Exporting AND SYNCING contacts stored on phone to google - Android Software/Hacking General [Developers Only]

I've contacts that are stored on the 'Phone'. Is there some way to copy AND SYNC them in future with Google And Microsoft Exchange Activesync(Hotmail) ? Is there any app which does this ?

Any help guys ? Of late , xda doesn't seem to be providing me with some useful solutions :-(

And here we are , bumping once more.

Hi looks like you need help.
Well, I'd say there's not much in terms of apps that I know of that can do this all in one go (if anyone finds one, post it? If i find one, ill post it too), but I do know of a pretty simple way to do it:
1.) Using the built-in Contacts app or whatever other app that you want, export the CVS/vCard file of your current address book for your phone into your SD card.
2.) From here, upload it to your Gmail by either throwing the file into your computer and loading the file from your harddrive to their servers, or just do it through the mobile browser (if you have problems with the mobile website since I haven't tried this myself, try using Dolphin Browser HD definitely a great app)
3.) Viola! Everything should be synced and in order
It's true that this is not a one-click solution to your problem. There is one for HTC phones built into their ROM, but it has a bug which prevents syncing if you have the birthday field filled out or something like that. If you could tell me what phone it is, maybe I can help a bit more. In the meanwhile, I'll look for some apps. If you could make do with this for now, you should be good to go (though 3 clicks isn't really all that bad )
-EDIT- Forgot to mention, you can also use that CVS/vCard file and easily just dump it into Outlook. Another 2 clicks, but it ain't so bad now, is it?
-EDIT2- Well, after a few more searches, it seems that Google is supposed to auto sync contacts 2-way on all phones with their gmail accounts associated with the device. I don't know if they apply to contacts you've gotten through Facebook, but it does seem to work for the most part. As for the ActiveExchange thingy, I think this app might suffice if you're willing to shell out a small bit of money: http://www.androidtapp.com/exchange-by-touchdown/ Didn't test the app myself, so ask around first and read up on it (Google ).
If you're willing to shell out a good amount of money (hefty 25 buckaroos), here's a supposedly good app: http://www.tgdaily.com/mobility-fea...-of-corporate-exchange-contacts-and-calendars
IMHO, if i were you, I would just stick to the whole 5 step process. Not sure if the ActiveExchange can accept vCards/CVS (never had to use it), but you save yourself 25 or so bucks. But, that's just my two cents on it. Your choice
~jojojohnson7410

Hey thanks for your help first off
I've a HTC Legend.
Ok , I get your point. If I sync it with GMail , will ALL the alternate contact numbers , group info , Facebook Profile pics , their birth dates be synced ?

abhishek_turbo911 said:
Hey thanks for your help first off
I've a HTC Legend.
Ok , I get your point. If I sync it with GMail , will ALL the alternate contact numbers , group info , Facebook Profile pics , their birth dates be synced ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have an HTC phone, so the contacts and stuff SHOULD be synced with your HTC account/google account too. Just in case, I'd double-check right now.
As for if it will back up ALL that stuff, the answer is yes. This is because vCards and CVS are able to handle various amount of data, so it should also be recognize by Google, at the very least (but its standard so it should also work with Outlook/whatever other program). The only thing that won't be synced is the facebook pictures only because they can change, but if you were to add your facebook account to your phone, it will automatically take care of this, so you shouldn't have to worry about it.
As usual, if you're willing to shell out a bit of cash, here's a solution to your FB photo problem. Hope everything works out for you
~jojojohnson7410

jojojohnson7410 said:
You have an HTC phone, so the contacts and stuff SHOULD be synced with your HTC account/google account too. Just in case, I'd double-check right now.
As for if it will back up ALL that stuff, the answer is yes. This is because vCards and CVS are able to handle various amount of data, so it should also be recognize by Google, at the very least (but its standard so it should also work with Outlook/whatever other program). The only thing that won't be synced is the facebook pictures only because they can change, but if you were to add your facebook account to your phone, it will automatically take care of this, so you shouldn't have to worry about it.
As usual, if you're willing to shell out a bit of cash, here's a solution to your FB photo problem. Hope everything works out for you
~jojojohnson7410
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will not be using Outlook , firstly. No , the contacts are not synced with the GMail (Google Account). I am under the presumption that only contacts SAVED on Google Account can be synced. Since they are saved on the phone memory ... I don;t know. But please enlighten me.

