. For my admin accounts, the transfer worked fine; however, for my managed accounts when I copy over their respective files and open mail it prompts me as if mail had been opened for the first time (asking for email address, user name, etc...) Are there different files to copy because they are not admins?
2) Address Book: The apple article states to backup address book through the file -> backup, etc... method. I only have my entire Mac HD files on my Time Machine, what files do I copy back to restore my address book? I noticed their are several located in preferences, application support, and more, but I do not know which ones to copy back.
Thank you,
TM

1) Have you restored the ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist file for each user?
2) I think you need to copy the *~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook* folder. Also, I have ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.AddressBook.plist as well as com.apple.AddressBook.adb.plist (in the same folder). I'm not sure what that latter file is for, but if you have both too, you should probably restore them both.

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Unable to delete Address Book File

I am unable to delete nor copy over an Address Book file that I have on an external HD connected via Airport Extreme. When I connect the HD directly to my Macbook Pro, I am able to delete the file - but not via Airport Extreme. When I attempt to delete the file, I get a message from Trash as follows: The operation cannot be completed because the item "Metadata" is in use. Same message when I attempt to replace the file with a new file. In other words, I am unable to use AE to transfer my Address Book file to my external HD, unless I change the name of the file. What is going on here?

Hello Bob.
You may be having a problem with some Firefox add-on that is hindering your Firefox's normal behavior. Have you tried disabling all add-ons (just to check), to see if Firefox goes back to normal?
Whenever you have a problem with Firefox, whatever it is, you should make sure it's not coming from one of your installed add-ons, be it an extension, a theme or a plugin. To do that easily and cleanly, run Firefox in [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Safe+Mode safe mode] and select ''Disable all add-ons''. If the problem disappears, you know it's from an add-on. Disable them all in normal mode, and enable them one at a time until you find the source of the problem. See [http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Troubleshooting+extensions+and+themes this article] for information about troubleshooting extensions and theme. You can troubleshoot plugins the same way.
If you want support for one of your add-ons, you'll need to contact its author.

How do i prompt Address Book to sync?

To Forum,
My Address book syncs with Google and vice versa. How do i prompt Address Book to sync once i have updated items within it? i see it syncs here and there on its own accord? whats the prompt? what do i have to do? or why does it sync when it does?

. . .from my old address book. (10.4.11) I tried to import the ABBU file into CONTACTS (10.8.2 ) . The drop down warned that this would "replace" the existing contacts. That is what I wanted to do. Writing over the dozen addresses that I had copied from old emails was no big deal, but now those are gone and the address book is EMPTY. The new addresses are gone and the old addresses did not import.
Help !!!

How do I create address book entries for groups of individuals

How can I group several individual people in my address book into a group to collectively send them a msg without adding each one separately?

Look under Address Book/File - there should be an option to create a new group.

How can I copy address book content from user 1 to user 2 in my iMac

I have my iMac set up with 2 users. The address book is in user 1. I need to establish a copy of it in user 2 so that the icloud I have set up for that user icludes the address book. How can i copy the address book from user 1 to user 2?

Are you sure you did that right ... because I did a File/Backup Address Book, and the file named included the date. I then copied the file through our Airport network from the Powerbook to a new iMac. The opening Address Book on the iMac, I did a File/Revert to Address Book Backup, which allows you to choose the file. Now the iMac had the same Address Book file as the Powerbook. This looks to me to be the same thing you are trying to do.

How can I import address book from thunderbird on another computer

I just purchased a new laptop and have dowloaded Thunderbird for my e-mail as that was what I was using on desktop. I have 2 e-mail accounts, my personal e-mail addresses came thru with no difficulty however my other account the contacts in address book didn't come thru. So question is how can I get address book imported for this account too. My desktop is Windows XP and my laptop is Windows 8
thanks for any help

The neat thing to do would be to copy the profile from the XP machine to the W8 machine. This would have transferred your messages, your account settings and your Address Book and much else.
Given that you have set up Thunderbird and have started using it, copying over the profile may not now be terribly attractive for you.
So, instead, you can export and import your Address Books.
On the XP computer, open the Address Book, select an address book (e.g. Personal Address Book), select '''Tools|Export''', select the name and location of a file to contain the exported data, choose LDIF and then Save. Repeat for each required address book. Give your LDIF files simple but meaningful names, such as PAB.ldif and CA.ldif. Don't use, for instance, ''Personal Address Book.ldif'', as this will create a second address book with the same name as one of the defaults and you won't be able to easily tell which is which.
Put the exported LDIF files where the W8 computer can see them, e.g. a USB memory stick.
On the W8 machine, open the address book, Tools|Import and select an exported LDIF file. It will import and create a new address book; you'll probably want to move the Contact data back to the usual address book. You can select all (ctrl+a) then drag-and-drop the imported Contacts to the preferred address book. Repeat for each LDIF file.
Having said that, I don't understand what you mean by "my personal e-mail addresses came thru with no difficulty however my other account the contacts in address book didn't come thru"; unless you have moved the profile folder over, I don't understand why ''any'' contacts should have transferred.
If you have in fact moved the profile folder, then I'm puzzled as to why the transfer of address books has been incomplete. However the export and import route should be able to reclaim the missing address book(s).

How to export from Address Book to Microsoft Outlook

I am using a mail merge program that requires cvs or test files of address cards in order to operated. I can't figure out how to export from Address Book in any other format than Vcard. Does anybody know how to either export in text or covert Vcard files to text or CVS?

Try Address Book Exporter.

Address book files

Are the address book files in Home - Application Support - identical to those in Home - Library - Application Support.
If so, why? i.e. whats the point?

Hi,
There shouldn't be an Application Support folder in your Home Folder, just in your Home Folder->Library folder. Don't know how you got it, so I can't offer any further advice. Maybe you accidently copied it there? Or moved it there? Did you notice a loss of application preferences at any point in the past?
The Application Support folder in your Library folder should be the one that the OS keeps updated; the other might just be a red herring, otherwise there's something screwy going on.
Hope this helps.
SiR G.

How to restore trashed Address Book file?

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