Removing Address Book template Labels

Question

I understand how to add custom labels to address book fields such as "Phone" by using the custom function. But, how do I remove these custom labels?

Answer 1

In AB's preferences select the Template tab. Select the field with the custom label (home fax) and click the minus. Close preferences.
You will now find that, if you make a new card, and edit a phone field, you will not be offered the custom label in the pop-up. Similarly if you edit an existing card's phone field you will not be offered the custom label - except ...
Cards that already have the custom label will still have the custom label, and on those cards if you go to select a label you will still find home fax in the list. You should either delete those fields in the affected cards, or if you want to retain the fax numbers, change the labels to something that won't upset your sync program.
If there are a lot of them you could run an Applescript to do it - feel free to try this one, but note IT IS NOT TESTED (well, it runs, but doesn't do anything on my address book as I haven't any of those labels) so you should backup your address book before trying it. Change the substitute label to anything you fancy.
AK
click here to open this script in your editor<pre style="font-family: 'Monaco', 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; overflow:auto; color: #222; background: #DDD; padding: 0.2em; font-size: 10px; width:400px">tell application "Address Book"
repeat with ThisPerson in people
repeat with ThisPhone in phones of ThisPerson
if label of ThisPhone is "home fax" then
set label of ThisPhone to "FaxAtHome"
end if
end repeat
end repeat
end tell</pre>