Database Users

Double Contacts Problem

OK well I am using PocketCM as my contact manager. I have to entries for EACH one of my contacts, and NO one of them is not the SIM card contac, i have sim card contacts disabled. In MS Outlook i HAD to of each contact, so i deleted all of the duplicates and synced. I still have duplicate contacts. So i deleted pim.vol and resynced and it gave me 4 of each contact!!! I didnt understand. SO i put back the original pim.vol and I am stumped because I still have duplicate contacts. Is there any way to fix this?

the contacts on your phone and outlook were probably not exactly identical
this is quite long-winded but is simple and should work:
-Used NS contacts to backup all your contacts on your pocket pc
-Backup your outlook user folder/s
-delete all your contacts, on outlook and pocket pc
-check the ns contacts backup file on pc (you'll have to install the NS Contacts (different to NS contacts Backup-the pocket PC program) program on PC)
-After checking for and deleting duplicates, save the backup file
-Use this file to restore your contacts on pocket pc, once your satisfied, sync with oulook and you'll have the contacts on outlook also
remember to check which of the duplicate contacts you delete, some may have missing details etc.
NS Contacts Backup (Pocket PC) and NS Contacts voth available from:
http://www.nyxbull.net/

Oouch
Bugger that for a lark !
Guess this is a strong reason for not using it. Anything that messes with synchronisation is to be well avoided.
I actually synced a clean phone (ie just burned new rom) with my Outlook contacts and hit this problem.

Humble pie
After a stopping and starting the prog my double contacts disapeared, and I have since had a look at it and I must say I quite like it !

aameerp said:
-delete all your contacts, on outlook and pocket pc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just wondering how you do this on your pocket pc, without having to delete each one by hand.
I've just sorted my contacts list on the pc and don't want to have to do it again so don't want to sync the phone with the pc till after I've deleted the triplicate entries... deleting each one by hand is kinda tedious seeing as my 100+ phone numbers have been duplicated twice.

there's a way to sync the phone contacts with outlook, if you have doubles most likely you can simply highlight all the duplicates at once and hit delete. this method you'll have to sort by modify date on outlook, cause your old contacts will be dated before the duplicates (which is probably all added later) so just look for later added contacts and be gone! =)

right I did the deleting the contacts the long way on the pocket pc. They've all now gone and I deleted all the contacts in the sim manager.
sorted all the ones I want in my outlook.
Synched the phone.
.... and now I've only got 2 contacts in my phone...
anyone any ideas what i'm doing wrong. Think it might be to do with my set up with my synching, but i'm having trouble finding how to solve that.

Lost all my contacts.. any ideas?

I've lost all the contacts on my wm6 address book... Is there any way i could get them back?
Here's what i did.. basically i connected my mobile trough activesync (using windows xp) and i though it would be neat to backup my contacts also (i didn't have the contacts checked in the sync options of activesync). After i checked the contacts and clicked the sync button all the contacts from my mobile were gone.
I don't use outlook even though i have outlook 2007 installed.
Also everything that was checked to sync has gone (notes, tasks etc)

first you may check if _pim.vol_ file in the root directory exist. you may open it with excel on the computer and try to read your contacts. if no, say good bye to your contacts
second: it was said to WM users many times !!always backup your data!!
use _contacts backup_ utility on your pda, or save it in outlook, and you'll never have problems.

Check the deleted folder in outlook. Assuming u sync with outlook. They may all be there - worked for me before, just copy them back into contact and let it sync back...

SMS folder disappear

Hi all.
I don't use sms often but tomorrow i need to send one... and i discover that i don't have anymore the SMS folder into pocket outlook
I never receive either sms or mms (i try to send me a sms from another cell but i don't received).
Now pocket outlook show only 3 type of element in main screen.
- Outlook
- GMail
- New account
Only Outlook and GMail in the folder tree...
I've a tytn with wm6 ...
P.s.: i've tried some software (hoping something change...) but nothing happen:
htcp3600-NWW_Italy_Setup.zip
mailAccountRepair.zip
PPCPimBackupV2.8_wm2005.zip
SpbPhoneSuite_it.arm.cab
WebISToolbox_Setup.exe

I don't need to recover sms or mail... can i reset pocket outlook or reinstall it ?

I had my MMS dissappear... had to hard reset to get it back

SOB. There isn't a software or patch for repair pocket outlook sms/mms repository ?
Can i replicate some working (empty) outlook filesystem or file structure ?

all i could find was do a hard reset...

what about erasing cemail.vol ?
i'm trying but nothing... the file is locked and i don't understand what process is locking it (using TaskMgr). No one "unlock it" for WM6 ?
I've just installed dbviewSP for navigate in cemail.vol and i see folder and messages... but no "remove database" o "remove record" work.

