Synch with Windows Address Book

[Nandor Klatsmanyi]

Hi,
Do you guys now how to synch the Outlook Address Book (eg. Contacts) with
the Windows Address Book (that is used by Outlook Express and other apps)
I know you can export/import between address books, but what I want is an
automated syncnronization. I beleive it was working in Outlook 97 (or even
2000 ?), but I can't get it working in Outlook XP.

TIA

Nandor

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Only the old IMO support mode of Outlook 92/2000 permitted the Windows
Address Book to use the Outlook Contacts Folder as its database. You can do
the same with a reg hack:
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/oeshare.htm

 

[Guest]

Hi, Russ

First, thanks so much for participating in this newbie group

( By the way, if people in trouble have shouted, (as I'm sure you must know), it is because all this Microsoft stuff is so crazy confusing. There's nothing wrong with things being complex - but they need to be architected / designed right so that it is understandable / makes sense. I am just starting to delve into the Outlook stuff, and it is really very, very sorry.

Anyway

Following up to your "Synch with Windows Address Book" and your more recent "Contacts and WAB" responses

I have just moved to Windows XP Professional, with Outlook 2003 ( from Windows 98 and Outlook 2000, I believe )

The problem is this: All of my Contacts were properly imported into Outlook

BUT ... I have an HP Fax/Copy/Scan/Print that allows me to FAX from my "contacts"

But the "contacts" it uses are the entries in the "Address Book" -- which is the Windows Address Book -
About Address Book - Address Book 6.00.2800.112
and the file location for the WAB file is greyed out, but points to : C":\Documents and Settings\Hepplewhite\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book \ Hepplewhite.wa
(The title line on the Address Book window reads: Address Book - Main Identity

I don't know if all this is relevant, but, anyway

Of course, the WAB book is empty

All of my contacts are in Contacts in my Outlook 2003 program

Having said all this, my immediate problem is I want to be able to use my HP printers "fax" utility, which in turn uses the WAB to display potential addressees, which, of course, is EMPTY, because I don't otherwise use it

In both of your responses, you seem to be saying the only way to get the WAB to display my Outlook Contacts as potential addresses , is to hack the registry

Have I understood that correctly? Or, given the above scenario, is there some other way to get the WAB to display Outlook Contacts

And, let's say the only way to do it is to hack the registry, then

Will this mean that, if I add an address DIRECTLY TO the WAB via the Address Book utility, ... will I find that new address in my Outlook Contacts.

I guess the ideal solutions to this problem of third parties looking in WAB is

have a "synch" utility to synch OAB and WA
Make WAB be just a pointer to OA
Make OAB be just a pointer to WA

Use Eudora ( ha, ha ), and don't fax

Not-very-good joking aside, having explained the above scenario, is hacking the registry the solution you would suggest for me

Thanks very much

/Hepplewhite


----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: ----

Only the old IMO support mode of Outlook 92/2000 permitted the Window
Address Book to use the Outlook Contacts Folder as its database. You can d
the same with a reg hack
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/oeshare.ht

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

First, do you know if there is any way for the HP program to use your
Outlook Address Book? More and more third party utilities are starting to
add that feature.

If not, I would say the reg hack is the way to go. Most likely, you'll want
to continue to use your Outlook Contacts Folder as your primary data source
because it integrates with all of the other Office programs and the WAB does
not. The other option would be to export your Outlook Contacts to a CSV file
and import those into the WAB and maintain two data sources, but you'd need
to keep doing that over and over to keep the two in synch.

If you use the reg hack, you should continue to enter all your Contacts in
Outlook, not the WAB interface. In the past when I've used it, Contacts
entered into the WAB interface have made it into Outlook, but I haven't
tried it to confirm that is the case in current versions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi, Russ:

First, thanks so much for participating in this newbie group.

( By the way, if people in trouble have shouted, (as I'm sure you must

know), it is because all this Microsoft stuff is so crazy confusing.
There's nothing wrong with things being complex - but they need to be
architected / designed right so that it is understandable / makes sense. I
am just starting to delve into the Outlook stuff, and it is really very,
very sorry.)

Anyway:

Following up to your "Synch with Windows Address Book" and your more

recent "Contacts and WAB" responses:

I have just moved to Windows XP Professional, with Outlook 2003 ( from

Windows 98 and Outlook 2000, I believe ).

The problem is this: All of my Contacts were properly imported into Outlook.

BUT ... I have an HP Fax/Copy/Scan/Print that allows me to FAX from my "contacts".

