Sync Android to Thunderbird Address Book

Anmeldedatum: 06.01.2024 Beiträge: 6

I've used MPE to sync my Android phone to Outlook successfully in the past but now I've got a new PC and have to use Thunderbird instead of Outlook. I've imported (with difficulty) addresses from Outlook into Thunderbird as a Personal Address Book and it seems to have stored them in a SQLite database. I'm now struggling to set up sync to this with my android phone. The MPE addon gives me a Sync Phonebook option and it syncs phone with MPE. But how do I get my Thunderbird addresses updated? MPE options are Only MyPhoneExplorer, Windows Contacts, (a trial outlook install), vCard-File (local or network), or internal Sync-Database. Am I missing something?
Any help appreciated.

Verfasst am: Sa Jan 06, 2024 21:28

I too went from Outlook to Thunderbird and it took a bit of experimentation until I ended up being able to sync contacts as I did under Outlook.

I used a 'cloud' account to transfer contacts from OL to Tbird - from memory I finally did it a category at a time so that I had minimal work to do on the TBird side. Not sure which 'cloud' account, probably my Outlook account. I just deleted everything from the 'cloud' afterwards.

On the Tbird side I use the Cardbook extension ... https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/cardbook/ ... and sync with that. With CB installed MPE gives you extra options under the 'Advanced contact settings'. It gives the Cardbook address books in addition to defaults like the Personal Address Book. Within CB I have several address books setup as I also sync the wife's phone/tablet with my copy of TBird and she has different contacts to me, but with a lot of overlap. I also 'categorize' within each address book so that on the phone I can choose which contacts I display, rather than all of them.

Hope that helps.

Moderator Anmeldedatum: 19.04.2014 Beiträge: 15904

Chris Hall hat Folgendes geschrieben:

MPE options are Only MyPhoneExplorer, Windows Contacts, (a trial outlook install), vCard-File (local or network), or internal Sync-Database.

Do you have the add-on installed in Thunderbird => Current MPE add-on for Thunderbird

Anmeldedatum: 06.01.2024 Beiträge: 6

Thanks, dvhttn, I've added the Cardbook extension and imported initial contents. I can't see how to connect the vCard records to sync with the phone. I have MPE Version 2.1 and Settings/Sync/Contacts in its Sync with list has only the same list as before. Should I now be able to find a local *.vcf file somewhere? I've tried searching for one without success.
icke1954 - I do have the MPE Addin and its dropdown (that shows at the top when on the mail tab) includes the option to Sync phonebook but I assume this would use the MPE Settings/Sync/Contacts setting. It wouldn't know what to sync the phone with, would it?

Moderator Anmeldedatum: 19.04.2014 Beiträge: 15904

Ok, I was hoping that you had activated an old add-on and that's why Thunderbird wasn't listed in the MPE settings?!
Your problem is that Thunderbird is not listed under MPE => F2 => Sync => Contacts/Sync with
Please just install MPE 2.1 over it again, maybe the problem will be solved?!

Anmeldedatum: 06.01.2024 Beiträge: 6

Thanks, dvhttn.
I've done as you suggested, first without deleting all MPE's data and when that didn't work I tried again deleting the data, reconnecting the phone and looking at the sync options again. Still no Thunderbird. I'm trying hard to keep my contacts and diary local. Could that be the problem that I'm not syncing Thunderbird with remote data? I wonder how MPE detects the presence of Thunderbird contact list?

Moderator Anmeldedatum: 19.04.2014 Beiträge: 15904

Please contact FJ via Mail directly with a link to this thread=> Impressum

Verfasst am: So Jan 07, 2024 21:05

Chris Hall hat Folgendes geschrieben:

Thanks, dvhttn.
I've done as you suggested, first without deleting all MPE's data and when that didn't work I tried again deleting the data, reconnecting the phone and looking at the sync options again. Still no Thunderbird. I'm trying hard to keep my contacts and diary local. Could that be the problem that I'm not syncing Thunderbird with remote data? I wonder how MPE detects the presence of Thunderbird contact list?

All of mine are local so that's not the problem, I only used the 'cloud' as an aid to transferring my contacts initially.
As for TBird I have the MPE and Cardbook extensions installed and that's it. Very silly question, but the MPE extension is 'enabled'? ....

Verfasst am: Mo Jan 08, 2024 12:50

If Thundebird is not listed in the settings then the common cause is that MyPhoneExplorer is not able to locate the Thunderbird.exe Path. It may help to launch Thunderbird in background when you open the settingswindow of MyPhoneExplorer. In this case MyPhoneExplorer can detect the exe path throught running processes list

Anmeldedatum: 06.01.2024 Beiträge: 6

Thanks, FJ. I bet you're right. I was surprised to find Thunderbird.exe in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\MozillaThunderbird.MZLA_115.6.0.0_x64__h5892qc0xkpca\VFS\ProgramFiles\MZLA Package Root (using task manager). However, MPE still did not show Thunderbird when it was running. Would it help if I reinstalled Thunderbird in, say, C:\Program Files\Mozilla?
(The addIn is enabled with full permissions.)

Moderator Anmeldedatum: 19.04.2014 Beiträge: 15904

Chris Hall hat Folgendes geschrieben:

Would it help if I reinstalled Thunderbird in, say, C:\Program Files\Mozilla?

Thanks for the info.
I would definitely try that, it will probably solve the problem Very Happy

Verfasst am: Mo Jan 08, 2024 17:35

Just checked the source... you are right, the way throught process list is done only for the portable Thunderbrid version. I did not remember right.

MyPhoneExplorer searches Thunderbird first throught Registry:

Code:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\thunderbird.exe

if this key does not exist then he checks the following keys and subkeys:

Code:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Mozilla\Mozilla Thunderbird\...

if there is also no success then he checks if this file exists:

Code:

C:\Program files(x86)\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe

Try with a new installation of Thunderbird. In case you have still no success then there are also other ways to tell MyPhoneExplorer where thundebird is located

Anmeldedatum: 06.01.2024 Beiträge: 6

Brilliant! Thanks for your diligence, FJ. I'll be happy to do another donation when I get this sorted. It could be a while - I'm struggling to find the local data (of which I have a lot) to export and keep safe while I reinstall!
Gezundheit,
Chris

Anmeldedatum: 06.01.2024 Beiträge: 6

Cracked it! I'll see if I can do a post on a Thunderbird forum to warn of installing it from Microsoft Store.
Thanks again to FJ.

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