Email/Address book problem

Hi,

New Mac user (os x 10.6). The transition from pc to mac has been interesting. Sometimes limiting but I am getting there.

One thing I haven't found in the forums and dont really know what to type into google to search for is....

With mac mail, if i try and add an email to the TO:, CC:, BCC: instead of just typing the name of the person in the address book. I have to type the email address. Once I type the first few letters of the email address, it has a drop down with options to choose from.

For example.

If I had a friend called Joe Smith and his email was something completely random like car_man@cars.com, I can't just type Joe and the address book will drop down options for Joe. I have to remember his random email address and type CAR and then it will give me all the emails that have car in it.

Can this be changed so I type their names?

 

that was my first test that I did because I successfully imported my outlook contacts from pc to mac address book.

After that mail didn't recognize the names but it did the email addresses.

So I added a name to the address book via right clicking the email address in the email sent to me and also by manually adding one in address book. Both still only find the contact via email address prediction.

 

Sorry but I don't really understand your reply. I think I get what your getting at.

I will give an example. Joe Smith.

Just say his email is jsmith@blah.com

first time i receive an email from him, i right click his email address at the top of the email and go down to add to address book.

Then I test it by opening a new email, clicking in the TO: section and typing 'Joe'.. It wont find it but if i type 'js' it will find it.

Next I have tried deleting that contact from the address book and opening address book myself. Adding the contact physically through the address book program. Test it, same thing. Only way I can search a name in an email is to open a new email click the address book icon within that email pane and find the user. Which is just another extra step I should have to do.