Database Users

Groups in contact list not functioning?

Or I don't know how to use it properly. I go into my contact list and hit the groups tab. I create a new group and hit save. It doesn't show up. I then try to create it again and it says it already exists, but still doesn't show up.
Even the default groups that show up (google and something else) I can't figure out how to add someone to that group. Does anyone know how to get this function to work properly?

I haven't got it to work either.

Bump
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

To add member on the default group, all your contacts must be stored in the phone memory. If its not there, then you need to export your contacts first then import them back but make sure you import them to the phone memory.
But be aware that you will have multiple entries on your phone book especially when it was originally synced to gmail.

It's a vexing issue and a bit complex to fix manually. But...there's an app for that..
search the Market for "Groupy"

I have to say that sucks. when an android with google doesnt grap your contacts the way you have them on your google account.. that just sucks.
this is the first time I have ever complained about this phone. or maybe its samsung that I should be complaining about. but one of the reasons I started using android was the easy way to manage contact information. that is just something that should not be messed with.
k.. done *****in

What I found after doing a factory reset was that *if* you manually made a few contacts on the phone and placed them in categories and *then* sync'd google contacts they would import correctly.
But still it's an annoyance easily fixed by "Groupy" in about a minute.

rontopia said:
I have to say that sucks. when an android with google doesnt grap your contacts the way you have them on your google account.. that just sucks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely! The Contacts app that Samsung installed in place of the regular Android Contacts app totally hoses the Google-based contacts. I am swamped by unwanted download of a "contact" item for anyone who ever mailed my GMail address, and Google contact groups are not supported. The stock Android Contacts app handled this gracefully, allowing configuration of which groups of Google contacts get downloaded and synced. But Samsung tried to de-Google Contacts, and screwed everything up.
Is there any hope of reinstalling or renabling the original Android Contacts app instead (hopefully without rooting the phone)? Perhaps a third-party solution?

Try third-party app called Contacts Evolved
I have been exploring third-party contact apps in Market.
At first blush, the free app called Contacts Evolved seems to help here. It does segregate the contacts downloaded from Google according to the Google/GMail groups (including starred contacts) into handy tabs. The spurious contacts such as those who just happened to send you mail will still be there, but if you keep your real Google contacts organized into groups, the groups will be respected and displayed separately in the app.
I don't know of any way to disable or uninstall the brain-dead Samsung Contacts app, which I believe handles the syncing. But AFAIK, I never have to use it and can use Contacts Evolved instead.
EDIT: On the downside, Contacts Evolved seems a little buggy. There are force-close issues.

How the hell did Google get my entire contact database?

Some of you are aware of how "paranoid" I am, and refuse to have my Calendar and Contact synced via google.
Just before I did my firmware upgrade today, I used an application in the market place called MyBackup, but I carefully avoided choosing to backup to local (SD card) and not Online.
After I flashed the new firmware and made the restore, I discoverd to my horror that all my contacts are now having the symbol "g" within a square, which I understood to be indicative of the fact that these contact are now also stored in Google's server somewhere, and none of the contact are coming from my phone! So, MyBackup restored my entire contact database from my phone to the cloud rather than my phone? There is not single contact entry on my phone now. Everything I have is shown to be from Google.
Anyone knows how the hell could this happen? Is MyBackup a sneaky program which steal all these information and put it to the cloud without my consent?
I'm really really pissed
Now I'm forced to put in dummy tel number and address, birthday to all my contact and let Google get the false data, before abandoning Google phone platform all together. THIS IS EVIL, SNEAKY, UNETHICAL !!!

You really are paranoid .
I don't think MyBackup Pro actually stores all your contacts on some Google server - I think the app just assumes they are Google contacts. I've stopped using it for backing up contacts for a different reason: because it duplicates everything when restoring it - a real PITA. And by everything I mean everything - linked contacts become multiple independent contacts, some of them without any details and impossible to delete without a factory reset. I'm actually using Kies for that now (ironic, no? ).
Do you have a Google account for using the phone with? The simple thing do is to log in there and check whether your contacts are actually in there. If not then they probably aren't.
If you are that paranoid perhaps put the phone into airplane mode when you backup?