abhishek_turbo911 said:
I will not be using Outlook , firstly. No , the contacts are not synced with the GMail (Google Account). I am under the presumption that only contacts SAVED on Google Account can be synced. Since they are saved on the phone memory ... I don;t know. But please enlighten me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, well, if you check it out here, you'll find the thing you might need for the corporate sync since you're not using Outlook (my bad. like i said, don't use it too much) and if this link doesn't work, you might need an update then.
As for the Google sync problem, I did a bit of researching. Apparently, its 2-way syncing, but like you probably noticed, it's not doing so hot. After fooling around for a bit, I finally got it to work pretty well. Apparently, you need a couple of conditions set in place in order for it to work nicely:
1.) Have the GMail app and set it to use your default email
2.) Make sure that under Accounts > [email protected] settings, you check sync next to Contacts (and if it still doesn't work, then try also syncing GMail.)
3.) If your phone has a Battery Manager (mine does) make sure that the setting you choose does not put restrictions on sync! (if it does, then you'll see a lag between syncs. For me, it was 15 minutes)
Thanks to Darth_Penguin for the first two tips.
Last but not least, the strangest thing I've encountered yet: Export your phone contact's list and import it into Gmail at LEAST once. Here's the reason why:
It seems that Google is syncing your contacts that you make. It works very well and doesn't seem to have a hitch pulling stuff that you have on your contacts book. However, there's a flaw: it doesn't play so nicely with Facebook. Most of us have Facebook synced onto our devices and we forget about that. It's true most of our contacts aren't in our gmail, but that's because we never had all of those FB friends names in our gmail either. That's why it seems it's not syncing right. if you want it to, I would suggest this: Import your entire contacts into your SD card through the menu button in your Contacts program, then export it out. Sync that file with Gmail, and you should be good to go. Sometimes, we sync it to Facebook, but it doesn't mean it'll sync to Gmail. Haven't tested out whether or not you'll end up with doubles, but i'll update if i get a chance (planning out beach day!) =D let me know how it goes for you (but that should work. In the odd chance it doesn't, at least we've tried something)
Good luck!
~jojojohnson7410

jojojohnson7410 said:
Okay, well, if you check it out here, you'll find the thing you might need for the corporate sync since you're not using Outlook (my bad. like i said, don't use it too much) and if this link doesn't work, you might need an update then.
As for the Google sync problem, I did a bit of researching. Apparently, its 2-way syncing, but like you probably noticed, it's not doing so hot. After fooling around for a bit, I finally got it to work pretty well. Apparently, you need a couple of conditions set in place in order for it to work nicely:
1.) Have the GMail app and set it to use your default email
2.) Make sure that under Accounts > [email protected] settings, you check sync next to Contacts (and if it still doesn't work, then try also syncing GMail.)
3.) If your phone has a Battery Manager (mine does) make sure that the setting you choose does not put restrictions on sync! (if it does, then you'll see a lag between syncs. For me, it was 15 minutes)
Thanks to Darth_Penguin for the first two tips.
Last but not least, the strangest thing I've encountered yet: Export your phone contact's list and import it into Gmail at LEAST once. Here's the reason why:
It seems that Google is syncing your contacts that you make. It works very well and doesn't seem to have a hitch pulling stuff that you have on your contacts book. However, there's a flaw: it doesn't play so nicely with Facebook. Most of us have Facebook synced onto our devices and we forget about that. It's true most of our contacts aren't in our gmail, but that's because we never had all of those FB friends names in our gmail either. That's why it seems it's not syncing right. if you want it to, I would suggest this: Import your entire contacts into your SD card through the menu button in your Contacts program, then export it out. Sync that file with Gmail, and you should be good to go. Sometimes, we sync it to Facebook, but it doesn't mean it'll sync to Gmail. Haven't tested out whether or not you'll end up with doubles, but i'll update if i get a chance (planning out beach day!) =D let me know how it goes for you (but that should work. In the odd chance it doesn't, at least we've tried something)
Good luck!
~jojojohnson7410
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, the top most segment does not work. I have tried the last para. Here's what I did,
1. I imported the contacts to my gmail account by the vcf file.
2. All my contacts have come up but not their profile pic
3. Now what ? I did'nt understand this segment.
" Sync that file with Gmail, and you should be good to go. Sometimes, we sync it to Facebook, but it doesn't mean it'll sync to Gmail. Haven't tested out whether or not you'll end up with doubles, but i'll update if i get a chance (planning out beach day!) =D let me know how it goes for you (but that should work. In the odd chance it doesn't, at least we've tried something)"
ALSO, now if I want to 'sync' do I always have to do this way of exporting the vcf file ?

