Porting Address Book to new MacBook

[Mr. Monsieur]

Hey folks!

I saved all of my user files (library, etc.) from my old iBook to an external drive and am now uploading those files onto my new MacBook. My Address Book files don't seem to have transferred, however.
I called Apple Support and they told me that unless I exported the contacts, they would not have been saved to my user files. I've had mixed results with Apple Support, so I thought I'd bring in the big guns...the MacRumors community.
Can anyone confirm that what Apple Support said is true? If so, shame on you, Apple! This data should be saved automatically somewhere, as with iTunes, etc., etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[26139]

Nooo....

Address Book contacts are saved in the user library>preferences>application support>address book.

Either copy that file over, sync with .Mac, sync with an iSync compatible device or use migration assistant (which is obviously what apple would like us to do).

It's frustrating, sure, but unless you know what you're doing, it's always a good idea to use the software provided.

 

[Mr. Monsieur]

Argh.

Hmmm...are you sure it's not:

Library>Application Support>Address Book

?

The location you provided doesn't exist on my computer! I think I'm up a creek either way, however...I just want to make sure that I'm up a creek before I start repopulating my Address Book (I'm *not* happy about this, Apple...not happy at all...)

 

[26139]

Hmmm...are you sure it's not:

Library>Application Support>Address Book

?

The location you provided doesn't exist on my computer! I think I'm up a creek either way, however...I just want to make sure that I'm up a creek before I start repopulating my Address Book (I'm *not* happy about this, Apple...not happy at all...)

Sorry, you're right. Did you erase your other computer already?

 

[aross99]

They should definitely be in the Library folder in your User folder, as you have described. If you have your FULL Library folder from your user folder on your old computer, you should be able to copy them over...

Are you sure you have your full Library folder?

 

[Mr. Monsieur]

:-(

Did you erase your other computer already?

Sigh. Sadly, yes...it's sold and gone...

Are you sure you have your full Library folder?

Well I dragged and dropped it onto my hard drive, so I'm assuming that the file transferred. I'm having the same problem with iCal, I've just discovered. I've got a feeling that Apple simply did not program autosave into Address Book and iCal in Panther (which I was running on my iBook). How is that even possible, though? Inconceivable. Argh.

 

[aross99]

I double checked on my MBP today, and my address book is in User Folder/Library/Application Support/AddressBook.

You don't have an "AddressBook" folder?

 

[26139]

Sigh. Sadly, yes...it's sold and gone...



Well I dragged and dropped it onto my hard drive, so I'm assuming that the file transferred. I'm having the same problem with iCal, I've just discovered. I've got a feeling that Apple simply did not program autosave into Address Book and iCal in Panther (which I was running on my iBook). How is that even possible, though? Inconceivable. Argh.

If you copied your user>library folder over, you're fine.

And you realize that Apple made migration assistant for a REASON, correct?

 

[Mr. Monsieur]

hmmm...

I double checked on my MBP today, and my address book is in User Folder/Library/Application Support/AddressBook.

You don't have an "AddressBook" folder?

Yes...I do...and I did save this folder from my iBook...the question, then, is what is the name of the file? I have (I believe) replaced all of the files in this folder with my old files from my iBook. Is the file named "AddressBook.data"? There's also "AddressBook.data.previous" and "AddressBook.data.beforesave." And, in fact, there are a number of other files as well!

And you realize that Apple made migration assistant for a REASON, correct?

Yes...yes...a great idea...sadly, I don't believe that Panther included migration assistant...or did it?

 

[aross99]

I would copy the whole folder. Make sure you save the one that is there, just incase the old one doesn't work...

NOt sure it will work if you changed OS versions between computers..

 

[Mr. Monsieur]

It worked! iCal suggestion?

I would copy the whole folder. Make sure you save the one that is there, just incase the old one doesn't work...

NOt sure it will work if you changed OS versions between computers..

THANK YOU! Yep...that did it. I was tempted to do that initially, but I was concerned that I might be deleting something necessary to the Leopard version of Address Book. Whew...very happy camper here.

I know I should probably start a new thread for this one...but do either of you guys know what I should do to port my iCal info over? I just tried the same thing that I had done with Address Book, but it didn't work. My iCal is less populated, so I'm not *too* concerned if I can't get it over...