Database Develop

[Q] Overwrite google contacts with phone contacts - how?

I have a little problem. I just found out my contacts are corrupted after I tested a contact management application. Unfortunately, I only found out after some days, and after the contacts had been synchronized back to google.
The good news - I have a couple of nandroids and some titanium backups made before the contacts got corrupted. I can get back to the correct version.
The bad news - as soon as the phone syncs with google, the contacts get overwritten with the corrupted ones. I even tried clearing google contacts, and syncing, and all that got me was a empty contacts list both in google and the phone.
What I need - a way to force overwriting google contacts with the restored backup. I know I probably could go opening and updating each contact one by one (adding a space on the name or something like it) and that could work, tricking the synchronization engine to prefer the phone contacts to the google version, but I have over 600 contacts, with 150 with phone numbers; I'd rather not do that by hand.
Any suggestion?
Thanks!

Try this, Get all your contacts back from the Nandroid. Don't connect the nexus to your Google account just yet, goto the contacts in N1 & click on menu button choose to export to .vcf after that copy the .vcf file to your computer. Log into your Gmail account on the computer and delete all the Gmail contacts, then choose to import .vcf file from your computer to your Gmail account, once you've managed to get the contacts imported to Gmail setup your N1 to Sync to the Gmail account. That should do it. Cheers.

Thanks, but I had already tried that - and ended doing exactly that. The problem with that solution is that you lose all your groups, favourites, and starred contacts. Now I'm backing up contacts in gmail a group at a time, so I won't have this problem again.

jbbandos said:
Thanks, but I had already tried that - and ended doing exactly that. The problem with that solution is that you lose all your groups, favourites, and starred contacts. Now I'm backing up contacts in gmail a group at a time, so I won't have this problem again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bit of a pita I know but as far as I can see there's really no other way if you use Groups.

Sean_Dillon said:
Try this, Get all your contacts back from the Nandroid. Don't connect the nexus to your Google account just yet, goto the contacts in N1 & click on menu button choose to export to .vcf after that copy the .vcf file to your computer. Log into your Gmail account on the computer and delete all the Gmail contacts, then choose to import .vcf file from your computer to your Gmail account, once you've managed to get the contacts imported to Gmail setup your N1 to Sync to the Gmail account. That should do it. Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, I'd try deleting all contacts off the phone once it's synched with Google (then sync again, obviously), THEN restoring the .vcf

while syncing my phone contacts with my google account, i want to keep changes made in my phone directory and over write these changes in my google account. currently it is other way round. my old contact details keep on copying in my phone when ever i sync. specially if any one has changed his address, i make this change in my phone and i want it to happen to my contacts google accounts also when i sync. but it is not happening. seek your help

How to backup synced contacts

Is there a way to backup the contacts together their synced facebook ones?
It is impossible with "my backup pro", and they can' te be saved on google servers..
Thanks a lot
Ale

I'm not exactly sure i understand the my backup pro thing, but if you go into contacts, push the menu button, click on more, then export them to SD card, it'll create a VCF file with all your contacts in it, you can save it somewhere or even e-mail it to yourself.
What i always recommend is to import that file into your gmail account (directly from the phone) this way your contacts are synced no matter what happens u'll have them on your gmail account.
Rodi,

Thanks for your reply, i'll try them next time i'll have to change my rom!!
And sorry for my english
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Khar00f said:
I'm not exactly sure i understand the my backup pro thing, but if you go into contacts, push the menu button, click on more, then export them to SD card, it'll create a VCF file with all your contacts in it, you can save it somewhere or even e-mail it to yourself.
What i always recommend is to import that file into your gmail account (directly from the phone) this way your contacts are synced no matter what happens u'll have them on your gmail account.
Rodi,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, i have a problem here.
Let me explain: I have contacts in the sim, inside the phone and the ones synced through facebook.
I'd like to sync to gmail ONLY the contacts stored in the phone and I don't know how to do.
When I press export to SD Card it copies all my contacts.
Do you know a way to skip that contacts?
Thank you

Contacts appear three times in messaging.

Certainly others must have this problem. It stems from, I believe, having identical SIM, Google, and Phone contacts.
But that's what I WANT. But I don't want everyone's name to appear three times when I want to send someone a text message. Is there ANY solution to this?

long press one of them, then "join contact"
day one...

