Duplicate contacts from mail, WhatsApp, Linkedin, etc

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fredp
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:55 pm

Duplicate contacts from mail, WhatsApp, Linkedin, etc

Post by fredp »

I have a Galaxy 7 Android version 6.0.1, syncing with Thunderbird 45.3.0

The Samsung Contacts app combines all information from the different apps, e.g., mail, Gmail, WhatsApp, Linkedin, etc. into one contact entry - which is ok with me.

I have set the birdiesync to sync the Samsung address book to a named "personal address book" in TB mail. Everything syncs, with one major issue. I get multiple entries for my contacts in TB.

I have tried combining in TB, turning off the auto sync on the Samsung, deleting the TB address book and recreating from the Samsung. Nothing seems to fix

When I delete the dup contacts in TB, birdiesync very nicely recreates them for me.

I can live with this, but I really don't want to

Birdy
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Posts: 3118
Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:43 am
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Re: Duplicate contacts from mail, WhatsApp, Linkedin, etc

Post by Birdy »

Hello fredp,

BirdieSync individually synchronizes each contact present in an Android account. It means that if you have a contact John Doe present in WhatsApp and local Device account on Android, BirdieSync may synchronize 2 contacts (one for each account), even if Android aggregates these 2 contacts in the Contact app so that only one contact is displayed.

Now the question is to know which virtual address book mode you chose for your Android device. If you have one unique "Address book" displayed in the Android address book list, it means that this address book contains all contacts present on the Android device in all Android accounts. So if you synchronize a contact John Doe which appears in WhatsApp, LinkedIn and the local Device account, you'll have duplicates in Thunderbird "Personal Address Book".

To avoid this problem, it is rather recommended to use virtual address books based on accounts. This way, you can synchronize one unique Android account (local Device account (vnd.sec.contact.phone) for instance) with "Personal address book" in Thunderbird.

If you are interested in synchronizing only vnd.sec.contact.phone account (local Device account) with "Personal address book" in Thunderbird:

Before any operation, I STRONGLY suggest you to backup your data as mentioned in this FAQ topic:
http://www.birdiesync.com/how-can-i-backup-my-data

If you wish to change your virtual address book mode to account mode:

- Select BirdieSync Configuration view in BirdieSync main window on the PC
- Select your Android source in "Sources" column
- Select "Contacts" in "Contents" column
- Above the address book list, on the left, click on the gear button to open the Address book configuration
- Select "Each contact account represents an address book"
- Press OK
(If you need more information, open BirdieSync help (menu Help/Help) and refer to section "Configuration/Folder configuration)

You'll then have one address book for each Android account ("vnd.sec.contact.phone", WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Gmail, etc.)
You may then check the content of each address book by selecting it and checking the preview of items window on the right.

If you wish to synchronize the local Device account ("vnd.sec.contact.phone") with "Personal address book" in Thunderbird, they need to be both set as Main since they have different names (usually only address books with identical names are synchronized together, but address books set as Main are also synchronized together)

- Ensure that "vnd.sec.contact.phone" is set as Main: in the address book list, in the Status column, you should see a little house icon. If not, select this address book and above the address book list, on the right, click on the gear button and select menu "Set address book as Main".
- In the same way, ensure that Thunderbird "Personal address book" is also set as Main (after having selected Thunderbird source and Contacts)
- Then set ON "vnd.sec.contact.phone" and "Personal Address Book".
This way, "vnd.sec.contact.phone" on Android should be synchronized with "Personal address book" in Thunderbird.
(If you need more information, open BirdieSync help (menu Help/Help) and refer to section "Configuration/Folder matching)

Now since your "Personal Address Book" in Thunderbird should contain all Android contacts with duplicates, you may want to replace them with the content of Android account "vnd.sec.contact.phone".

If you wish to replace the content of "Personal address book in Thunderbird":
CAUTION: This will remove contacts in Thunderbird "Personal address book" at next synchronization.
- Select Thunderbird source in "Sources" column
- Select "Contacts" in "Contents" column
- Select "Personal Address Book" in address book list
- Above the address book list, on the right, click on the button with the circular arrow with the point and select "Replace this address book with address book from other sources".
(If you need more information, open BirdieSync help (menu Help/Help) and refer to section "Configuration/Synchronization mode)

Before launching the synchronization, ensure that the preview of operations before synchronization is enabled: use menu File/Preview options (the option must be checked in blue), or the "Preview operations" icon on the right of the main synchronization progress bar (the button is COLORED if the preview is enabled)

Launch the synchronization and check in the preview window that the operations to be performed suit your needs. If not cancel the synchronization.
Birdy

fredp
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 1:55 pm

Re: Duplicate contacts from mail, WhatsApp, Linkedin, etc

Post by fredp »

Birdy,
Wow!
First, thank you for taking the time to detail out the steps, especially the warning about backups. Didn't need the backups, but always a really good reminder.

I thought I had understood the differences between the different types of accounts, but obviously not. Your explanation was spot on.

All went exactly as you described it would. I now have a address book that syncs very nicely between the PC and the mobile, and I can sync my other accounts without fear of crapping up everything.

Life is good. :D
Many thanks

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