Don't know what message I responded to instructions or what exactly this
refers to since I can't locate the original but let me chime in on a couple
of
the points raised.

Fair to assume it's a PST format file

Short answer is no. It can be a PST file, a Microsoft Exchange based
mailbox or an offline Microsoft Exchange OST file. Can't take for granted
that someone isn't talking about a laptop configuration used at the office
with
Microsoft Exchange (either online or cached) and/or brought home and used
offline (.OST) as a simple example.

For MS Exchange scenarios - it can be related to a company server or a
hosted Exchange based mail service or various scenarios in between
involving special software linking Exchange to another 3rd party product.

Reality however is that if the default mailbox is Exchange based - the
issue of moving data from one machine to another is not applicable
since there's nothing to move - just a question of setting up the Exch
account on the new machine (this of course also assumes that even
though Exchange is being used, the person has not changed their
default mailbox to be PST based with an Exch account in the profile -
it also depends on whether or not the person is asking about moving
Exch based contacts to a PST file etc etc etc).

For PST based scenarios when the topic is about instructions on how to
copy contacts from one source to another - it can also be important
to know whether the contact folder in question is the default folder
(the contact folder that exists in a folder group that contains an INBOX).
In simplicstic terms, a contact folder that resides in a group containing
an Inbox can never be deleted - doesn't matter if it's the default for the
profile or not. Ergo, can't simply copy a complete folder - the individual
items must be moved whereas any non default folder can be deleted
and replaced by copying the new folder as opposed to individual
items).

should or shouldn't use import/export

Outlook/Import export works perfectly when "used correctly" and
for the "right reasons". What is far too often not mentioned (particuarly
in Microsoft info) is that using import/export for the "purposes of moving
contacts from one machine to another" (or moving all primary info
from one configuration to another for that matter i.e. mail) - import/export
is the worst possible solution available - no ifs, ands, or buts. Yes, you
can use import/export but fact is you shouldn't whether that's using
Outlook's own import/export wizard or any third party solution
(including ours). Or to repeat something I say far too often "just because
you can do something - doesn't mean you should".

What everyone should really have is a good and resilient backup tool
for Outlook data which is used on a daily (or almost daily basis). There
are several very solid and comparitively inexpensive solutions available.
Solves all kinds of problems and makes everything so much easier. Just
amazes me how many people say that their world would come to an
end if they lost their Outlook data but take absolutely no steps to
protect it to be able to restore it within minutes when required (either
to the same or any other machine).

For the situations where import/export is the required and only
solution (not involving a move from one Outlook install to another) -
the following are some simple things that if followed would probably
save untold amounts of time and hundreds of similar messages being
posted/responded to on a regular basis:

#1 - Never use PST to PST import/export for any reason (will stand
corrected on this one if anyone can provide a valid reason for its use but
to date have yet to ever see one). Need a PST file for whatever reason,
- make a copy of the original and use that).

#2 - Excel - save it as a CSV file for importing and export data to
CSV which can just as easily be opened in Excel (regardless of what
version of Excel you happen to be using). Lots of reasons for
this suggestion which I won't go into here but suffice it to say that this
would virtually eliminate all the aggravation that can stem from Excel
idiosyncracies (named ranges is only one commonly posted issue
but there are a myriad of others that can create problems. Over the
years - we've been provided with numerous sample files to prove it).

#3 - Manually map fields being imported and exported. Do not
depend on anything being done automatically - absolutely no
reason WHATSOEVER to duplicate or even try and figure out
the exact field names used by Outlook which at the end of the day,
wastes more time and prone to more errors then taking a few
seconds to ensure that all the fields are mapped correctly. Good
rule to follow - focus on what you need and ignore everything else.
.........
(there is no shortage of things that could be added to this list)

One last thing for those who sync their data with external
devices. Outlook is not involved with the sync process - a 3rd
party product controls it all. Reason for mentioning it, is simply this
- data can become corrupted and not be evident immediately
when using Outlook via the UI and you may never even see the
problem unless and until you attempt to access the corrupted data
(i.e. accessing the specific corrupted item or exporting all the items
in a folder). Reality is that any program (Outlook or 3rd party)
may not report a problem until the corrupted data is actually
accessed (i.e. could be one or a few contacts out of 10,000).
Whichever program in this case ends up reporting something as an
issue first is usually tagged as the one having the problem which
may or may not be a correct assertion.

Karl
__________________________________________________ __________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer/DataPorter/Exporter/Toolkit/Duplicate Contact Mgr
"Contact import/export/data management tools for Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com


"Tish" wrote in message
...
I'm perplexed as to why you think she's leaving out information. If a
user
has a working contacts list on one machine......isn't it fair to assume
that
it is in .pst format? What other format could it be in? This is not a
tech
pro you are helping (and neither am I so I represent the great unwashed
masses of Outlook users pretty well.) I note that you fault community
questioners frequently for leaving out information that it may be obvious
to
you (as a tech pro) that they should be telling you. But before you
chastise
them for 'failing to provide info' they have to be informed that such info
exists.