How to import contacts to touch

Friends,
I have recently switched from Nokia 3230 to HTC Touch. I have all my 3230 contact backed up in ".vcf" format. How shall i import all contacts to Touch.
there are more than 250 contacts, which are impossible to enter manually.
Please help me soon bcoz i m using touch without any contacts now :-(

Try to beam them from PC to Touch. Message like "Do you want to save <name> in your contats?" should appear, wait till all contacts are transfered and press "Yes to all"

kalpesh99 said:
Friends,
I have recently switched from Nokia 3230 to HTC Touch. I have all my 3230 contact backed up in ".vcf" format. How shall i import all contacts to Touch.
there are more than 250 contacts, which are impossible to enter manually.
Please help me soon bcoz i m using touch without any contacts now :-(
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.vcf format is not supported by pocket pc and wont be recognized
how abt saving them to ur sim card and then savin them back in ppc contacts
if your sim card gets full...u can try by going at steps of 100 contacts per round or 50

gronostaj said:
Try to beam them from PC to Touch. Message like "Do you want to save <name> in your contats?" should appear, wait till all contacts are transfered and press "Yes to all"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what do you mean by "BEAM them"?? and i have all contacts in single '.vcf' file.
How shall i go about it??

When I switched from my Nokia 6620 I just saved all my contact from my 6620 in address book on my computer (using sinc for Nokia) and then opened Outlook and imported the contact from Address book to outlook. Once this is done, just use Activsinc (for touch) to sinc contacts to the touch. Worked for me. I had almost 200 contacts and it took only about 10 minutes to do it. (Ten minutes of waiting for Sinc to be completed)

hotrod101 said:
When I switched from my Nokia 6620 I just saved all my contact from my 6620 in address book on my computer (using sinc for Nokia) and then opened Outlook and imported the contact from Address book to outlook. Once this is done, just use Activsinc (for touch) to sinc contacts to the touch. Worked for me. I had almost 200 contacts and it took only about 10 minutes to do it. (Ten minutes of waiting for Sinc to be completed)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
the real problem for me is (its sort of irony), the day i bought Touch, my nokia 3230 died. It does not boot at all. otherwise I could have sent all contacts from 3230 to Touch by bluetooth only.
right now, what i have in my hand is only a '.vcf' file having all my contacts (which i had created on 3230 using some 'backup contacts' application).
I searched on the net a lot for the application for winMobile which can import contacts from '.vcf' file, but i did not get a single appl.
So even after starting using Touch for 5 days, i am without any contacts on Touch...

Copying contacts into SIM and then retrieving has huge lose of information
ayyu3m said:
.vcf format is not supported by pocket pc and wont be recognized
how abt saving them to ur sim card and then savin them back in ppc contacts
if your sim card gets full...u can try by going at steps of 100 contacts per round or 50
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Copying contacts into SIM and then retrieving has huge lose of information
1. name and surname are stored in single field in SIM with limited characters.. so name or surname is truncated.
2. If i have stored 3 numbers for a single person, all are stored as different contacts in SIM.. so combining them in Touch will anyways be a headache
3. any photo stored in contact is not saved in SIM.
But with '.vcf' file, all above problems are taken care of. so i am searching a WM application to retrieve contacts from '.vcf' file
Any application that can convert 'vcf' file into WM recognizable format will also be of great help.

.vcf = V Card File. Microsoft address book on your desktop can read V Card Files.
However; your HTC Touch does not so you have to convert them.
Open Microsoft Outlook. Go to IMPORT - click Import .vcf file. Choose your backed up vcf files and click. This will grab your .vcf files and convert them for outlook. They will be converted to become outlook address book files (unsure of what format / extension that is - Didn't check) Outlook will sinc with your device when you connect and voila === All contacts can be on your new device in the proper format since Outlook address book is compatible with WM Devices. The End.
PS. Make sure your activsinc is set up to sincronize contacts.

kalpesh99 said:
Hi
the real problem for me is (its sort of irony), the day i bought Touch, my nokia 3230 died. It does not boot at all. otherwise I could have sent all contacts from 3230 to Touch by bluetooth only.
right now, what i have in my hand is only a '.vcf' file having all my contacts (which i had created on 3230 using some 'backup contacts' application).
I searched on the net a lot for the application for winMobile which can import contacts from '.vcf' file, but i did not get a single appl.
So even after starting using Touch for 5 days, i am without any contacts on Touch...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Transfering your contacts from Nokia using bluetooth probably wouldn't have worked - Different format that the WM device does not recognize. It didn't work for me when I tried that first. My Nokia 6620 contacts were all .vcf files so when I sincronized by nokia to my computer my contacts automatically were saved on my computer in Microsoft address book as .vcf files.
You have them already saved as a .vcf file. All you need now is Microsoft outlook - and go to file - import - import .vcf file. voila converted and now in proper format for WM Device.

