Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

adding names to name column

Hi folks,

I am trying to add a list of e-mail addresses to a distribution list in my address book. I can see how to add a group, but how do you add a list of names or e-mail addresses to the name column? I have spent all morning trying to figure that out with no succes. The list of e-mail addresses is in MS Word.

Thanks,

BF

ibook 14.1, Mac OS X (10.4.7), 640 megs ram

Posted on Aug 30, 2006 8:24 AM

Reply
4 replies

Aug 30, 2006 11:52 AM in response to brian fitch1

You cannot, I think, import directly into a group - first you add the contacts, then assign them to a group.

If all the data in Word has the same layout, then it is relatively painless. Get it so that you have eg FirstName<tab>Surname<tab>email<return>, one contact per line, and save it as a text file. Address Book can import this, and after selecting the file to import presents you with a dialog to select which column in the file should be assigned to which AB field. Alternatively you can put a header record in the file with the field names to be used for the columns.

After import select the pseudo-group "Last Import" in Address Book, select all and then drag the set of contacts to the group you want them in. Note that a contact can be assigned to any number of groups.

User uploaded fileAK

Aug 31, 2006 5:57 AM in response to Austin Kinsella1

AK,

thank you for the response, but I do not understand some of your reply. All I want to do is add the e-mail addresses of a group of people to the names column so I can make a group for a distribution list. So do I highlight all of the e-mail addresses in the word file then drag that to the names column? I have tried that and couldn't make it work. Once I have the addresses in the names column I think I can figure out the rest, but I cannot get the addresses in the names column.

BF

Aug 31, 2006 3:48 PM in response to brian fitch1

AB can import a text file, with tab characters between each of the pieces of information, and a return character at the end of each of the contacts. Word can produce such a file.

Suppose, for example, in your Word file you have a set of lines like:
John Smith SmithJ@mail1.someisp.com
Brian Fitch Brian.Fitch@mailsrv.anotherisp.net
Charlie Ryan crian@yahoo.co.uk
etc.
Here there is a space between the first name and the surname, and between the surname and the email address. Use Find/Replace All to turn the spaces into tabs, then use File/Save As; in the dialog box change the format from word document to text only.

Now in AB use File/Import/Text File, and in the resulting dialog box select the file you have just save with Word. AB will pop up another dialog box showing "John" "Smith" and "SmithJ@mail1.someisp.com", with a drop-down menu beside each allowing you to associate each with an AB field - here presumably First, Last and Email. Deselect "ignore first record". You can use the navigator at the bottom to browse through your records before importing.

As I said in my previous post, you can now select all the newly-imported contacts by clicking the pseudo-group Last Import.

As you have gathered, you cannot just drag the details from Word to Address Book.

User uploaded fileAK

adding names to name column

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.