Okay the reason why you don't have the profile pics are because those don't get saved into the vcf files. Only textual data. The pictures came from facebook and unless you use an app or program or service, you can only get the pictures synced to your contacts by syncing with facebook. And as for the loading the vcf, you only need to do this once to sync all contacts from across all your services (facebook, gmail, etc.). So long as you only add contacts through your contacts app, you should have no problems with your gmail.
however, do note that if another third party app/service syncs in a new contact for you (e.g. Facebook), it will NOT sync with gmail as they don't support third party companies. If it's a problem, either sync your device with your third party company (e.g. Facebook) our just do the vcf trick I taught you every once in a while to synchronize all your services/contacts
~ jojojohnson7410
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App

Related

Facebook.

Has anybody else been having issues with the built in Facebook app on Nexus? Every time I try to retrieve notifications I get an error telling me it cannot retrieve.
Getting the same issue. Uninstalled using root explorer and tried reinstalling - no dice. The other version was from the Droid dump.
I wasn't ever able to get notifications working on my MT3G on the Facebook app.
Yes, I think it is some bug Google didn't quite work out before the release. I emailed them and got the standard response that they are aware of the problems...ie facebook...ie...polar clock dynamic color...and is working on it! Let's see how long they take to get it fixed!
I am having exactly the same problem with the facebook app on my hero. Its not a phone specific problem here, but either a facebook issue or an issue with the app itself.
It worked fine on my MT3G, just not so great on the N1 hopefully a patch rolls out soon
works on my N1
Facebook- Synced Contacts Name Issue
After syncing Facebook contacts with phone contacts, it changes the name of the contact to whatever it is in Facebook and 'overrules' whatever other name you have in phone.
I.e.- if you have your dad saved as 'Dad' in your phone and sync with his Facebook contact, it will overrule the name 'Dad' in your phone and display it as his full name a la his Facebook name.
This is ANNOYING as who searches parents by full name?? and others of course.....
Any help??
I don't like this either... there needs to be an option in the settings to make Gmail contacts the dominant/controlling information.
Eager for a solution to this.
lp1527 said:
After syncing Facebook contacts with phone contacts, it changes the name of the contact to whatever it is in Facebook and 'overrules' whatever other name you have in phone.
I.e.- if you have your dad saved as 'Dad' in your phone and sync with his Facebook contact, it will overrule the name 'Dad' in your phone and display it as his full name a la his Facebook name.
This is ANNOYING as who searches parents by full name?? and others of course.....
Any help??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im still trying to figure out how to sync facebook with my contacts. can you help me figure that out? no ones nexus really came with a manual lol.
Yeah...found out about this the hard way too Oh well..now I have no idea who is who in my phone.
RussianSolja said:
im still trying to figure out how to sync facebook with my contacts. can you help me figure that out? no ones nexus really came with a manual lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go into your contact list. Hit menu, then accounts. Add an account, select Facebook.
Don't think it's a FB Client for N1/Android. I'm having issues with checking notifications directly on the facebook mobile client (which I prefer). This isn't the first time that FB have made changes to the interface without notifications and somethings things are broke for awhile.
My notifications were working again, last night, both the FB Mobile and FB for Android for a very short time and are now broken again.
It's not your phone nor the client. it's the FB developers.
running android on my touch pro (winmo device), facebook app worked fine. facebook status update, when checked online thru pc, says 'status updated with facebook for android). widget works fine too, scrolls right through everyone's status
Yeah, getting the same errors, too.
Facebook Pics + Sync with contacts?
Is the Facebook app that is installed supposed to take a facebook profile and sync and apply the picture with a contact card on the phone? I notice that it adds a facebook section when editing a contact and you could choose to use the facebook picture, however, it doesn't sync the picture to the contact. I check google.com/contacts to verify and there is either 1) no picture, or 2) an old picture that can be updated. I know it mentioned facebook syncing in the app for pictures, status, and contact info, however, the picture doesn't seem to get applied to the contact.
So, did some poking around and found the SyncMyPics. Is this app redundant to what is featured in the facebook app? Or, is it necessary to achieve what I would like?
Thanks!
I'm not sure why you are having that issue. Mine worked perfectly. The only issue I had was where I got dupes because names were incorrectly spelled.
I know that with the Hero ROM on my G1, not all of my contacts would sync pics from Facebook. It probably has to do with the level of security those users have. I'd say only a third of my contacts' pics from FB would sync. This could be the same issue? Are only some of your contact pics syncing?
Well...
My previous phone was a Touch Pro and using custom ROMsm I would use the facebook feature a lot where it would update the FB picture to the phone contact, then, it would get synced to Google using MS Exchange.
I just noticed a few friends changing their pictures. Did a force sync under accts and sync and noticed the contect picture didn't get changed... Sp, I'm wondering what is going on here?
Basically, shouldn't the FB app be updating the contact icons when there is a change.. then syncing them with google contacts?

