Resolved Two files for Communicator Address Book; How do I import to Outlook?

I am trying to import into Outlook Express my Address Book that exists in Netscape 4.76. I find that in 4.76 there is a FIRST file named abook.nab, and a SECOND file named simply with a tilde ~ ---and each of those files has about half of the items in my address book for 4.76. This address book works just fine for all e-mail addresses when I am using 4.76.

I followed the "import" instructions in Outlook, and navigated to the file "abook.nab ", and this imported OK to the Outlook address book. Then I tried to import a second time and navigated to the file "tilde ". This produced no import action. So now I have ONLY ABOUT HALF OF MY 4.76 ADDRESS BOOK IN MY OUTLOOK ADDRESS BOOK.

How can I move the other half into Outlook? BTW, how and why do I have in 4.76 some of my Address Book items in one file, and some others in a different file?? -----------Thanks for help

 

Hi Lee,

Have you tried exporting the second Address Book as an LDIF file?

When your view the Addresses, in the left hand pane, do you see both Address Books listed, or only one?

Check your prefs.js file for this script, and tell me if this is similar or like yours:
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.pab.filename ", "pab.na2 ");

Is there a similar listing for the Address Book name ~ (tilde)? The does ring a bell, but it has been so long since I've used 4.76, I haven't been able to find any reference.

Ramona

 

Ramona: Thanks and dbl thanks for your reply. It is Friday night and I will not be able to get back to you with answers until Monday night. Wait for me. BTW, I have only ONE address book in Netscape 4.76, but there are TWO files that each holds some of the address items. I know this because I have opened these files in Quick View Plus to see the gibberish,--but there were some english word names so I could see where various address items are located. ...........More on Monday

I am hoping to make ONE address book in Outlook Express, and which will have all of the items of my 4.76 address book.

 

Ramona: It is Monday night. Answering you first question, I have have not tried to export the "second" netscape address book because I have only one netscape address book, BUT in two files. I tried to export from Netscape into OutlookExp but got gibberish in OutlookExp. So I tried to work from the other end and in OutlookExp tried to IMPORT from Netscape. This worked for the first file abook, but did not and will not work for the secong file [which strangely is named ~].
When I view my Netscape Address Book, I see all of the persons in the right pane, and only one address book name [ "Personal Address Book"]in the left pane. (there are three other adress book names like Verisign and InfoSpace which I did not put there and which contain absolutely no address items).
In my prefs.js file there is a line exactly like the one you listed, but nothing that in any way shows or designates the tilde ~ file. Just for completeness, I will paste below all of my prefs.js lines that contain the "ldap" letters [whatever that means??].

user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.infospace.csid ", "UTF-8 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.infospace.filename ", "infospace.na2 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.infospace.replication.lastChangeNumber ", 0);
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.netcenter.csid ", "UTF-8 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.netcenter.filename ", "netcenter.na2 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.netcenter.replication.lastChangeNumber ", 0);
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.pab.csid ", "iso-8859-1 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.pab.filename ", "pab.na2 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.pab.replication.lastChangeNumber ", 0);
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.verisign.csid ", "UTF-8 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.verisign.filename ", "verisign.na2 ");
user_pref( "ldap_2.servers.verisign.replication.lastChangeNumber ", 0);
user_pref( "ldap_2.version ", 2);

HOPE THIS MESSAGE IS NOT TOO LONG! Any suggestions will be appreciated.----

 

Hi Lee,

Very strange that you can view all your addresses in the right pane from your Personal Address Book, but only half the addresses are actually contained in this file?

Try this:

Back up your Users Folder first:

Open the Address Book, then FILE|EXPORT as an .LDIF file.
Close Netscape

Rename the address book file from PAB.na2 to PABna2.bak, then restart Netscape.

Open the new, pristine address book, then FILE|IMPORT the .LDIF that was saved.

The LDIF can also be read in Notepad or any text editor, where obvious corruption can be edited out.

Let us know if this helps.

Ramona

 

Ramona: HOORAY! It worked. I now have my entire original Address Book in Communicator 4.76,--and I have copied [imported] the whole thing into my Outlook Express Address Book.

I exported the 4.76 express book to a temporary folder as an abook.lidf file. Closed Netscape. Went to Windows explorer and re-named pab.na2 to pabna2.bak [as you directed], then imported the saved lidf file back into the 4.76 address book. This created a new pab.na2 file in Users, but appeared to make no change in Netscape or its address book.

But then I went to OE and deleted the partial cobbled address book [found default.wab in Windows Explorer at c/windows/appl data/microsoft/address book/default.wab]. Deleted default.wab. This left an empty address book in OE, and I then IMPORTED into that empty address book the abook.ldif file that I previously put into a temporary folder.

I have remaned the mysterious tilde~ file so it is doing nothing. Yet the address book apparently works OK. I have just left alone the file abook.nab. All seems to work. I do not know the difference between the file pab.na2 and the file abook.nab, but who cares if they work.

-BOY, AM I EVER HAPPY. Ramona, you are the greatest. Thanks, thanks.