hotrod101 said:
.vcf = V Card File. Microsoft address book on your desktop can read V Card Files.
However; your HTC Touch does not so you have to convert them.
Open Microsoft Outlook. Go to IMPORT - click Import .vcf file. Choose your backed up vcf files and click. This will grab your .vcf files and convert them for outlook. They will be converted to become outlook address book files (unsure of what format / extension that is - Didn't check) Outlook will sinc with your device when you connect and voila === All contacts can be on your new device in the proper format since Outlook address book is compatible with WM Devices. The End.
PS. Make sure your activsinc is set up to sincronize contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi...
I think outlook reads '.vcf' file as a single contact person detail. when i double-click on my '.vcf' file, which contains all the contacts, it shows up only first entry of .vcf file and not other contacts.. same thing happened when i imported .vcf file into outlook from 'file->impot->import vcf file'. It imported only first contact info of all contacts.
that means i have to first break my .vcf file (containing 250 contacts) into 250 different vcf files and then import them to outlook ???!!

kalpesh99 said:
Hi...
I think outlook reads '.vcf' file as a single contact person detail. when i double-click on my '.vcf' file, which contains all the contacts, it shows up only first entry of .vcf file and not other contacts.. same thing happened when i imported .vcf file into outlook from 'file->impot->import vcf file'. It imported only first contact info of all contacts.
that means i have to first break my .vcf file (containing 250 contacts) into 250 different vcf files and then import them to outlook ???!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try importing to Microsoft Address book first then to see if it will open all contacts. Once this is done you (if it does work) you will have to save each .vcf contact as a seperate .vcf file seperately onto your desktop- *(Shouldn't take too long) then use outlook to import the .vcf's.
I have a sneeking suspicion though that when you did your backup you might have only backed up one contact and not all of them.
When you backup .vcf's as an address book it is no longer a .vcf extension but something entireley different (the extension eludes me right now). like I said before .vcf stands for V Card file - ( one address card or file ) not address book. I hope that I am wrong though and that the Microsoft address book will open all the contacts for you.
Otherwise, you might have to try to find a way to either fix your Nokia just to properly backup your contacts or start from scratch as I don't know of any other way.

It is simple, but takes some time.
The cellfone accepts the .vcf cards... but you will have to follow these steps:
1. Copy all your contacts to your PC using the "explorer-friendly" folder at "My Computer" - this folder appears if you have installed Nokia PCSuite.
2. Then, after inslalling ActiveSync, a folder named "Mobile Device" will appear, which control the cellphone files.
3. Open the "Mobile Device" through "My Computer" and create a folder named "Contacts" inside your cellphone.
4. Copy all your previuos contacts to the new folder.
5. Using your cellphone, open the new folder which contains the new contacts, and CLICK ON EACH ONE > the phone will ask if you want to add the contact, then click YES.
It takes some time, depending on how many contacts do you have.

Thanks a lot folks
Thanks a lot hotrod101 and ov3r
using combination of steps suggested by you, I couls import all my contacts to Touch.
Following are the steps which might be useful to anybody else as well
1. in winXP open start->accessories->"Address book"
2. click file->import->business card (vCard)
3. "Address book" builds all contacts which r there in '.vcf' file and shows in form of list of individual vcf contacts
4. connect Touch to PC and open any folder in HTC through activesync explorer
5. select all contacts displayed in "address book" and drag them to particular folder in Touch.
6. inside mobile, keep clicking on individual file, where it prompts for saving contact.
7. this way, save all contacts (really cumbersome clicking all 250 contact file, but certainly easier than typing each contact manually.
*. One loss is photo stored in 'vcf' files are not imported to Touch.
Thanks a lot all folks who took out time to reply and suggest steps which lead me to import all contacts.

still one problem...
ooooopppppssss !!!
still one problem...
if there r more than 1 mobile numbers stored per contact, only 1 number is imported (in XP Address book itself). it allows only 1 mobile, 1 landline number to be imported, not 2 or more of each type..