Anything to automatically restore FB/Contact Links?

One of the bigger time wasters I have when I'm updating my rom to the newest version (using Cognition right now) is going through all my contacts and linking my Gmail contacts with my Facebook ones and whatnot. It's just annoying. Not a deal breaker or anything. I was just curious if there was any way to back up those links and restore them after a rom update. Anyone know?
Thanks.
I want to know that too!
Anyone know this??
Didnt realize that the links wouldn't be saved that's pretty huge for me considering the number of contacts I have and the time I spent fixing it all up... Ugh. There must be a way to save this across flashes?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I896
Usually I have my contacts synced to google, but for some reason after I restore everything the contacts are all mixed up. One person's facebook will now be linked to another person's email and to another's phone number. It is annoying and I sometimes call the wrong person.
I'm looking for an app to do this as well - either that, or an app that can automatically link your gmail contacts to their Facebook accounts if one exists. I thought about writing such an app myself but I doubt my android programming skills are good enough haha.
Haha this too bothers me :x.. Considering my 600+ friends on FB
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
It works if you are willing to pay
I use fonebook and gsync to get the profile pics into Gmail. I'm not sure it will work with the media links but it keeps the profile pics up to date without manual intervention.
Anyone?
Really? No one has a solution for this?? I've flashed about 6 roms so far and EVERY TIME i have to manually relink my FB contacts to my phonebook. It's quite useful to have them linked but no more rom flashing until I can restore these links more easily. My phone needs to work for me, not the other way around.
when you add the fb account just select the "add all friends" option. this adds all and joins 97% of my fb and google contacts.
this will, of course, add ALL your fb contacts. I enable "display only contacts with phone numbers" in the contacts settings.
If you just want pictures, SyncMyPix in the market works like a charm.
I wish
I have asked this question a few times. No replies, so all I can add is if someone does make this app I will pay for it.
To help your situation some, what I have started to do is change my contact names to start matching their facebook names and the auto sync does it's thing. kinda lame I know
allted said:
I have asked this question a few times. No replies, so all I can add is if someone does make this app I will pay for it.
To help your situation some, what I have started to do is change my contact names to start matching their facebook names and the auto sync does it's thing. kinda lame I know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, I keep most the names the same and it auto links the accounts. For the few I have named differently it takes all of 3 min to link them.
I use Titanium backup and IIRC, when I restore my contacts with this app, the facebook linked contacts are intact. It is the one under the system data batch called contact storage.
in facebook, i use androgyny:
http://apps.facebook.com/androgyny/
You link your facebook contacts with your gmail contacts and it puts the profile pic directly into your gmail contacts, which in turn wirelessly syncs with your phone. so far its working pretty well for me.
one issue: it doesnt auto-update. So you'll have to manually update the app in order to pull in any new profile pics.

[Q] How to clean up my contacts?

Hiya,
I have Google, Exchange and POP3 emails each with a version of contacts, calendar and associated data and also Facebook... Last time I tried to consolidate them I ended up wiping my everything and had to go back to a 2-month old version of contacts from my POP3/Outlook account. Active sync wiped my computer instead of updating my phone (twice)!
I am now back to having messy contacts with people with 2+ different birthday dates in my calendar...
Would anyone suggest the best way to clean up my mess... I'd be prepared to go through my 200 contacts one-by-one again to tidy them up... I just want to know that the result will be all my accounts having the cleaned set and not wiping all my hard work and needing to resort to my backup again.
Thanks for any constructive answers and Happy New Year!
I had found this cab here a long time ago. All credit goes to the developer, I just can't find the thread to post a link.
amc1274 said:
I had found this cab here a long time ago. All credit goes to the developer, I just can't find the thread to post a link.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now you gave me the cab I found the thread here!
Will give it a whirl to see if it does what I want... part of my issue was having google contacts too and then having my phone wipe the PC and not my PC reloading the phone!
Do you have a preference as to which service is the Master list for you? Some people utilize their Exchange for everything including personal while others only merge personal and business inside of Google or their personal PC with Outlook.
I began using Google as the master account holder for all things related to my services. This makes it easy to export, maintain and sync contacts. I stopped using Outlook/Exchange but that doesn't sound like an option for you.
When I was using Outlook I would simply clear out all contacts in my phone, outlook and make sure that Google had the correct info/dates. I would then go use an app called GoSync ( i think) to sync Google to Outlook/Exchange.
I guess it depends on how you are interfacing with Google on your phone and what phone it is...on my WM6.5 phone I was simply using Gmail Exchange to do all this.
Wow, I typed all that and don't know if I added one answer...did any of that make sense?

