Address book Names column is scrambled

[Stan_Boelman]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel
Email Client: pop

My problem began when I did a search on a name. From that point on, my Names column doesn't list in alpha/numeric order.

For example, I have groups labelled #01 and on. These are normally listed in order first and then followed by names in alphabetical order by last name (though the names are displayed as First Name Last Name). Since I did the search, the Names column lists the groups first but not in numerical order, followed by names but not in alphabetical order. Names seem to be grouped by their beginning letter but that is about where it finishes.

What has happened? I would attach a screen shot if it is helpful but I don't see that possibility here.

Stan

 

[Adam Bailey]

For example, I have groups labelled #01 and on. These are normally listed in
order first and then followed by names in alphabetical order by last name
(though the names are displayed as First Name Last Name). Since I did the
search, the Names column lists the groups first but not in numerical order,
followed by names but not in alphabetical order. Names seem to be grouped by
their beginning letter but that is about where it finishes.

You can force a re-sort by clicking on the column heading by which you
want to sort. Click it again to reverse the sort.

 

[Stan Boelman]

Adam;

I've tried the clicking on the column thing. No good. Well, it did manage
to organise one or two group names but that is all. And I also checked my
desktop version just to see if I had somehow managed to mess up the tool bar
but I can see no visible difference.

As for multi-posting; I'm not sure how that happened. I went to the
Mactopia/Microsoft site for help and posted something there as well as here
in this forum. If they are the same people I wasn't aware. So I have no
idea why there were two copies there.

Bottom line; how do I fix this? Is this a need to rebuild the database? Or
should I export the address book from my desktop and replace it on my
laptop?

Stan

 

[Stan Boelman]

Adam;

I just saw your post to someone recommending moving the whole data folder.
That is my common practise as well. From that, do I take it that just
moving or exporting/importing the address book from my desktop wouldn't be a
good idea?

The reason I ask that is that my desktop (the correct address book) version
is out of date in terms of email traffic. If I move that database folder, I
lose the email traffic that is currently on my laptop (the one with the
offending address book).

Stan

 

[Diane Ross]

(though the names are displayed as First Name Last Name). Since I did the
search, the Names column lists the groups first but not in numerical order,
followed by names but not in alphabetical order. Names seem to be grouped by
their beginning letter but that is about where it finishes.

Just to be clear...you added the columns First Name and Last Name. IT comes
default as just Name column. I would remove that column and add the two
individual columns.

What has happened? I would attach a screen shot if it is helpful but I don't
see that possibility here.

You can post a screenshot link using a service like ImageShack. ImageShack
is an easy-to-use free media hosting service. It can be used to upload
images. Registration is not required in order to upload files.

ImageShack® - Image Hosting <http://imageshack.us/>

How To Post Screen Shots To Newsgroups

1. On your keyboard, press Command-Shift-4.
2. On your keyboard, press the space bar.
3. Click the window you want. A picture file will appear on the desktop.
4. Go to http://imageshack.us/.
5. Click Browse, then navigate to and select the picture file.
6. Click "host it!".
7. Paste the "Show image to friends" URL in a newsgroup message.

 

[Stan Boelman]

Just to be clear...you added the columns First Name and Last Name. IT comes
default as just Name column. I would remove that column and add the two
individual columns.

Diane;

Yes, I have/can add the First Name and Last Name columns and they are
organised as they should be. That doesn't fix the problem of the Names
column however.

On your suggestion of image shack, I am confused. Is that so that you can
access an image that I want to show you? I have tried to attach an image to
this forum post but it doesn't seem to like it as my initial response to
your last one has not arrived yet. If I put it on imageshack, you can see
it?

Someone out there help, this is going nowhere and I have yet to get anything
definitive. I did check the integrity of my database and it is fine. Is it
wise to try to export the address book from my desktop and then replace the
one in my laptop?

Stan

 

[Diane Ross]

If I put it on imageshack, you can see
it?

Yes, you just need to post the link for the image.

 

[Stan Boelman]

Hi again;

OK, I can now tell you how my Names column is scrambled but not why. I just
did a test and noticed that when I have modified or worked in either a group
or an individual entry, it gets moved up the ladder. For example, in the
groups (listed at the top of the Names column), they should be listed as
#01,#02, etc. but recently got scrambled to read: #01,#05,#03,#04,#02, etc.

Just now I modified group #02 and it is now listed in order behind #01.
Like wise, I noticed that an individual entry that I just changed has now
move out of its order to a higher position.

What is happening is that the Names column is linking any modification I
make to an entry with its position in the column. This instead of using
alpha numeric order.

Is there some kind of prefs selection I have changed?

Stan

 

[Adam Bailey]

What is happening is that the Names column is linking any modification I
make to an entry with its position in the column. This instead of using
alpha numeric order.