One more query....
One more query....
Contacts in touch also show SIM contacts.... how to turn them off and view only phone contacts (since i have stored some imp contacts on SIM... so they are shown double in contact list, one from SIM and other from phone)

kalpesh99 said:
ooooopppppssss !!!
still one problem...
if there r more than 1 mobile numbers stored per contact, only 1 number is imported (in XP Address book itself). it allows only 1 mobile, 1 landline number to be imported, not 2 or more of each type..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting problem. I don't know if importing the VCF's to Outlook would have solved that problem either. You could try to import one of the .vcf's with multiple #'s to outlook and see if all of the #'s made it. But it probably isn't going to be worth the effort. Just sinc now with your computer - then update all of the missing phone # and re sinc. unless you have a lot of contacts with missing phone #'s it shouldn't be that much hassle.
PS. Glad that you were able to get all of the contacts on there though. You must be so releived.
I don't know what to say about the SIM contacts though because I don't store my contacts to my SIM. Why not just delete the duplicate entry?

hotrod101 said:
Interesting problem. I don't know if importing the VCF's to Outlook would have solved that problem either. You could try to import one of the .vcf's with multiple #'s to outlook and see if all of the #'s made it. But it probably isn't going to be worth the effort. Just sinc now with your computer - then update all of the missing phone # and re sinc. unless you have a lot of contacts with missing phone #'s it shouldn't be that much hassle.
PS. Glad that you were able to get all of the contacts on there though. You must be so releived.
I don't know what to say about the SIM contacts though because I don't store my contacts to my SIM. Why not just delete the duplicate entry?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
indeed i am relieved with all your help.... I did not have many contacts with double numbers.. so for such contacts, i will manually add second number...
Regarding storing contacts in SIM, it is needed when your cell stops working and u need to put your SIM in some other mobile to make call to anybody.. if no numbers r there in SIM, and ur cell stops working, I will be screwed up since i dont memorise any number

kalpesh99 said:
ooooopppppssss !!!
still one problem...
if there r more than 1 mobile numbers stored per contact, only 1 number is imported (in XP Address book itself). it allows only 1 mobile, 1 landline number to be imported, not 2 or more of each type..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's really a problem, cuz Touch has many fields: cel, home phone, home p.2; work, work 2 etc; but does not have a field named "cellphone 2" or similar.
so, if a contact has two cellphones registered in its .vcf file, only one number will be imported. it's an incompatibility between Nokia and HTC field arrangement.
you may solve the problem by switching one of the numbers (ex: the less used by the person) to a differente field, i.e., "car phone", but before copying the .vcf file to the phone.
that's the only thing you can solve this problem.
PS: the second number (of two cellphone numbers) is in my phone as "car phone" or as "radio phone" in my contact list.

how to make .vcf file from my HTC Touch Pro?? because i'm going to update my ROM.. i've been trying to find it, but i coudn't find the way to safe it as .vcf file.
i would like to back up all my contact detail from my HTC...
please someone who know about this matter help me..
thank you

excelex said:
how to make .vcf file from my HTC Touch Pro?? because i'm going to update my ROM.. i've been trying to find it, but i coudn't find the way to safe it as .vcf file.
i would like to back up all my contact detail from my HTC...
please someone who know about this matter help me..
thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U could look for Cellica.Contacts.Synchronizer

Duplicate Contacts with Microsoft Myphone

I've had my hd2 for a few months now and I've updated the rom on it a few times, experimenting with both stock and cooked versions. Each time I've used Microsoft Myphone to backup my contacts, caledar, etc. However when I use it to download my contacts, I get duplicates, between 2-5 duplicates.
I've logged into myphone on the web and there is only 1 copy of each contact, any idea what causes this or how to fix it?
Thanks

woah i never had that problem with Myphone, erm, double check myphone page for your account, task 29 your phone and format mem card just couple of things might make a difference,
or long way round delete your duplicates create a new myphone account and then save them to the new account and see if the problems still persist

I also had this problem. Not all contacts are duplicated only some. I think this happens when you close myphone before it has finished doing it's job.

I too had thhis problem. If you log into MyPhone via a pc and look around you will see 'archives'. I deleted these (making sure that the correct contacts were as they should be in the main list).
No more duplicates

nobnut said:
I too had thhis problem. If you log into MyPhone via a pc and look around you will see 'archives'. I deleted these (making sure that the correct contacts were as they should be in the main list).
No more duplicates
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you delete all the archive contacts? When I looked, there were only 2 duplicates whereas almost all of my contacts on my phone are duplicated.
Thanks

yeoldgreat1 said:
Did you delete all the archive contacts? When I looked, there were only 2 duplicates whereas almost all of my contacts on my phone are duplicated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure why it happens, but they seem to know it does, there is a duplicate finder on the my phone page, you can then delete the dupes and sync ...