But the "contacts" it uses are the entries in the "Address Book" -- which

is the Windows Address Book --

About Address Book - Address Book 6.00.2800.1123
and the file location for the WAB file is greyed out, but points to :

C":\Documents and Settings\Hepplewhite\Application Data\Microsoft\Address
Book \ Hepplewhite.wab

(The title line on the Address Book window reads: Address Book - Main Identity )

I don't know if all this is relevant, but, anyway:

Of course, the WAB book is empty.

All of my contacts are in Contacts in my Outlook 2003 program.

Having said all this, my immediate problem is I want to be able to use my

HP printers "fax" utility, which in turn uses the WAB to display potential
addressees, which, of course, is EMPTY, because I don't otherwise use it.

In both of your responses, you seem to be saying the only way to get the

WAB to display my Outlook Contacts as potential addresses , is to hack the
registry.

Have I understood that correctly? Or, given the above scenario, is there

some other way to get the WAB to display Outlook Contacts.

And, let's say the only way to do it is to hack the registry, then:

Will this mean that, if I add an address DIRECTLY TO the WAB via the

Address Book utility, ... will I find that new address in my Outlook
Contacts.

I guess the ideal solutions to this problem of third parties looking in WAB is:

have a "synch" utility to synch OAB and WAB
Make WAB be just a pointer to OAB
Make OAB be just a pointer to WAB

Use Eudora ( ha, ha ), and don't fax.

Not-very-good joking aside, having explained the above scenario, is

hacking the registry the solution you would suggest for me?

Thanks very much,

/Hepplewhite.



----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Only the old IMO support mode of Outlook 92/2000 permitted the Windows
Address Book to use the Outlook Contacts Folder as its database. You can do
the same with a reg hack:
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/oeshare.htm

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi,
Do you guys now how to synch the Outlook Address Book (eg. Contacts) with
the Windows Address Book (that is used by Outlook Express and other apps)
I know you can export/import between address books, but what I want is an
automated syncnronization. I beleive it was working in Outlook 97 (or even
2000 ?), but I can't get it working in Outlook XP.

.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the clarification and other alternatives

No, the HP utility does not do that; I've looked at all its settings

Thanks and Regards


----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: ----

First, do you know if there is any way for the HP program to use you
Outlook Address Book? More and more third party utilities are starting t
add that feature

If not, I would say the reg hack is the way to go. Most likely, you'll wan
to continue to use your Outlook Contacts Folder as your primary data sourc
because it integrates with all of the other Office programs and the WAB doe
not. The other option would be to export your Outlook Contacts to a CSV fil
and import those into the WAB and maintain two data sources, but you'd nee
to keep doing that over and over to keep the two in synch

If you use the reg hack, you should continue to enter all your Contacts i
Outlook, not the WAB interface. In the past when I've used it, Contact
entered into the WAB interface have made it into Outlook, but I haven'
tried it to confirm that is the case in current versions
--
Russ Valentin
[MVP-Outlook
know), it is because all this Microsoft stuff is so crazy confusing
There's nothing wrong with things being complex - but they need to b
architected / designed right so that it is understandable / makes sense.
am just starting to delve into the Outlook stuff, and it is really very
very sorry.

is the Windows Address Book -
About Address Book - Address Book 6.00.2800.112
and the file location for the WAB file is greyed out, but points to

C":\Documents and Settings\Hepplewhite\Application Data\Microsoft\Addres
Book \ Hepplewhite.wa

(The title line on the Address Book window reads: Address Book - Mai Identity

HP printers "fax" utility, which in turn uses the WAB to display potentia
addressees, which, of course, is EMPTY, because I don't otherwise use itWAB to display my Outlook Contacts as potential addresses , is to hack th
registryAddress Book utility, ... will I find that new address in my Outloo
Contacts

I guess the ideal solutions to this problem of third parties looking i WAB is
have a "synch" utility to synch OAB and WA

Make WAB be just a pointer to OA
Make OAB be just a pointer to WA

Use Eudora ( ha, ha ), and don't fax
Not-very-good joking aside, having explained the above scenario, i hacking the registry the solution you would suggest for me
Thanks very much,
/Hepplewhite.

----- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] wrote: -----

Only the old IMO support mode of Outlook 92/2000 permitted the

Windows
Address Book to use the Outlook Contacts Folder as its database. You can do
the same with a reg hack:
http://www.slipstick.com/contacts/oeshare.htm

--

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi,
Do you guys now how to synch the Outlook Address Book (eg. Contacts) with
the Windows Address Book (that is used by Outlook Express and other apps)
I know you can export/import between address books, but what I want is an
automated syncnronization. I beleive it was working in Outlook 97 (or even
2000 ?), but I can't get it working in Outlook XP.