Is there some kind of prefs selection I have changed?

No, and I'm still not convinced you're seeing what you think you're
seeing. Have you tried repeatedly clicking the Name field to change the
sort? Click it 5 or 6 times.

 

[Stan_Boelman]

No, and I'm still not convinced you're seeing what you think you're seeing. Have you tried repeatedly clicking the Name field to change the sort? Click it 5 or 6 times.

Mate; what is that supposed to mean?

What I am seeing is that the Names column doesn't list the names and groups in alpha numeric order. In other words the groups are at the top like they should be but their order doesn't go from 1-10. And when I modified one group as a test case, its order moved up back to the proper order. Group 02 had been down lower than, say, 05 in the order and when I opened that group and made a change it had moved up to its original position between groups 1 and 3.

The same was noticed with a couple individual entries. In fact, that was when I saw what was happening as a name I had modified was now showing higher up.

Click it 5 or 6 times?? Try 20-30 times.

Stan

 

[Adam Bailey]

No, and I'm still not convinced you're seeing what you think you're seeing.
Have you tried repeatedly clicking the Name field to change the sort? Click
it 5 or 6 times.

Mate; what is that supposed to mean?[/QUOTE]

Alphabetizing from a-z is a fairly simple concept. If your Entourage is
incapable of alphabetizing, it suggests some pretty serious corruption.
Have you tried creating a new Identity?

Conversely, Entourage is capable of sorting a list by Last Modified. If
your list is sorting in this manner, I want to make absolutely sure
that you're sorting by what you think you're sorting.

 

[Stan_Boelman]

Have you tried creating a new Identity?

Ouch. I found that a pain the last time. I remember struggling to make sure all the data or stuff moved from one to another. I may be making it more complicated than it is but I found that to be rather problematic.

Conversely, Entourage is capable of sorting a list by Last Modified. If your list is sorting in this manner, I want to make absolutely sure that you're sorting by what you think you're sorting.

So Entourage CAN sort a list by Last Modified? Where do I look for that? I think that is the issue.

Stan

 

[Adam Bailey]

Have you tried creating a new Identity?

Ouch. I found that a pain the last time. I remember struggling to make sure
all the data or stuff moved from one to another. I may be making it more
complicated than it is but I found that to be rather problematic.[/QUOTE]

Just try it, just to see if there's corruption. You don't need to move
everything over right now - move over a handful of contacts and see if
they sort correctly.

So Entourage CAN sort a list by Last Modified? Where do I look for that? I
think that is the issue.

I misspoke, Entourage won't sort by Last Modified although you can use
a Saved Search to force it to show contacts modified within a certain
period.

Have you tried sorting by other columns? Does *any* sort work?

 

[Stan Boelman]

Dianne;

Just an update first and then I will tell you that I just uploaded to
imageshack a jpg of my address book as it stands currently. I am not sure
how you access it; the url is:

http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=addressbookrearranged.png]

[/URL
]

What you will see is that the groups at the top are out of order, or at
least a couple are, and that the names are also not following alphabetical
order.

To be specific, you will note that Tim Boelman is at the top of the names;
this because I just modified his account. After that, the names do run
alphabetically but start at the K or L and run down until they get to Z;
after that the A's on down start up. So the Names column has broken the
alphabet in half and moved the lower half to the top of the Names column
following the groups listed.

If the only answer is a new identity I will grudgingly do it but the last
time I found it problematic to get emails and stuff accurately reflected.

Yours,

Stan

 

[Adam Bailey]

What you will see is that the groups at the top are out of order, or at
least a couple are, and that the names are also not following alphabetical
order.

I'm not seeing this. Boelman correctly come before Burns, then I see
the Cs an E an F a G two Ks an L and three Ms.

All of the groups are in numerical order as well - with the exception
of 4 and 5. That's the only anomaly I see on your screenshot, and it
could be an invisible character hidden in there somewhere. Have you
tried just retyping those two?

Note that sorting by the "Name" column actually sorts by the Last Name.

 

[Ed Kimball]

Dianne;

Just an update first and then I will tell you that I just uploaded to
imageshack a jpg of my address book as it stands currently. I am not sure
how you access it; the url is:

http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=addressbookrearranged.png]

[/URL
]

What you will see is that the groups at the top are out of order, or at
least a couple are, and that the names are also not following alphabetical
order.

To be specific, you will note that Tim Boelman is at the top of the names;
this because I just modified his account. After that, the names do run
alphabetically but start at the K or L and run down until they get to Z;
after that the A's on down start up. So the Names column has broken the
alphabet in half and moved the lower half to the top of the Names column
following the groups listed.

