Import Vista contacts from Thunderbird

Using the normal import option to copy your address book from Windows Vista Contacts into the Mozilla Thunderbird address book can produce strange results. For example, when I tried it the email address for a contact ended up in the postcode box.

One way to make sure the right details end up in the right box is to export the address book from Vista Contacts as a csv file, a text file where the individual bits of information are separated by a column. Do the same with the Thunderbird Address Book ­ you may need to create a test contact if the book is empty.

Open both of these files in Microsoft Excel (or Open Office Calc) and compare the column headings. The key is to move the columns in the Vista Contacts spreadsheet so that the information they contain matches the Thunderbird sheet. Save the Vista Contacts sheet once the columns are in the correct order and import it into Thunderbird.

Suzannah Robinson