Contacts and data separation

[robertotoole]

I am someone who stores contacts in various data files on the 5mx. I don't like the merged together contacts and prefer putting different sets of contacts into different data files. It's especially important for me as I am a journalist.

I got a program to do a transfer from data to contacts. It was a free one...it allows me to put my data files into the main contacts programme

This is all well and good but is there any way of keeping the separation when you upload into contacts?

Also..on outlook is there a way of SEPARATING contact files (without the obvious use of different search terms)?

I know this is a topic that you have covered before but I am afraid I remain very confused.

Thanks for your help. Would like to echo the sentiment of the 'thanks a million' message.

Regards

[MikeMcC]

You can have multiple 'Contacts' files using a program called "ContactLoader" so that each of your data files could be in its own Contacts file. Have a look at http://pda.tucows.com/epoc/preview/11397.html

The Contacts application will only open a file called Contacts.cdb in the C:\System\Data\ folder so ContactLoader has to rename files so the correctly named one opens.

[diem]

An alternative is DreamConnect, from www.dreamspring.com. This Contacts replacement program allows you to define categories, and assign any given contact to one or more of those categories. A view control allows you to filter the list of contacts being shown.

Its not free, but its quite cheap :), and I find the 'smart find' capability dead useful too.

[netBookBabe]

Hmmm....

Here's my 2 pence-worth - different approach again - why not synch the Psion Data files directly with Outlook? I don't actually use Contacts at all, apart from storing a few e-mail addresses.

You can create folders within Outlook's Personal Folders to match the Data files on the Psion, then just opt for "Psion Data files" instead of "Contacts" when setting up the Outlook synch parameters.

Still within Outlook synch setup, browse to the Psion Data file you want to use and select that, then deselect the "use default Contacts folder" and key in the path to the Outlook folder you want, starting with "Personal Folders\..."

It may be basic, but it works!

There you go - several ideas - 6 pence worth altogether! Let us know what works for you :)

Julie

[felace53]

I use iContacts, an excellent software by www.symbianware.com
You can create several folders to store related iContacts together, e.g. for work contacts and home use.
All folders and iContacts are organised in "tree" structure and you can keep limitless number of subfolders and iContacts in each folder.

Giuseppe

[robertotoole]

Thanks for all suggestions.

Regarding Netbook babe's suggestion -i think this fits my needs most closely as I can simply go from data to outlook.

Can you tell me though how I would do the following thing which netBook babe advised...

"You can create folders within Outlook's Personal Folders to match the Data files on the Psion"

[WolfUK]

In Outlook make sure that the Folders List is visible (View Menu -> Folders List). If you now right-click on the topmost item or on your Contacts folder you will see a menu item called New Folder. Choose this and you can enter a name for the folder, what the folder contains and when you want it to go. Choose Contact Items as the Folder Contains option and click OK. A new folder which can be used to store Contacts items is created. Thus, for example, under your Contacts folder you could create additional folders for Work, Personal, Domestic, etc. Now, when you synchronise your Psion with Outlook you can specify which Data file synchronises with which Outlook folder so your Personal Data file can synchronise with your Personal contacts folder, your Work Data file with your Word contacts folder, etc.

[robertotoole]

This is a response to advice offered in last two posts by NetBook babe and Wolf Uk..if they or anyone else can help...most grateful.

I followed advice above outlined to create a new folder and then try and synch a data file with the folder.

So..after creating a new folder I went to Psion Synchroniser and asked to specify a new task. From this I got Synchronise Contacts and elected to choose my contacts program from the Psion (as opposed to the default) and then searched for the relevant data file on the Psion (exactly as one would do with the Save in word where you just tap the relevant drive)

Then in the bottom section pertaining to where it should go to in Outlook I unchecked 'use default contacts' and tried to specify the folder I had just created. NetBook babe said to write Personal Folders/(the name of my new contacts file which I had created in Outlook). At this point it seems not right because it is not like the above section where I was offered the choice from the menu - i have to literally type in the folder.


Anyway then I tried to synchronise and it started the process and I got the error message Psion synchroniser...Outlook...Failed to open outlook,,,,the specifed folder could not be accessed.'

I know there is nothing wrong with the synchronisation per se...when I have tried putting in contacts in the true contacts programme (not a data file) on the Psion it synchronises fine onto Outlook..

Any help from either of you two, or anyone else much appreciated.



I start the synchronisation and after a few seconds

[WolfUK]

You need to be a little bit careful in specifying the "path" to the Outlook Contacts folder to get the synch to work. For example, if the Contacts folder (in Outlook) is called Extra Contacts and lives in your Personal Folders, you'd specify "Personal Folders\Extra Contacts" (without the quotes) as the Contact folder. If the Contacts folder was a subfolder of your standard Contacts, you'd specify "Personal Folders\Contacts\Extra Contacts" instead.

Does that help at all?

[robertotoole]

re Wolf Uk's response..

Many thanks - you're a star!!

I looked at your response carefully and realised i had been typing / instead of \ !!!!!!

Now works fine.

Thanks again

[WolfUK]

Originally posted by robertotoole
Many thanks - you're a star!!
No problem. I'm glad that Julie and I managed to get your problem fixed.