How do you guys manage your contact ?

I would like to synchronize my contact list with facebook, because I don't need to collect my contacts display.
But I just found out that google cancel the function of facebook synchronized because of the term of agreement.
Now I save all my contact in Gmail. If I got any problem on my phone, I do not need to worry anything because I can sync from Gmail all the time.
But the point is display picture, how do you guy manage the display picture of your contacts ??
I would like to do it just 1 time, no need to set it everytime I reset my device.
Please share your idea.
Thank you
dig it up
once you set it in Google Contacts, there's no need to set it again. Just make sure it actually syncs.
yeah, I just set it in Google Account last night
It takes 4 hours searching their picture and set it to all of my contacts
That's why I just want to sync with facebook
At least, I finished it.
What a pitty that they canceled this useful function!
I use SyncMyPix to keep my contact pictures synced with facebook.
I use both Gmail and Scrubly, nice cloud based solution if you have a 250+ contacts. I will admit that sometimes I think it has too many options but I am a bit impatient with things.

[Q] Nexus 5 won't sync gmail contacts?

Hi All,
I tried to find something similar but to the best of my searching abilities, nobody seems to be having the same issue.
I've been using an HTC One (a GNex before that) for the last few months. When I got it, like my other previous Android phones, at the initial setup it pulled down all of my contacts.
When I set up my N5, however, the contact list was the last one from my GNex! The hundreds of new contacts since then are not on the new phone. It's enough to make me want to just sell the phone instead of going through each contact individually.
On my HTC one in the People app it shows 494 contacts under my gmail address, and last sync was a few minutes ago. On the N5 I don't get the same screen, but I have a total of 123 people in the app, and it shows that it has synced with my gmail.
Does anyone know what's going on here, and how to get my contacts onto the N5?
Thanks!
You probably saved your new contacts on the htc on the phone not on google...
Change them to google or export them all and import into google.
ALSO, make sure you had the htc one set to sync contacts...settings..accounts...google...click on your email..
apristel said:
You probably saved your new contacts on the htc on the phone not on google...
Change them to google or export them all and import into google.
ALSO, make sure you had the htc one set to sync contacts...settings..accounts...google...click on your email..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My contacts are saved to Google. In my People app on the HTC, When I click to choose source, "Google (my email)" is selected, with 495 contacts.
As I said in the original post, everything is synced, and the last sync was a few minutes before the post.
I tried the export and import but all that did was double the number of contacts under my Google account (gmail address).
Is there anything else I can try?
I am currently using an iPhone 4 and the idiots at Apple have removed the option to export contacts to Google in their iTunes program... SO now I have installed a little app called Bump, that should help me transfer all my contacts to the new Nexus 5 when i get it. You can try it with your two phones if you like. Seems pretty simple, however i have never used it yet...
Here is a link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bumptech.bumpga&hl=en
well if what you said is true, you should be in the htc one forum, not the nexus 5. Apparently your htc is what messed up.
I really have to go with user error here, its pretty basic stuff. I highly doubt your htc one failed to sync contacts even though it was set to sync google contacts...if so..you are the "one."
I know that sounds rude, but, really.....its basic stuff here.
GOOGLE how to backup contacts and restore them on an android phone, unless you want your hand held here.
Hey whatever happened to the OP's problem ? Did he/she fix it ? I have recently transferred all my contact from my iPhone to my new N5 with absolutely no problems with this app. I can confirm it works like a charm and totally recommend it. It takes less then 10 seconds to complete everything. The actual transfer took like 1 second !!!
I have a similar issue.
I too am coming from an HTC One, but I don't think that's the problem in my case. I've logged into my Nexus 5 using my Google credentials, but none of my Google contacts are appearing. I checked my contacts list in Gmail from my laptop to be sure, and all my contacts are there. I went back to my Nexus 5 and manually synced contacts in the settings, but nothing changed; my contacts are still not showing up.
I would love to know if anyone has found a resolution to this issue.
Have you made sure that "Auto-sync app data" is checked off,
"All contacts" is selected in Contacts to display,
and "Contacts" is checked off in your Gmail sync account.
Are you using a corporate Google account? You may need to ask your administrator for help.
Did you log into http://contacts.google.com and see if they are shown there? If so they must also be in My Contacts which the HTC might not be setting. Also on your phone, check settings and then check if they are in another folder just not being displayed.

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