Unable to share contacts via Messages

Question

Level 1

11 points

Unable to share contacts via Messages

Hi --

I am unable to share Contacts via the Messages app anymore. The "Message Card" option for content sharing from within the Contacts isn't working--nothing happens when I select it. Sharing by Mail works fine, and the Messages app otherwise seems to be working (sending and receiving messages works fine), so I think the issue is related to Messages receiving and responding to the request to share from the Contacts app.

I've also verified that I cannot share my 1Password entries via Messages either.

Is there a way to debug this, or reset the app-to-app connectivity on the Messages side?

Thanks

Ramon

iMac, iOS 8.3, null

Posted on May 25, 2015 1:31 PM

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Answer 1

felciano Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2015 2:26 PM in response to sberman

Yes, I have my iCloud, Exchange, and Google accounts configured and enabled.

I looked in the Console app and am seeing errors from the Contacts app with a "Couldn't communicate with a helper application" error. This appears to be happening to other folks as well:

Ramon

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Answer 2

felciano Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2015 1:48 PM in response to gail from maine

Hi all --

Quick clarifications:

This is from Contacts and Messages apps on my iMac, not on iOS. Is there a way to reset these apps for desktop machines?
I am trying to share an arbitrary contact card, not my own info. In the contacts view, to the right of the "Edit" button in the bottom right, there is a little sharing icon (rectangle with an arrow coming up out of it), which allows sharing via options like "Message Card", "AirDrop Card", etc. This is what is not working.
FWIW, the "Message My Card" option doesn't work either :-)

Thanks,

Ramon

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Answer 3

May 25, 2015 1:39 PM in response to felciano

Did something on your device change between the time it was working and the time it was not?

Have you tried resetting your device? Or signing out of Messages and then back in?

Reset: Hold down the Home and Power buttons at the same time and continue to hold them down until the Apple appears (up to 30 seconds). Once the Apple appears the device is resetting. When the Slide to Unlock screen redisplays, try again and see if the issue is resolved.

If it isn't try signing out of Messages: Settings>Messages>Send & Receive, tap on Apple ID and sign out. Then sign back in again and try again.

Cheers,

GB

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Answer 4

sberman

Level 10

273,444 points

May 25, 2015 2:33 PM in response to felciano

Good debugging ... you found wha appear to be very helpful clues.

First, I suggest checking Contacts > Preferences > vCard. Is it set up like this? If not, try setting like this first.

If you have these settings and are still failing, try changing the "vCard Format" to "2.1" to see if that solves it.

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Answer 5

May 26, 2015 1:52 PM in response to felciano

Hi,

Try turning just one of those options back on again so that they do sync.

I would suggest iCloud if that is what the iPhone is using.

9:52 pm Tuesday; May 26, 2015

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad

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Answer 6

felciano Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2015 3:41 PM in response to felciano

Found this one:

Can't share anything via Messages

I tried turning off all of the linked accounts that contained contacts (Exchange, iCloud, Google), and that resolved the issue. Of course it isn't really a solution because at that point none of the addresses are in the Contacts app anymore :-(

Ramon

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Answer 7

sberman

Level 10

273,444 points

May 25, 2015 1:41 PM in response to felciano

felciano wrote:

The "Message Card" option for content sharing from within the Contacts isn't working ...

The option is not "Message Card." It is "Message My Card."

Have you done Card > Make This My Card from Contacts' menu to define who "you" are? That is the one and only card that can be shared by iMessage.

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Answer 8

sberman

Level 10

273,444 points

May 25, 2015 2:06 PM in response to felciano

Thanks for the clarifications. I did make a mistake ...

Yes, all references above are for the Contacts Mac app, not an iOS app.

But I did miss the share button to the right of the "Edit" button at the bottom right. And indeed you are right that is a way to share a contact other than your own using iMessage.

I tried it and it works for me.

You say iMessage works on your Mac. Therefore, check Contacts > Preferences > Accounts in your Contacts app from the menu. Is your account set up and enabled?

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Answer 9

felciano Author

Level 1

11 points

May 25, 2015 3:19 PM in response to sberman

No dice. Symptom persists irrespective of vCard format setting.

My instinct says the problem is in Messages, not Contacts. Recall that I observe the same problem--inability to share via Messages--from both the Contacts app and the 1Password app. Other sharing methods work in both apps, so the central component in the broken scenarios is Messages.

Ramon

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