Most of us followed the Outlook instructions, step by step, for exporting
to
Excel or CSV and then re-importing step by step in the Outlook
instructions.
Sad that they are still there if we aren't supposed to use them.

At one time it was 'dangerous' to directly open Outlook data files.
Perhaps
that was way back with .pab files and it's not a problem with .pst files.
That's the reason I too was using export/import......and having problems
with
it. Since I actually e-mailed my .pst file to the new machine, I'll try
opening it and copying it into a new contacts folder as Karl has given
specific instructions for doing. (I'm like Steve - I used to be a pilot
and
I follow checklists really well -- and hate it when they don't work!)


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Karl and I are suggesting the same thing (and always do). But you keep
leaving out the relevant details that permit a specific set of
instructions
for your situation. Neither of us even knows if you are even using a PST
file as your data source or some other data store such as an Exchange
mailbox. At any rate, many of us post information on how to transfer
Outlook
data correctly here on an almost daily basis. Feel free to read those
references.
http://www.slipstick.com/config/backup.htm
http://www.howto-outlook.com/Howto/backupandrestore.htm
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/as...771141033.aspx
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kristian" wrote in message
...
Russ,Tx for the prompt reply:The DL or Contact database was purely and
only
created in Outlook. The exporting purely and only done in the Outlook
environment, which may be dodgy by now. Having had a look at other
problems
of other dicussion group members I seem to be in the very best company
as
quite a lot of similar problems seem to exist...Wouldn't it be a good
idea,
if MS could look into such an obvious problems? Karl Timmerman
suggested
to
copy the original pst file. sounds logical. I hope it works.
Kristian

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

No. DL = Distribution List. DL's were the subject of your last
question.
I'll guess that your actual problem isn't with DL's, however, but the
fact
that the Contacts you are transferring aren't behaving as expected. Is
that
the real question? If so, troubleshooting that problem would require
knowing:
1. How and where the original Contact data was created (including
whether
you are using a local data store or an Exchange mailbox)
2. How exactly you transferred the Contact data to your notebook, in
complete detail.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kristian" wrote in message
...
Sorry for answering late. Was sick. If DL means data source, then
yes,
the
attresses/contacts where created in Outlook. All I need to do is to
put
a
duplicate of the contacts every week onto my note book in order to
have
a
replica. If you have any other idea i.e. other than ex - and
importing
I
would a happy bunny.
Kristian

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

What was the original source of these DL's? Were they created in
the
Active
Directory?

No one knows why the option to import and export Outlook data still
exists.
It did work back in Outlook 97, but it hasn't worked for so long
now
that
it
should have been removed long ago. I suspect it is with many other
things
in
Outlook. Removing a dysfunctional feature takes more work than just
leaving
it in, so they just leave it in. Pretty sloppy if you ask me, but
they
don't.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kristian" wrote in message
...
Sorry Russ to bother you again... In practical use I now noted it
doesn't
work:
1) A seperate Contacts Folder was created in Outlook (Identical
thought
to
the original from my Office workstation).
2) After having moved the contacts into the original Contact
folder
it
seemed to be o.k. but wasn't:
If you try to create an Outlook Distribution list, and you want
to
add
members it tell theat there are no addresses in the contact list,
despite
there are nearly 1,500...??
Question: have I done something wrong, or is there something wron
with
Outlook??
Can you put your finger on this one? Looking forward to hearing
from
you
in
due course
regards
Kristian
p.s. I still don't understand as to why MS offers the option of
importing
and exporting, if one cant use it due to the objections you had
and
as
to
why
and where in the im/exporting process data is added, that doesn't
belong
there?

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Excellent. Thanks for posting back.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kristian" wrote in message
...
Russ,
It worked in PST format.
Thank you very much
Kristian

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

No answer is possible without knowing what your data source
was
and
how
you
mapped your fields.
No one should ever transfer Outlook data by exporting and
importing
through
a different format unless they want to lose or alter that
data,
as
you
are
illustrating.
You should only use Outlook's native data file format to
transfer
data,
but
again without using export and import. Just copy the data
file
and
open
it
in the other installation.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"Kristian" wrote in
message
...
I will have to find out, whether it works. Would have
thought
that
Excel
or
CVS are commonly used and schould universally do the trick.
The
question
though is, why and where are these STMP additions created
and
why?
Will come back with results a.s.a.p.
Kristian

"Kristian" wrote:

When I copy contacts from Outlook on my workstation in CVS
format
and
import
these copied contacts onto Outlook on my notebook in the
process
of
copying
STMP lines /additions with names are automatically added,
rendering
the
whole
contact database useless until these STMP additions are
manually
deleted
again. What can I do i.e. setting filters and if so which
filters
in
the
copying process? Any constructive suggestion is very much
appreciated.
Thank
you