I think you are being a bit paranoid here. Besides google might just keep changelogs on the contact which would render you attempt with dummy info useless.

I just checked. I don't see any entry under contact when I signed in. Whew!
But please explain to me why all my contacts now are displayed under the google heading? (You know the display option in contact lets us select contact on the SIM, Phone, or Google?), now all my entries are under google. Yet, I don't see any thing there (yet?)
According to this thread, I think there's still a possibility that my details has already been taken without my permission, although it's not reflected in the contact list in google account.
I'm confused...
To anyone of you thinking that I'm paranoid, one day you will know I'm right. The world just isn't as innocent as you think.
I have to very seriously re-evaluate whether I would want an Android phone. It's way too open, anyone can take information from me, since there is no QA done on the market place applications.

Think someone's had a bit too much wacky tobacco.

GOT you info
I could be wrong but all my contact say Google except the one i use my HTC Sync to transfer my work email from Outlook.
By the way i can see all of your contacts. You were too late!!!

eaglesteve said:
To anyone of you thinking that I'm paranoid, one day you will know I'm right. The world just isn't as innocent as you think.
I have to very seriously re-evaluate whether I would want an Android phone. It's way too open, anyone can take information from me, since there is no QA done on the market place applications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, for starters,
1) The [G] means they have been imported into your Google account. Probably, as mentioned by your backup. Go to Google Contacts and you can wipe them. But no, I don't believe they took them without your permissions.
2) What makes your email addresses so valuable? Do you honestly believe Google cares? Hahaha... Clearly, you don't know anyone who works at Google. I met a bunch and they really are all legends, and they know your rights. They are normal people, not politicians. This is in comparison to Apple people I know, who I post stuff to on their facebook wall, they remove it secretly and tell me by email that they didn't want their manager to see it.
3) If you are concerned about privacy, why can you trust the "MyBackup" program. did you install an applications which isn't open source?
Perhaps you should get a dumb phone or hack up your own firmware and remove Google's services?
You should also consider avoiding entering ANY google account if you don't trust them. Why did you enter them in the first place? To enter the market where Google could track your downloads, your location and your firmware? Seriously, I strongly urge you to sell your Android phone if you don't trust them. Instead, get a dumb phone. I however believe my contacts list is useless to Google, so have no problems sharing information with them

i don't know about that backup program you are using.
however, if you are concerned about the contacts @ google.
just login to your google account, and select DELETE all contacts, in your account.
then it'll be all gone
you can do the same for all the emails too.
once deleted they will no longer have your data on their servers.
eaglesteve said:
Some of you are aware of how "paranoid" I am, and refuse to have my Calendar and Contact synced via google.
Just before I did my firmware upgrade today, I used an application in the market place called MyBackup, but I carefully avoided choosing to backup to local (SD card) and not Online.
After I flashed the new firmware and made the restore, I discoverd to my horror that all my contacts are now having the symbol "g" within a square, which I understood to be indicative of the fact that these contact are now also stored in Google's server somewhere, and none of the contact are coming from my phone! So, MyBackup restored my entire contact database from my phone to the cloud rather than my phone? There is not single contact entry on my phone now. Everything I have is shown to be from Google.
Anyone knows how the hell could this happen? Is MyBackup a sneaky program which steal all these information and put it to the cloud without my consent?
I'm really really pissed
Now I'm forced to put in dummy tel number and address, birthday to all my contact and let Google get the false data, before abandoning Google phone platform all together. THIS IS EVIL, SNEAKY, UNETHICAL !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

It's BackupPro when it restores the contacts it assigns them as Google. I made the mistake of backing-up and restoring contacts with this and spent the next hour wondering how I've got contacts with 3 Google entries when I was expecting only two.

I have no problem syncing all my data with Google's servers, but I want to remember everyone that the right of privacy is an absolute requirement for a working democracy.
If eaglesteve does not want his data being stored at a central repository then he has every right to freak out when it appears as if his contacts were synced with Google's Servers.
Of course, if he should believe that Google is after him personally, well, then this is probably a bad sign of paranoia

flamingpitofhell said:
You really are paranoid .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the same until I saw he's in Australia.... the government over there is screwed up big time. The crap they are trying to do to their Internet is appalling.

