Address Book search has stopped working | doesn't work

It seems as if my solution isn't permanent. The problem persists, although my internet connection is now back to normal, which should be fast and consistent enough.

Not sure what to do now.

I am having the same problem, but cannot follow the suggested steps to resolve it because of continuing incompatibility between Apple's Bento and iCloud.

If one is using custom Address Book fields in Bento, deleting your contacts and redownloading them from iCloud will cause all the custom fields to be lost. Bento and Apple are supposedly aware of the problem, but there is no fix yet. See:

http://forums.filemaker.com/posts/01d60389ff

As a result, I cannot delete my contacts from my machine in order to resolve this issue. Does anyone know another way to get Address Book to be able to search again?

Between bugs like this, the reduced functionality, and the horrific skeumorphic design, Address Book is a real disaster in Lion.

the un-check/delete/recheck for iCloud's sync Contacts sync worked for me too.

What a strange failure mode for AddressBook under Lion.

Yesterday this happened to me and

check OFF the contact sync from iCloud.

Delete the file in

User>Library>Application support>Address book>'AddressBook-v22.abcddb'

or similar fine name

then checked back ON the contact sync from iCloud.

it is working for now...

I think there is an error on the LION system...

Thanks a bunch, just happened on this issue today and deleting the file worked for me...

Thank you Shep. This worked for me too.

Hi all,

I am having the same problem since a few weeks and tried a few of the suggestions. Looks like I cannot do any of those for some reason.

I am running OS 10.7.2. an don't use iCloud yet (when I doubble click on iCloud I am asked if I want to switch to iCloud)

In the finder menu I don't have the library option.

Searching with spotlight for a file similar to addressbook-v22......: there is none.

I don't know where to find/turn on/off the busysync function.

I am lost.

Ilonka

I'm also having this exact problem. Can't search. Tried Shep's original fix, and it worked great for me. Thanks for posting it.

Before using Shep's fix, I deleted the Address Book file:

Lion does indeed have a Library folder - it is now hidden by default. From the Finder, hold down Option while using the Go menu.

If you are syncing with iCloud, try this.

1. Back up your Address Book. Close Address book.
2. Navigate to System Preferences > iCloud, and un-check Contacts.
3. You'll get a message about deleting/keeping contacts on your Mac. Select "Delete From Mac"
4. Check Contacts in the iCloud preference panel - which should then start the processing of downloading all you contacts from iCLoud to your address book.

This worked for me - hope it helps.

Thanks Shep...

Russell

Deleting the AddressBook-v22.abcddb fixed it for me. I wasn't able to search, and it wasn't properly changing cards if single clicking them. Grazi!

Thanks. Worked like a charm. David in Denver, Colorado…March 6, '12

Worked for me too, thanks!

Work fine for me.

Thanks.

Thank you. iCloud resync worked for me too.

I have had the same problem. They should have given better instructions for using the iCloud since it seems that using this is how it happened. Not being able to search the contacts becomes very inconvenient. Your deletion and suggestions by the others finally has worked for the time being!

Thanks.

Deleting the file didn't work but the iCloud (turn off & turn on) worked. Thanks so much – such a relief as address book is useless without search.