I had double names appear for texting that went away by ungrouping them in contacts. I believe all my contacts became "grouped" when I tapped my backup .vcf file twice after a rom install...which may not be the same situation as yours.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Just change the view to only show you contacts from one of the three databases. Either Google, phone, or sim.
From contacts hit the leftmost softkey and then select more. Then select display options
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

long press one of them, then "join contact"
day one...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of my contacts are joined.
I had double names appear for texting that went away by ungrouping them in contacts. I believe all my contacts became "grouped" when I tapped my backup .vcf file twice after a rom install...which may not be the same situation as yours.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My contacts aren't grouped, I don't think. What is grouping, exactly?
Just change the view to only show you contacts from one of the three databases. Either Google, phone, or sim.
From contacts hit the leftmost softkey and then select more. Then select display options
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Contacts only displays my phone contacts. This has no bearing on the following:
1. When I want to send a text, everyone's name appears three times.
2. When I click the call button in a text, it asks me which number I want to call, then lists each number three times.
Something is up.

Open a contact and hit edit. If the contact is grouped there will be a + sign. All my contacts were grouped. After ungrouping them, they showed up twice in contacts, and I had to delete one.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

not grouped, joined... or same crap...

Yes, thanks
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

sailzfast said:
Open a contact and hit edit. If the contact is grouped there will be a + sign. All my contacts were grouped. After ungrouping them, they showed up twice in contacts, and I had to delete one.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That WOULD solve the problem.... except:
1. I do not want to delete my contacts off my SIM. The SIM card carrying your contacts is a great feature.
2. I do not want to delete my contacts off my Phone. The Contacts menu looks a lot sleeker without the icons to the bottom right of each entry, and the pictures I feel load faster when they are stored on the phone.
3. I do not want to delete my contacts off my Google account. It stores my contact pictures as well as makes it easy when I flash over to a new ROM.
I will not delete these entries. They are all important. I want a real solution, and I am pretty sure one doesn't exist.
Edit: There isn't a "plus" sign, but each contact has three separate entries.

it was a little hard to understand at first but this is your poblem
#1 where do you want all your contacts saved to? PICK ONE (phone/sim/google)
open contacts> menu button > more > settings > save contacts to...
(google is better than sim or phone IMO auto backup and restore to net) but pick ONE. (uno, une, 1)
#2
open contacts> menu button > more > display options > choose contacts to display
only check the thing you picked above. UNCHECK the others
FIXED

Trusselo said:
it was a little hard to understand at first but this is your poblem
#1 where do you want all your contacts saved to? PICK ONE (phone/sim/google)
open contacts> menu button > more > settings > save contacts to...
(google is better than sim or phone IMO auto backup and restore to net) but pick ONE. (uno, une, 1)
#2
open contacts> menu button > more > display options > choose contacts to display
only check the thing you picked above. UNCHECK the others
FIXED
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only one thing is checked. In my Contacts, nothing is repeated.

ok then please re-explain what your problem is? maybe some screen shots? 'ShootMe' app is good change settings to jpeg to upload to xda.
cuz just not getting what your problem is then...

Trusselo said:
ok then please re-explain what your problem is? maybe some screen shots? 'ShootMe' app is good change settings to jpeg to upload to xda.
cuz just not getting what your problem is then...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://i.imgur.com/ozXeX.png
http://i.imgur.com/VPDmX.png
There is the problem. And yes, I do see the "Remember this choice" option, but that is also not a solution as 1. I do flash my phone often and I would have to remember it every time, and 2. I would have to remember it for all of my contacts, which would be a pain.

Trusselo's instructions in post #10 are dead on, except in your case, i'll ask that you choose to sync your contacts to a single google account rather than the other 2 options (phone or sim). Unless you often swap your SIM card to a dumb phone, this is your best option anyways.
To ensure we save all your contacts among all your storage locations.. First, adjust 'display options' in Contacts so that ALL your contacts are displayed from all your locations (duplicates are ok).
Next, still in contacts, open up menu, choose 'import/export/', then choose 'export to sd card.'
Now follow Trusselo's instructions in post #10.. Make sure you save contacts to a google account. Also when choosing 'display options', uncheck EVERYTHING, and ONLY check 'my contacts' under the google account you save contacts to.
Go to 'Accounts and sync' in settings and ensure that auto-sync is ON, and that 'sync contacts' is ON for the google account you're saving contacts to.
Now, in contacts, open up menu, choose 'import/export' again, and this time choose 'import from sd card'.
Open up GMail in a web browser, go to Contacts, go to 'my contacts', click on the 'more actions' button, choose 'find & merge duplicates'. Now just give your phone a minute to re-sync all your contacts with google..
This will clean up any duplicate contacts and phone numbers you may have. So you should only see one entry for each contact and number. It will also sync all your contacts regularly to your google account, even for new entries, which imo, is a lot safer than storing them directly on the phone or SIM card.
I've tested this method, and it should work for you if followed exactly. If there's anything that needs to be clarified, let me know.