I'm also paranoid about the same...i did this to solve (ive not an english firmware so will try to give simmilar instructions):
go to contacts -> menu -> more -> import/export and save all contacts to a vcard on SD, and connect to pc and save that vcard on pc.
Go into settings -> privacy -> "erase all data" (dunno how its called on english firmware)
then i chose to erase data on SD also after unmounting it.
After that i restarted phone without simcard and with volup+home+power i cleared cache and hard reseted it.
After that the phone boots with factory settings and without simcard and keep it that way and connect to internet via wireless after booting.
Then i checked if i had no contacts, there were none so all okay... went to menu, definitions -> "accounts and sincronization" and i added my google account, but i unchecked first the auto sync and data in second plan above (the options above, dunno how they are called in english firmware). Then the google account was added. Then i disabled wireless and checked the options i disabled in last step (the auto sync and the other), i opened the google account i added in last step and disabled all syncs there (sync calendar, contacts and gmail).
After that i went to contacts and restored all contacts via the vcard, all are stored on phone after that (via the same import/export option).
As a final option i went to my gmail and deleted all contacts synced... now the phone is not syncing with google in any way but i can use the market because i have a google acc added...
dunno if i explained myself well, it worked for me that way.

I'd love to hear some worst case scenarios of what you think might happen if mr google checks your contacts and finds your mate Fred's email address.
And also why you'd think anyone would want to know your contacts.
are you worried that your network provider has a log of who you called and when?

if they find Fred's address, Fred is effed.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

well.... i dont like to give my info/data away, just really when needed.... some years ago maybe not, but today, google and other companies have so much info about so much people around the world, and you dont even know if they use it or not, you are not there to check... they can for example see the places you visit more because of gps tracking, if people in some zone visit shoppings a lot and at what times, who your friends are and if they use android and gmail also (by contacts), and assemble strategies for their business based on that, because all we are giving is free info about what we do, who we are, who our friends are....that, for business activities is very valuable. And im not talking about gmail, with all valuable info about everyone, they are able to see all your info since you have all stuff stored on their servers and they dont need to tell to you anything about it and you dont even know they maybe will do it... i may be wrong, but thats my point of view, i didnt had that oppinion since a friend i have, erased all his mails from gmail telling me "google can use all my info for marketing purposes or another stuff"...
They give us free services, but there is no such things as free services... we pay with info to improve their business, thats my point of view...

I'm not concerned with the email of my friends. I'm concerned that their photos, address, birthday, spouse's name, children's name, telephone number, work place number, fax number, and everything is on the cloud, which means any hacker could get it, and the consequence would be serious. It's not giving MY details away. It's giving my friend's details away, and I don't want to do that to my friends.
In Australia, we have this thing called the Privacy law. You just can't come around and grab my wifi address, email login password, and claim that you make a mistake unintentionally. All these data stealings are deliberate.
For those of you saying that it's not a big deal, could you all in your next post show me your real photos, address, name, telephone numbers, birthday, spouse's name, children's name, and the other typical contact info on this forum.
So, now they grabbed my contact without my consent. Have they also grabbed my eWallet password file and are now cracking it?
I can't believe you guys are not seeing problem here.
Nuf said.

as long as google don't try to sell me anything they can do what they want with my data.
I'm pretty sure my bank and credit card company know more about me than google and their sales and junk mail are certainly more annoying than anything google ever did to me.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

[Q] Is it better to save contacts to phone or google?

Just wanted to know which was better and why. I have a samsung I9000
Thanks

well if you save to google, and then you get a new android phone your contacts are always there when you login to your google account from your phone. i always save to google

save it on google. If anything happens to your phone, you will not need to worry about losing your contacts. It'll always be there and it's easier to edit contact on Google anyways. This is also helpful if you switch roms a lot. You wont have to copy out your contact and copy it back in everytime.

