Address Book vs. Contacts folder

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wilfred
  • Start date Start date
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Wilfred

I am very confused about these two. I recently installed Windows XP Pro on
a new hard drive. I had backed up all my data files, including my
"Outlook.pst" folder.

I reinstalled Outlook 2002 and all seemed fine. My old mail and contacts
are there, HOWEVER, when I click the "To:" button in a new e-mail, the list
of names is incomplete. When I switch to Contacts, the names are all there.

I've tried some of the suggestions in this forum but I haven't been able to
get the names to display in the "To" box.

What is the difference between Contacts and Address? How do I get Outlook
2002 to use the names in the Contacts folder. Can I get rid of the Address
Book and just use my Contacts folder? I don't care to have the names
residing in two separate files that are not synchronized. It only causes
confusion.
 
The Address Book is merely a view of the electronic addresses in your
Contacts Folder, so by definition they are already synchronized. You just
need to reset your Outlook Adress Book.

It is not unusual for the Outlook Address Book to "lose track" of the
connection to its Contacts Folder when you move or import your PST or update
your Outlook version or OS. Use the following steps to reset the connection.
Note that in some instances you may actually have to remove the Outlook
Address Book completely from your Profile, close Outlook, and then re-add it
before you can get it to work.

Go to Tools | E-mail accounts, select "View or change existing directories
or address books", and click OK. If you don't see the OAB in the Directories
and Address Books list, click the Back button, then select "Add a new
directory or address book", then "Additional Address Books", and add the
OAB. Then keep clicking Back until you get back to the first dialog box,
and go back to the Directories and Address Books list as you did earlier.
Once the OAB appears in the list, select it and then click Change to make
sure the Contacts folder(s) you want to display are listed. If any of them
aren't listed, you'll need to enable those Contacts folders as Outlook
Address Books by right clicking the folder, selecting Properties, clicking
the Outlook Address Book tab, and checking the "Show this folder as an
E-mail address book" box. Make sure you restart Outlook after making these
changes.
 
The Address Book is a collection of your installed address
books. Depending on your configuration and services
installed you may have one or more of the following
address books:
1.Global Address List (Company or organizations e-mail
system)
2.Outlook Address Book (automatically generated from data
in your Contacts folder)
3.Personal Address Book (for addresses you want to keep
personal)
To use the contacts list, click the Address Book icon on
the tool bar when in the Inbox. In the Address Book dialog
box, click the down arrow associated with the "In the show
names from the:" window and select Contacts.
 
I have a similar problem, but it does not seem to be as easily fixed. When I try to click on the "to" or "cc" button to send an e:mail, I get a blank box for "select names" -- there is no contact file or address book listed. I tried to do exactly what Russ suggested and go to Tools/Email accounts, View or Change Existing Directories or Address Books. My Outlook Contacts file is listed, and I am told to do exactly what Russ suggested -- to right click the folder, select Properties, select Outlook Address Book tab, and check the box that says "Show this folder as an e-mail address book." Unfortunately, this box is grey and does not allow me to check it -- despite the fact that I have my contacts in full view as a contacts list. Any suggestions as to how I can get Outlook to allow me to check that box?
 
Have you added the Outlook Address Book Service to your profile?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
JR said:
I have a similar problem, but it does not seem to be as easily fixed.
Click to expand...
When I try to click on the "to" or "cc" button to send an e:mail, I get a
blank box for "select names" -- there is no contact file or address book
listed. I tried to do exactly what Russ suggested and go to Tools/Email
accounts, View or Change Existing Directories or Address Books. My Outlook
Contacts file is listed, and I am told to do exactly what Russ suggested --
to right click the folder, select Properties, select Outlook Address Book
tab, and check the box that says "Show this folder as an e-mail address
book." Unfortunately, this box is grey and does not allow me to check it --
despite the fact that I have my contacts in full view as a contacts list.
Any suggestions as to how I can get Outlook to allow me to check that box?
 
I am not sure how to do that. I did go to the control panel, click on mail, click on show properties, and it shows Outlook as a property.

As for version, it is Outlook 2002. For what it is worth, I am running Office 2000 as a general matter. When I got a pocket PC, it came with Outlook 2002 and said I needed to use that version to make my synchronization work (that is a whole other subject as to what it did to the interaction between Outlook and Word for mailmerge, etc., but at least I understand that one as simply being a version inconsistency.

Thanks for your help!
 