I want them saved to my SIM card. And I want them saved to my Google Account. But I want them stored on my Phone.
I believe you want me to delete them from my SIM and from my Phone in order for this to work. I simply do not see why I would need to do that. If that is not what you are saying, then what is it? On my Contacts on GMail, there's only one number for each name.

thehyecircus said:
I want them saved to my SIM card. And I want them saved to my Google Account. But I want them stored on my Phone.
I believe you want me to delete them from my SIM and from my Phone in order for this to work. I simply do not see why I would need to do that. If that is not what you are saying, then what is it? On my Contacts on GMail, there's only one number for each name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be clear, this will NOT delete contacts from you SIM card, nor from your phone. What this does is force ALL your contacts from your SIM AND your phone AND your Google account to be synced(copied) to your google account. Once that is done, all your contacts will appear on your google account and will be immediately copied back to your phone (as a locally saved copy).
Then what we're doing is just "hiding" all the duplicate contacts from your SIM card and 'Phone location' (not deleting them), so that we only see the contacts that were synced with your google account.. so its less confusing than viewing the same contact from 3 different locations.
All your old contacts will remain on your SIM card, only now all your old contacts and newly created ones will appear in contacts and be synced (backed-up) to your google account. This is useful because.. say you lose your phone, you will still have a copy of all your contacts in your google account and can be easily synced with a new phone, if they were stored on the SIM card or the 'Phone location' then they would just be.. gone.. lost forever. They will also sync back to the phone (with pics) if you flash a new ROM.
On another note, should you ever want to get a new phone and simply move your contacts, you can sync your contacts via your google account like I said, OR you could just go menu>import/export>export to sim card.
Make sense?

andyondroid said:
To be clear, this will NOT delete contacts from you SIM card, nor from your phone. What this does is force ALL your contacts from your SIM AND your phone AND your Google account to be synced(copied) to your google account. Once that is done, all your contacts will appear on your google account and will be immediately copied back to your phone (as a locally saved copy).
Then what we're doing is just "hiding" the contacts from your SIM card and 'Phone location' (not deleting them), so that we only see the contacts that were synced with your google account.. so its less confusing than viewing the same contact from 3 different locations.
All your old contacts will remain on your SIM card, only now all your old contacts and newly created ones will appear in contacts and be synced (backed-up) to your google account. This is useful because.. say you lose your phone, you will still have a copy of all your contacts in your google account and can be easily synced with a new phone, if they were stored on the SIM card or the 'Phone location' then they would just be.. gone.. lost forever. They will also sync back to the phone (with pics) if you flash a new ROM.
On another note, should you ever want to get a new phone and simply move your contacts, you can sync your contacts via your google account like I said, OR you could just go menu>import/export>export to sim card.
Make sense?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I mean, if you're asking me to change the display option to only display SIM/Phone/Google contacts, it is already set to do that.

thehyecircus said:
But I mean, if you're asking me to change the display option to only display SIM/Phone/Google contacts, it is already set to do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, i'm asking you to do the opposite. I'm asking you to store all your contacts to Google, and ONLY display Google contacts, and UNCHECK (hide) SIM and PHONE from 'Display Options' so that you do not see any duplicate names or phone numbers.
This will most likely solve your problem with seeing duplicate entries and is a much smarter way of managing your contacts.

andyondroid said:
No, i'm asking you to do the opposite. I'm asking you to store all your contacts to Google, and ONLY display Google contacts, and UNCHECK (hide) SIM and PHONE from 'Display Options' so that you do not see any duplicate names or phone numbers.
This will most likely solve your problem with seeing duplicate entries and is a much smarter way of managing your contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am already doing that.

thehyecircus said:
I am already doing that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, by your own admission, you're not.
"if you're asking me to change the display option to only display SIM/Phone/Google contacts, it is already set to do that."
Right there, you just said that ALL your contact locations are turned ON..which is the cause of you seeing 3 identical phone numbers for each contact. Earlier in the thread it was pointed out you need to ONLY select ONE option; the same location you are storing contacts to.
Let's say you already have all your contacts save to Google, that's great. That means you don't have to go through that entire process i wrote up. All that was meant to do is ensure ALL your contacts from all your locations were saved to google, but if that's already done then there's no need to go through all that.
It really goes back to Post #10.. assuming you have only have no duplicate phone numbers set up in google, then you just need to follow those instructions and you won't see those duplicates anymore.
Sounds like you either didn't follow the directions correctly in post #10 or not at all. The key thing is save your new contacts to google, then change the display options so ONLY, ONLY, JUST ONE, option is checked, and that is the Google account you are saving contacts to. Once this is done, you will not see duplicate entries anymore.

Which is the best way to back up Contacts?

After continuosly flashing my device smt I have to format so all contacs are lost,
Ususally I use the export to sd card feature to restore contacs,
I`ve tried the outlook and Kies Sync, also Google sync,
but it seems none of them is perfect, because many joined contacts and icons are lost,
Which is the best way, without using any back up Apk?

u can export ur all contacts from contacts menu...u can backup them in ur sd or sd card and copy them in ur pc and then after flashing import back the contacts......this is the best way i do.......coz in this contacts remain as same as last time.......nothing is change no pic and associated contacts of gmail and other remove.