With applications like Google Sync, I was able to take my contacts and import them into my old Blackberry. When switching to my Android phone the import of contacts was automagical.
Save it to Google, and then export from there into a csv file an additonal backup.

My only issue with saving to Google is you can't assign custom ringtones to non-phone based contacts =/
Anyone know if this is fixed in 2.2?

I've lost my iPhone couple weeks ago and thanks gods all my contacts were in clouds!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

RadAway said:
My only issue with saving to Google is you can't assign custom ringtones to non-phone based contacts =/
Anyone know if this is fixed in 2.2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you want the ringtone for if it's not from a phone?
Another reason to like google vs phone ... It's damn convenient to add a contact on the web page as needed, especially if someone emails you the information and you can just copy&paste it.

I've used Google for mine ever since I bought the G1 when it came out. Come to think of it if I wouldn't have I'd probably not have all of my numbers.
Good stuff.

One question
I synced my contact to my Google account, and since it is syncing, if I accidentally deleted all my contact in the phone, it will probably delete the contact in my Google account too, right?
Or it can restore the backup?

tjhart85 said:
What do you want the ringtone for if it's not from a phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh...I think the OP was referring to the difference between the Google contacts and the phone contacts. Meaning that you cannot set ringtones for Google (non-phone) contacts, not contacts without phone numbers.
Although, if there is one thing I really miss from when I initially switched from a Blackberry to the G1, two years ago, was being able to basically setup "filters" for incoming calls, emails and SMS, a customize how each filter was handled.

Emama said:
One question
I synced my contact to my Google account, and since it is syncing, if I accidentally deleted all my contact in the phone, it will probably delete the contact in my Google account too, right?
Or it can restore the backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the definition of "deleted"...
I don't think it is even possible to accidentally delete all of your contacts. They could be erased by some external means or memory failure, but the sync algorithm does not see that as a delete. A delete is selecting a contact and selecting "delete contact" from the context menu.

devcurious said:
Depends on the definition of "deleted"...
I don't think it is even possible to accidentally delete all of your contacts. They could be erased by some external means or memory failure, but the sync algorithm does not see that as a delete. A delete is selecting a contact and selecting "delete contact" from the context menu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Accidentally Delete means someone press delete all on the phone..

The sync will not remove contact from google if you delete from phone. As for ring tone, we'll just need some dev to port stock android contact over. In stock android contact you can set ring tone for individual contact without having the contact on the phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Sounds like google is the way to go but how do I get my numbers in "groups" if its linked to google, such as doctors, freinds, family, work? I see that the google ones are a group themselves

Emama said:
One question
I synced my contact to my Google account, and since it is syncing, if I accidentally deleted all my contact in the phone, it will probably delete the contact in my Google account too, right?
Or it can restore the backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use backupify,com to backup your google contacts at certain intervals.
That's a nice option to have if you ever accidentally delete your contacts.

If you delete a google contact from your phone it WILL be deleted off of your account. It is a two way sync.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

Does anybody know how to sync contacts that are saved on the phone to google?

mrsbelpit said:
Does anybody know how to sync contacts that are saved on the phone to google?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not directly.
There is no way to sync a phone contact to your Google contacts. You will have to create a separate Google contact.
I think a previous commenter gave the best advice to just use a ROM that has the vanilla android contact app. I think the TWIZ hybrid ROM has the vanilla contacts app.
I have the same complaint. I trying to hold off until there is a vanilla FroYo before using a custom ROM.

Does this mean that none of you are saving your contacts to your sim card?

