Mail Contacts messed up. Help Please!

[Reality4711]

Simply put my contacts are messed up.
So.

1- How do I delete them all to start again?
2 - What file type should Import the new list in?

By messed up I mean, the imported list has no email addresses included and I cannot see a way to remove the list so I can try to import again. Never had anything like this before. DUH!

Thank you

[wrldwzrd89]

To fix corrupted contacts, you must go into Macintosh HD -> Users -> username -> Library -> Application Support -> Address Book (or Contacts if you're running Mountain Lion) via the Finder. Note that since Lion, the Library folder is hidden. Getting to it isn't that hard: Invoke Finder's Go To Folder... feature and type this at the prompt that appears:

~/Library

Click OK. You'll be sent to your user Library. From there you can navigate further.

Anyway, once you're in that folder you'll see some stuff in there. One of those files is your contacts database (its extension starts with .ab). Move that file elsewhere (while Address Book / Contacts is NOT running!) and restart Address Book / Contacts. You should now have a blank slate. If this did NOT work, quit Address Book / Contacts and move the file back.

[Reality4711]

Unfortunately the above did not work.

Is there a way of deleting my contacts Please.

From 'mail' and the contacts book.

Quite desperate now }-(

Thank You

[wrldwzrd89]

Originally Posted by Reality4711

Unfortunately the above did not work.

Is there a way of deleting my contacts Please.

From 'mail' and the contacts book.

Quite desperate now }-(

Thank You

Back to the same folder, just blow away the whole AddressBook folder inside Application Support. That WILL work.

[chown33]

Originally Posted by wrldwzrd89

To fix corrupted contacts, you must go into Macintosh HD -> Users -> username -> Library -> Application Support -> Address Book (or Contacts if you're running Mountain Lion) via the Finder. Note that since Lion, the Library folder is hidden. Getting to it isn't that hard: Invoke Finder's Go To Folder... feature and type this at the prompt that appears:

~/Library

Click OK. You'll be sent to your user Library. From there you can navigate further.

Simpler:
1. In Finder, click the Go menu.
2. Observe the menu drops down.
3. Press the OPTION / ALT key on the keyboard.
4. The "Library" menu item appears.
5. Choose it.

[wrldwzrd89]

Originally Posted by chown33

Simpler:
1. In Finder, click the Go menu.
2. Observe the menu drops down.
3. Press the OPTION / ALT key on the keyboard.
4. The "Library" menu item appears.
5. Choose it.

I didn't know about that little trick. Thanks!

That being said, I'll still use "Go To Folder" for going to /var/folders to look at temporary stuff, since I'm a developer and I need to check such things.

[chown33]

Originally Posted by wrldwzrd89

That being said, I'll still use "Go To Folder" for going to /var/folders to look at temporary stuff, since I'm a developer and I need to check such things.

Agreed.