The best was is move your contacts to your Gmail account and let them sync.
Then if you have to wipe your device you can get everything back by just entering your Gmail email address and password.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

I only sync my contacts and calendar to google. Don't technically use the phone or sim at all. Every flash I add my google account again and it's all back!
That's the way to do it.

Sorry for being stupid but how do I sync my contacts to gmail
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

The export as stated in the second post is my way to go.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

What about the joined contacts with facebook, do they come back after restore?
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I use both local back up (SD ) and google sync
I prefer Google Sync .
Google sync is good, it actually can restore your contacts to early time , I backed back to SD card too but till now , I haven't use it .

Google all the way, so easy! I really can't see what the problem is!
GTi9000 insanitycm010/insaneglitch

sonci said:
What about the joined contacts with facebook, do they come back after restore?
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They do in my case. Or you could try an add-on contact manager app like GOcontacts which has the capability to search for duplicate contacts and then merge.
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i back up with my google account

EliaYek said:
i back up with my google account
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too, never lost any contacts or calendar entries...

i backup phone numbers in sim and all of them in google and facebook contacts stays there as it will synch back

backup contacts to sd card.... move them to PC then export them to your gmail contacts... gmail will join same contacts.
thats it... never lose your contacts again

vCards
I often us the share option and send the contacts a vCard to my gmail, and after flashing i just go to that email and download the vCard and all my contacts are restored. The other plus in that way is that i can choose which one to sand as vCard

MyPhoneExplorer has always done it for me
1. Backup Contacts, SMS, Events
2. Installs APKs
3. File Explorer and lots more
Have never touched Kies....

I save my contacts to ext sd card
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melorib said:
Me too, never lost any contacts or calendar entries...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, Google sync is most reliable !

try Uia backup contact

synchronising your contacts either with your google acc. or an exchange account is a very reliable solution to protect your contacts. if you setup your fon from scratch you just have to hook up to the network and get connected to your 'cloud service' - the sync function installed on your fon will do the rest in seconds / minutes.

How to back up contacts

YES I am sure this question gets asked a lot of times so I am sure by now people have come up with a GREAT answer for it instead of just telling me to use google.
Trust me I have used Google. I find Apps like
Backup Contacts
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=no.uia.android.backupcontacts&hl=en
which gets bad reviews and doesn't really seem to work.
I find a guide on how to save your contacts to your SIM card but it only seems to work on the Nexus S.
So here is what I want to do:
I use a Galaxy S (i-9000) and I want to save my contacts to my SIM card or a file I can copy on my PC and copy it on other android devices OR save all my PHONE contacts to my google account if that is somehow possible because I want to buy a NEW android phone (that's why I guess Samsung's Kies with the option to back up contacts won't do the trick)
I am looking forward to any help.
Thanks a lot!

I think the simplest way to backup contacts is to go the Contacts, or People on ICS, and press the menu button (bottom left on phone). From there go to import/export contacts, then it asks where you want to import/export them to. It creates a file on your phone storage that you can copy to your PC/new phone.

oxidising said:
I think the simplest way to backup contacts is to go the Contacts, or People on ICS, and press the menu button (bottom left on phone). From there go to import/export contacts, then it asks where you want to import/export them to. It creates a file on your phone storage that you can copy to your PC/new phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I go to Contacts - Import/Export - Export to SIM card : it says "No contacts" and "search contacts" so it seems like I would have to export each contact by HAND. I can't find any way to select all and EXPORT all???

original rom?

using Go Contact will do...

oxidising said:
I think the simplest way to backup contacts is to go the Contacts, or People on ICS, and press the menu button (bottom left on phone). From there go to import/export contacts, then it asks where you want to import/export them to. It creates a file on your phone storage that you can copy to your PC/new phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It imports all my e-mail contacts from my Google account as well. How do I do it so that only people with phone numbers get imported?

pk1025 said:
It imports all my e-mail contacts from my Google account as well. How do I do it so that only people with phone numbers get imported?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anybody got a solution as to how I can prevent importing contacts from my SIM card whereby all my Google e-mail contacts get sucked in there too?

deleted

Download my phone explorer for android app and the my phone explorer program for your PC, connect by Wifi, USB or Bluetooth and make a backup of all your contacts, sim contacts, calendar entries etc.
I've been using this tool since 2006 (it was originally developed for Sony Ericsson phones) and it allowed me to switch from my Z710i to my W595 and from there to my Desire, back to the Z710i and then to the SGS+.
It saved me so much hassle and I did not hesitate to donate to its developer. It is a superb tool (yes, I really like. He does not pay me for this post).