Can't import contacts from a .csv

When I try to import from a .csv file, nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?

I open WLM without signing into WL,
open the contacts window,
export the contacts (actually just the First Name,Last Name,Middle
Name,Name,Nickname,E-mail Address),
edit the .csv file a bit (not touching the 1st line), and
import the same file using the same Contacts window.

But nothing winds up changed. I even changed the "First Name" and "Name"
fields to try to get import to add a new user, but that user doesn't show up.

BTW, the problem I'm trying to fix is that after recently installing
WLEssentials via Microsoft Update, my contacts were ok except that most of
the e-mail addresses were wiped out. I'm now trying to import them.

Thanks, DougL

Same problem - my csv file imports nothing.

Why is there no answer to this problem - ??






"DougL" wrote:

> When I try to import from a .csv file, nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?
>
> I open WLM without signing into WL,
> open the contacts window,
> export the contacts (actually just the First Name,Last Name,Middle
> Name,Name,Nickname,E-mail Address),
> edit the .csv file a bit (not touching the 1st line), and
> import the same file using the same Contacts window.
>
> But nothing winds up changed. I even changed the "First Name" and "Name"
> fields to try to get import to add a new user, but that user doesn't show up.
>
> BTW, the problem I'm trying to fix is that after recently installing
> WLEssentials via Microsoft Update, my contacts were ok except that most of
> the e-mail addresses were wiped out. I'm now trying to import them.
>
> Thanks, DougL

If you have less than 1500 contacts...
Use a Live ID...import the csv contacts into that Live ID at calendar.live.com/manage/import
Use the same Live ID to sign on to Windows Live in WLM
- wait for the web to sync downward with WLM and the Live ID(do not interrupt)
- Export the Contacts to Csv in WLM
Sign-off Windows Live(Tools/Options/Connections/Stop Signing In)
Close WLM
Rename or Delete the WLM contacts folders(see below in quoted print)
Open WLM
Import using the csv file you exported above from your Live ID.

<qp>
To rename the WLM Contacts folder in Windows Explorer, one must be able to view it
- To view the 'Windows Live Contacts' folder in Windows Explorer ensure that 'Show hidden files and folders' is checked under
Folder Options in Windows Explorer.

WLM's contacts folder for each operating system are shown below
XP:
%userprofile%\local settings\application data\microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
or
C:\Documents and Settings\[windows logon name]]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts)

Vista or Windows 7:
%localappdata%\microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
or
C:\Users\[windows logon name]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts
</q>



--
...winston
ms-mvp mail

"scrittibear" <> wrote in message news:3225D093-5CF3-4100-9439-...
>
> Same problem - my csv file imports nothing.
>
> Why is there no answer to this problem - ??
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "DougL" wrote:
>
>> When I try to import from a .csv file, nothing happens. What am I doing wrong?
>>
>> I open WLM without signing into WL,
>> open the contacts window,
>> export the contacts (actually just the First Name,Last Name,Middle
>> Name,Name,Nickname,E-mail Address),
>> edit the .csv file a bit (not touching the 1st line), and
>> import the same file using the same Contacts window.
>>
>> But nothing winds up changed. I even changed the "First Name" and "Name"
>> fields to try to get import to add a new user, but that user doesn't show up.
>>
>> BTW, the problem I'm trying to fix is that after recently installing
>> WLEssentials via Microsoft Update, my contacts were ok except that most of
>> the e-mail addresses were wiped out. I'm now trying to import them.
>>
>> Thanks, DougL

Just to point out a couple of potential pitfalls with contacts
export/import:

(A) The 'Name' field is a special one, and it's different in different
circumstances. It is populated by WLMail from the other data entered in the
order as follows (I think ):
1. Nickname, if present
2. One or both of First Name/Last Name (in the order specified at Contacts
> View > Show...)
3. 'Primary' Email address
4. Company name

It shows if you click 'To:' in a message compose window, except that
contacts with no email address won't appear.
You can display the whole list of Names (including those with no email
address) in a Contacts window using View > List and ensuring that the Name
field is visible. Note that the Name on the Summary page of an open contact
window will not necessarily be the same as that shown in the Name field in
List view!

But when you Export, the Name field will not show Nickname and will consist
of 2, 3 or 4.

So if you try and import a contact where there is a conflict between what
is in the Name field in the file you're trying to import and what WLMail
would show there, anything could happen. Moral: don't include the 'Name'
field in an export.

(B) Beware of entries in the Notes field. Carriage returns here might be
interpreted by a spreadsheet (eg. Excel) as record separators, so that the
second and subsequent lines of a Note get moved to the leftmost field on
the next lines. Moral: don't use newline or carriage return in Notes
fields. (There used to be a problem with Notes containing punctuation - eg.
commas - that were the same as the default field separator in a CSV file.
This has, I think, been fixed.)
--
Noel

"scrittibear" <> wrote in message
news:3225D093-5CF3-4100-9439-...
>
> Same problem - my csv file imports nothing.
>
> Why is there no answer to this problem - ??

> "DougL" wrote:
>
>> When I try to import from a .csv file, nothing happens. What am I doing
>> wrong?
>>
>> I open WLM without signing into WL,
>> open the contacts window,
>> export the contacts (actually just the First Name,Last Name,Middle
>> Name,Name,Nickname,E-mail Address),
>> edit the .csv file a bit (not touching the 1st line), and
>> import the same file using the same Contacts window.
>>
>> But nothing winds up changed. I even changed the "First Name" and
>> "Name" fields to try to get import to add a new user, but that user
>> doesn't show up.
>>
>> BTW, the problem I'm trying to fix is that after recently installing
>> WLEssentials via Microsoft Update, my contacts were ok except that most
>> of the e-mail addresses were wiped out. I'm now trying to import them.

I managed to import my Thunderbird contacts in Windows Live Mail in a rather easy way.

1. Export your contacts from Thunderbird and save the file as 'Separated by tab' (txt file)
2. Enter some contacts in Windows Live Mail and export them (CSV file). This is the format Windows Live Mail uses.
3. Open the CSV file in excel.
4. Import the Data of the txt file into the CSV file (Data/From Text), in the wizard choose Dilimited and Tab.
5. Copy and paste the imported data according to the CSV file format and save your file as a CSV.
6. If, after saving, all your data is in one tab, adapt it by Data/Text to Colomns (choose Dilimited/Tab in the Wizard).
7. Import the contacts in Windows Live Mail.