I deleted all the items in my archive and searched for all duplicates, so I only have 1 on each contact on myphone. I updated my rom and downloaded my contacts again with myphone and still ahd duplicates. I'm starting to think that it's not worth the effort :s I suppose there are other backup apps that will save the same info. The only difference between them and myphone is finding a lost phone, is this feature any good?

..
The problem is when you sync with myPhone and also have synced with outlook contacts..
You can also buy an application on marketplace. Dont remember what its called: something with duplicate.. but it works..

Not really a solution but this software will help you fix duplicate entries:
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-trinefix.html
works great i've used it on my HD2 and it's free!

are you restoring a pim backup when you flash?
That would create duplicates once you sync'd with MyPhone ..

watcher64 said:
are you restoring a pim backup when you flash?
That would create duplicates once you sync'd with MyPhone ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No I'm not. On the last flash of the rom, I didn't use any backups and didn't download contacts using windows live as I've done before. I just used myphone service after deleting all the archive items and still got duplicates :s
It's a huge pain because im sure the number of duplicates is growing each time I restore.

That's actually quite weird.
1) Are you backing up any of the folders / files from \Application Data? - I tried that once hoping that it would speed up the configuration process of MyPhone everytime I flashed (which is a LOT!) and it completely screwed everything up.
2) Are you absolutely sure that you haven't set up any Sync options with Windows Mobile Device Center / ActiveSync / Outlook on your desktop?
3) Are you absolutely sure that you don't use Exchange over ActiveSync for emails? (You could have accidentally enabled the Contacts Sync feature) (If you use UC, then you might have provisioned an Exchange Email account and might not realise it)
I have a suggestion.
1) Disable MyPhone
2) Delete all the redundant contacts. (It's painful I know)
3) Use PIM Backup and save all your contacts (as a backup just in case something goes wrong)
4) Hard Reset (Make sure you don't use XDA_UC / SDConfig Customization)
5) Clear out your MyPhone account. Delete EVERYTHING. ALL CONTACTS + ARCHIVES.
6) Restore your PIM Backup contacts.
7) Re-run MyPhone and see how it goes.
Sometimes the best thing with Sync Mechanisms is always to start fresh.

leepriestenator said:
That's actually quite weird.
1) Are you backing up any of the folders / files from \Application Data? - I tried that once hoping that it would speed up the configuration process of MyPhone everytime I flashed (which is a LOT!) and it completely screwed everything up.
2) Are you absolutely sure that you haven't set up any Sync options with Windows Mobile Device Center / ActiveSync / Outlook on your desktop?
3) Are you absolutely sure that you don't use Exchange over ActiveSync for emails? (You could have accidentally enabled the Contacts Sync feature) (If you use UC, then you might have provisioned an Exchange Email account and might not realise it)
I have a suggestion.
1) Disable MyPhone
2) Delete all the redundant contacts. (It's painful I know)
3) Use PIM Backup and save all your contacts (as a backup just in case something goes wrong)
4) Hard Reset (Make sure you don't use XDA_UC / SDConfig Customization)
5) Clear out your MyPhone account. Delete EVERYTHING. ALL CONTACTS + ARCHIVES.
6) Restore your PIM Backup contacts.
7) Re-run MyPhone and see how it goes.
Sometimes the best thing with Sync Mechanisms is always to start fresh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did another hard reset. Deleted all my tasks and contacts from the web Myphone login.
I'm backing up a few folders, only things like pictures, music and my documents.
I'm using WM Device Center on my desktop and syncing everything except emails, where would those files be kept? I'll see if there are duplicates there.
It happened again, so I'm going to check over my WM Device Centre settings like you suggested. I wonder why that keeps duplicating them though!
Thanks for all the help guys

Found a solution - Duplicates - Microsoft My Phone
Hi All,
I had the same problem on my HTC HD2, and was able to solve it.
Log on to your account at .... microsoft
First remove dublicates on this account by tools available on-screen (Contacts>find dublicates>toggle all>remove dublicates)
Tab on "Connected Phones" on the left.
You should find only one phone connected to your account.
I found two phones, each with a "date added" field corresponding to the date when I installed the "Microsoft Myphone" app on my device.
I installed this application twice, first was when I first bought my phone with stock rom and the second when I installed it after a rom upgrade.
Two phones on your account (Same HTC HD2)will synchronize same contact from each one to your phone!! Does make sense though weired.
Remove all un-needed phones.
Do synchronization again from your phone and all duplicates will vanish.
Ahmed
Cairo, Egypt

Thanks, worked for me removing the archive from myphone (it was somehow accumulating contacts and calendar events)