DanRo80 said:
Does this mean that none of you are saving your contacts to your sim card?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the least advanced way to save a contact because you can only have a name and number, that is all.
I use to save all contacts to sim with my old phones. As soon as I started using my google account I stopped saving to the sim. Mind you I've been with t-mobile for five years with the same sim.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

[Q] cleaning contact list (Nubbie question)

I think this should be a simple fix, but I don't fully understand what I am seeing.
- When I look at my contact list, I see a single google icon on most. When I open those, they show as a joined contact with phone and google icons.
- Others show two or three google icons. When I open those, they show as a joined contact and a google icon.
Goal: I want to clean up my contacts list so I have a single copy of each entry that is synced to my google account. My google contacts are de-dupped and merged, so this is not a reflection of dups there AFAIK.
History: Initially I had most of my contacts in the phone. I went to the sprint store figuring this would be a simple queston for one of the Elves. 20 min later, I had 2-3 copies of every contact in my google account. In response to "where is the vcf file you just saved?" The elf told me, "There where no files on your phone and that there is nothing stored on my SD card." Anyway, the mess on google was corrected quickly from my computer. However I missed the oportunity to fix this mess when I recently flashed CleanGB and restored too much...
I have 2 questions:
1) What is the meaning of the multiple icons?
2) How do I just wipe the contacts on the phone and resync to google w/o wiping the google contacts?
Samsung Epic 4G, CleanGB 1.0

I had the same problem a while ago. I think I used the "contacts" section in gmail. That's where your phone syncs with. I found something in there that could delete duplicates or something. Or merge them? Sorry I'm not around a computer right now but that's the key. Hope it helps
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Login to your google account had the same problem a while back. Just go to google.com/voice and you can manage your contacts better
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

in contacts hit menu>settings> check display only contacts with phones?

Thanks to all who replied.
I ended up doing the following:
1) backed up google contacts (as csv from gmail.com)
2) broke syncing of phone contacts.
3) wiped all contacts
4) re-enabled syncing
Joy.

[Q] Gmail contacts got deleted after sync

Hello guys, I am facing a weird problem that I have never faced before. I have one week old brand new Nexus 4 and its just awesome. But some little bug in the OS is just spoiling the whole experience. I am not sure if its a bug or not but surely it shouldn't happen.
The problem is I always synchronize my contacts with gmail. So whenever I added my gmail accounts first, all of my contacts just came into my phone flawlessly. But one morning I just saw all the contacts disappeared leaving a just few which are of no use. After googling and some small rnd I found the life saving option "Restore Contacts" in gmail contacts. I got them back. Didn't know the reason but thought it would never happen again. Today again this thing happened which really pissed me off.
I have used all of the android OS starting from GB to ICS but this thing never happened. I also found that whatsapp, facebook, wechat contacts are not synchronized properly without any reason. Contacts are not properly shown under "Contacts to display" option. Guys is this problem common in JB 4.2.2 or I am missing something to properly configure my phone. Please share your views friends.

subhasis005 said:
Hello guys, I am facing a weird problem that I have never faced before. I have one week old brand new Nexus 4 and its just awesome. But some little bug in the OS is just spoiling the whole experience. I am not sure if its a bug or not but surely it shouldn't happen.
The problem is I always synchronize my contacts with gmail. So whenever I added my gmail accounts first, all of my contacts just came into my phone flawlessly. But one morning I just saw all the contacts disappeared leaving a just few which are of no use. After googling and some small rnd I found the life saving option "Restore Contacts" in gmail contacts. I got them back. Didn't know the reason but thought it would never happen again. Today again this thing happened which really pissed me off.
I have used all of the android OS starting from GB to ICS but this thing never happened. I also found that whatsapp, facebook, wechat contacts are not synchronized properly without any reason. Contacts are not properly shown under "Contacts to display" option. Guys is this problem common in JB 4.2.2 or I am missing something to properly configure my phone. Please share your views friends.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Log in to your google account through a web browser. I'll guarantee all your contacts are still there. Either you are not syncing right or you need a factory reset/flash.

Gmail contacts also deleted when they are disappeared from phone
hp420 said:
Log in to your google account through a web browser. I'll guarantee all your contacts are still there. Either you are not syncing right or you need a factory reset/flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply. But let me tell you one thing the moment I saw my contacts gone in the phonebook, I checked my gmail account also. The contacts were also not there. Then I performed a "Restore" action and the contacts came into gmail address book as well as in the phone. Hope I have made the problem clear now. :crying::crying:

subhasis005 said:
Thanks for your reply. But let me tell you one thing the moment I saw my contacts gone in the phonebook, I checked my gmail account also. The contacts were also not there. Then I performed a "Restore" action and the contacts came into gmail address book as well as in the phone. Hope I have made the problem clear now. :crying::crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no, not really....you said you restored your contacts and they have returned....so what's the issue then?