Read the post to which you responded.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
JR said:
I am not sure how to do that. I did go to the control panel, click on
Click to expand...
mail, click on show properties, and it shows Outlook as a property.
As for version, it is Outlook 2002. For what it is worth, I am running
Click to expand...
Office 2000 as a general matter. When I got a pocket PC, it came with
Outlook 2002 and said I needed to use that version to make my
synchronization work (that is a whole other subject as to what it did to the
interaction between Outlook and Word for mailmerge, etc., but at least I
understand that one as simply being a version inconsistency.
 
I also have a similar problem. Many of the names in my Contacts have Email
addresses that look like their names, but underlined and linked. When I used
Outlook Express, that seemed to be a default setting. When I click on the
name [which was linked to an Email address], the error is "Not a valid Email
Address" when I click on the little "book" to the right [the Address
Book???] it says "Unable to use Address Book" but if I open it then click on
"Properties" I can see the name AND the Email address. So I copy and paste
it from the Address Book to fix Contacts. Why can't Outlook see the "Address
Book?" If the Address Book gets its info from Contacts, why can't the
Contacts see the Email address?

I have a similar problem, but it does not seem to be as easily fixed. When
Click to expand...
I try to click on the "to" or "cc" button to send an e:mail, I get a blank
box for "select names" -- there is no contact file or address book listed. I
tried to do exactly what Russ suggested and go to Tools/Email accounts, View
or Change Existing Directories or Address Books. My Outlook Contacts file is
listed, and I am told to do exactly what Russ suggested -- to right click
the folder, select Properties, select Outlook Address Book tab, and check
the box that says "Show this folder as an e-mail address book."
Unfortunately, this box is grey and does not allow me to check it -- despite
the fact that I have my contacts in full view as a contacts list. Any
suggestions as to how I can get Outlook to allow me to check that box?

JR said:
I have a similar problem, but it does not seem to be as easily fixed.
Click to expand...
When I try to click on the "to" or "cc" button to send an e:mail, I get a
blank box for "select names" -- there is no contact file or address book
listed. I tried to do exactly what Russ suggested and go to Tools/Email
accounts, View or Change Existing Directories or Address Books. My Outlook
Contacts file is listed, and I am told to do exactly what Russ suggested --
to right click the folder, select Properties, select Outlook Address Book
tab, and check the box that says "Show this folder as an e-mail address
book." Unfortunately, this box is grey and does not allow me to check it --
despite the fact that I have my contacts in full view as a contacts list.
Any suggestions as to how I can get Outlook to allow me to check that box?
 
We couldn't possibly tell what the problem is from what you've posted. Post
how your Contacts were created, whether any were imported from other
versions or other programs, and how many configuration changes (software or
OS updates) your Outlook Address Book has undergone. These connections do
not just break on their own, but you've given us no clues as to how yours
did.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
James Henderson said:
I also have a similar problem. Many of the names in my Contacts have Email
addresses that look like their names, but underlined and linked. When I used
Outlook Express, that seemed to be a default setting. When I click on the
name [which was linked to an Email address], the error is "Not a valid Email
Address" when I click on the little "book" to the right [the Address
Book???] it says "Unable to use Address Book" but if I open it then click on
"Properties" I can see the name AND the Email address. So I copy and paste
it from the Address Book to fix Contacts. Why can't Outlook see the "Address
Book?" If the Address Book gets its info from Contacts, why can't the
Contacts see the Email address?

I have a similar problem, but it does not seem to be as easily fixed.
Click to expand...
When
I try to click on the "to" or "cc" button to send an e:mail, I get a blank
box for "select names" -- there is no contact file or address book listed. I
tried to do exactly what Russ suggested and go to Tools/Email accounts, View
or Change Existing Directories or Address Books. My Outlook Contacts file is
listed, and I am told to do exactly what Russ suggested -- to right click
the folder, select Properties, select Outlook Address Book tab, and check
the box that says "Show this folder as an e-mail address book."
Unfortunately, this box is grey and does not allow me to check it -- despite
the fact that I have my contacts in full view as a contacts list. Any
suggestions as to how I can get Outlook to allow me to check that box?

JR said:
I have a similar problem, but it does not seem to be as easily fixed.
Click to expand...
When I try to click on the "to" or "cc" button to send an e:mail, I get a
blank box for "select names" -- there is no contact file or address book
listed. I tried to do exactly what Russ suggested and go to Tools/Email
accounts, View or Change Existing Directories or Address Books. My Outlook
Contacts file is listed, and I am told to do exactly what Russ suggested --
to right click the folder, select Properties, select Outlook Address Book
tab, and check the box that says "Show this folder as an e-mail address
book." Unfortunately, this box is grey and does not allow me to check it --
despite the fact that I have my contacts in full view as a contacts list.
Any suggestions as to how I can get Outlook to allow me to check that box?
Click to expand...
 
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