If the only answer is a new identity I will grudgingly do it but the last
time I found it problematic to get emails and stuff accurately reflected.

Yours,

Stan

Stan,
I looked at your image and I don't see anything out of order. The "Name"
sort is arranged by last name and then first name, and that's exactly how
the items are listed in your image. Can you post something that actually
shows contacts out of order?

 

[Stan_Boelman]

Ed,

Did you notice that the groups start out as #01 and go #02, #03, #05, #04? Last time I checked 4 is supposed to come after 3.

Also, the names should start in alphabetical order in that column, list them by their first name and last name but putting them in order of their last name. There are loads of A's that should come before Tim Boelmand and a lot of names that should follow before getting to Kittleson as the picture shows. Tim Boelman was NOT at the top of that list until I modified it this morning.

I'm unable to give you a full picture of the entire column but trust me, the names are list in alphabetical order BUT not in a complete sequence from A to Z. Rather it goes from K to Z, followed by A to J.

Stan

 

[Stan_Boelman]

OK, try this url for another image. You will see that the alphabetical listing of names finishes with the Y's, etc and then starts with the A's.

The correct way that the Names column should list is from the groups to the individuals, starting with A to Z or vice versa, not with Tim Boelman, followed by the Ks as in Paul Katsion and Jeane Knapp. Like I said, Tim Boelman's name was NOT there until I modified his address today. The column is somehow indexing according to modifications made.

<http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=addressbookrearranged.png]>

By the way, for what it's worth, I'm not impressed with imageshack; who's idea was it to use this service? I'm logged in for two minute and already getting spam about living legally in the States. Nasty.

I'm sorry if I sound a bit testy, folks, but this has gone on for weeks now and it seems that no one understands what I'm writing. It's frustrating. Then when I do post an image, no one has seen the significance of a group that is out of order. And no, I didn't alter those labels to create a break in the sequence.

Just to say it again, something is wrong with the Names column. It should be listing the groups first in numerical order but doesn't. It should then start the alphabet with the A's but doesn't. Rather, it lists a few names out of order and then proceeds to start the alphabet with or around the letter K and finishes with the end of the alphabet before restarting with the A's and going to around the letter J.

Stan

 

[Diane Ross]

Did you notice that the groups start out as #01 and go #02, #03, #05, #04?
Last time I checked 4 is supposed to come after 3.

I wasn't able to view your photo. Do you have both Last Name and First Name
columns? Using the default "names" column is confusing. It lists by last
name but shows up as first, last.

Entourage 2008 has the ability to show First Name and Last Name. see

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/ng_views/column_view.html>

 

[Diane Ross]

OK, try this url for another image. You will see that the alphabetical listing
of names finishes with the Y's, etc and then starts with the A's.

This one worked.

My first suggestion is to uncheck "Names" it's just confusing you. It's
certainly redundant when you have "first name" and "last name column" added.

If you look at the names column it does as I explained before, it's lists
first name then last name, but sorts by last name.

Let's take Tim Boelman. Under Names it's sorting first. The "B" is sorting
BEFORE Burns. Just because it shows Tim at the beginning it's confusing.

You need to edit your name fields because you have two names listed in one
contact.(Reta & Marcia Burns & Kettleson) I see several that are company
names that are in the Names field.

You'll note in the column header. Name is selected. They are sorting by name
and not by modified date.

One thing I do not see and is a key part of Entourage is categories. Each
contact should be in a category. If you assign the category "group" to each
group, then you can easily find your groups and nothing else.

Note: Entourage does not export groups, you should add each contact to your
Address Book and assign them a category to match the group. This way you can
export just a group or recreate a group in the future. For example:

Each contact in The Flock group, would be assigned a category "Group: The
Flock" or "Group: Flock". Contacts can have multiple categories assigned.

If you assign the category family to all your contacts that are family, then
you can create a rule

If in category Family
Move to folder "family"

No matter what address they use, mail they send to you will go to that
folder.

By the way, for what it's worth, I'm not impressed with imageshack; who's idea
was it to use this service? I'm logged in for two minute and already getting
spam about living legally in the States. Nasty.

It's just one of the free services out there. When you can't post on the
list, then we use what's available.

I'm sorry if I sound a bit testy, folks, but this has gone on for weeks now
and it seems that no one understands what I'm writing. It's frustrating. Then
when I do post an image, no one has seen the significance of a group that is
out of order. And no, I didn't alter those labels to create a break in the
sequence.

Not sure why the #01-#12 are not listed in order. Personally I would rather
see my groups listed by name and not the number of the group. I start all my
groups with the name "group" then they sort by name of group after that.
Having Future Intermissions before Juniors Governors is just the type of
alphabetical order you are asking for in your other contacts.

Hope this helps!