Re: Gmail contacts also deleted when they are disappeared from phone
hp420 said:
no, not really....you said you restored your contacts and they have returned....so what's the issue then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I restored my contacts they were fine. They came back to my phonebook but without any reason they disappeared again. I had to do same restore again in the gmail to bring them back in my phonebook. I had not faced this problem before. Thats why I am confused. And moreover can you tell me why no whatsapp and wechat contacts not shown in the phonebook while all the syncs are on? Please tell me if you have any ideas...Thank you in advance.

hp420 said:
no, not really....you said you restored your contacts and they have returned....so what's the issue then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's pretty clear to me. The OP added his Google account to his phone, sync'ed his contacts and then some time later found that they had vanished from both phone /and/ Google. He was fortunate to be able to recover them, but the fact that he was able to does not mean that it's not an issue. Likewise, the fact that it has happened again suggests that he needs a little more support that an implied PICNIC reply....
---------- Post added at 07:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:19 PM ----------
subhasis005 said:
Hello guys, I am facing a weird problem that I have never faced before. I have one week old brand new Nexus 4 and its just awesome. But some little bug in the OS is just spoiling the whole experience. I am not sure if its a bug or not but surely it shouldn't happen.
The problem is I always synchronize my contacts with gmail. So whenever I added my gmail accounts first, all of my contacts just came into my phone flawlessly. But one morning I just saw all the contacts disappeared leaving a just few which are of no use. After googling and some small rnd I found the life saving option "Restore Contacts" in gmail contacts. I got them back. Didn't know the reason but thought it would never happen again. Today again this thing happened which really pissed me off.
I have used all of the android OS starting from GB to ICS but this thing never happened. I also found that whatsapp, facebook, wechat contacts are not synchronized properly without any reason. Contacts are not properly shown under "Contacts to display" option. Guys is this problem common in JB 4.2.2 or I am missing something to properly configure my phone. Please share your views friends.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd be looking into apps here - if a contact is deleted on your phone, this deletion will be sync'ed back to Google with the symptoms you've reported. Have you scoured your phone for a potential rogue here (either malicious or, more likely, buggy)...?

thanks for getting it finally
thanks daern for understanding my problem. You read my mind. This prob should not happen. Do you mean that any malicious programs are running in my phone?? or any other issue is causing this weird problem. I am not sure tomorrow morning I will see all the contacts vanished again. Its been 2 times I am facing this.

subhasis005 said:
thanks daern for understanding my problem. You read my mind. This prob should not happen. Do you mean that any malicious programs are running in my phone?? or any other issue is causing this weird problem. I am not sure tomorrow morning I will see all the contacts vanished again. Its been 2 times I am facing this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chances are some (non Google) app on your phone, which has access to your contacts is deleting them. I would backup your storage and "factory reset" your phone. If the problem returns, try removing apps with access to your contacts.

SpookyTunes said:
Chances are some (non Google) app on your phone, which has access to your contacts is deleting them. I would backup your storage and "factory reset" your phone. If the problem returns, try removing apps with access to your contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a similar problem but in my case there is absolutely no doubt that it is Google deleting contacts from my Nexus 4. I do not even want my contacts synchronized or backed up on Google's servers and prefer to use the phone memory (because I use other apps to back up my contacts). The first time Google deleted my contacts from phone I realized that I had only disabled synch for "contacts" but neglected to also do it for "people" so I made sure all of that was disabled before I went and started deleting duplicate contacts from Gmail (that's right, it not only deleted it from the phone it duplicated them there). I then proceeded to restore my contacts from a .vcf file directly to the phone memory and it worked fine at first. Then, the next day, Google had AGAIN deleted all contacts and again duplicated them on Gmail. The phone has Android 4.3 and is stock other than being rooted. I am hoping to avoid having to delete the google account from the phone altogether. Any ideas?