Mac Address Book -- sync creates dupes

[Chapps]

Every time Plaxo syncs the OSX Address Book automatically, it creates duplicates. I've had to turn off the auto sync, because I eventually had *four* of every entry in both my Address Book and in the online Plaxo Contacts.

I've fixed the dupes in Address Book by using the identify and merge function of AB -- very useful. But every time I do this, the next Plaxo sync puts all of the duplicates back again.

What I want is for my current OSX Address Book to be the master and overwrite what's online. If I could delete all of the online contacts and start over, I would.

What are my options here?

Chapps

[dcolace]

Every time Plaxo syncs the OSX Address Book automatically, it creates duplicates. I've had to turn off the auto sync, because I eventually had *four* of every entry in both my Address Book and in the online Plaxo Contacts.

I've fixed the dupes in Address Book by using the identify and merge function of AB -- very useful. But every time I do this, the next Plaxo sync puts all of the duplicates back again.

What I want is for my current OSX Address Book to be the master and overwrite what's online. If I could delete all of the online contacts and start over, I would.

What are my options here?

Chapps

Regarding your many duplicates problem, if you'd like to send me your PlaxoAssistant.log file (found easily with Spotlight or Find File on older systems) I'd be happy to see if we can determine the cause.

Regarding starting over with a fresh sych to Plaxo, there are a couple of methods you try, but the easiest by far is to just create a new Contact folder on Plaxo Online (give the new folder a unique name) then go into your Sync options in the Plaxo Configure window and select the newly created folder. On the next sync, all your address book contacts will be sent up to the new folder (sans any marked in the Omit Folder from Sync option). Once you are satisfied with the new folder, you can empty the old Contact folder and delete it.

[baristabrian]

Kludgy. Sounds like "beta" status worthy to me. Exactly why I don't like being an "early adapter." I don't get paid to find out the bugs in software.

I just want something that works.

You know, like "out of the box."

Plug and play and all that. Yet, every time I turn around, I'm told I have to use "Spotlight" and go playing around with "logs" and "plist" files.

Excuse me . . . is this "product" *free*? If it's costing me more time than it saves to use it, then I should get *paid* to use it.

Toodles.

[dcolace]

I just want something that works.

You know, like "out of the box."

Plug and play and all that. Yet, every time I turn around, I'm told I have to use "Spotlight" and go playing around with "logs" and "plist" files.

What problems are you having with Plaxo for Mac? I'd like to try to help but you didn't mention the problems you're having with the software.

Plaxo for Mac does appear to work well 'out of the box' for a vast majority of Plaxo users. When a problem does arise, like unwonted duplicates, the PlaxoAssistant.log file will tell us if Plaxo for Mac created the duplicates. This is essential information for us since Plaxo for Mac lives in a sync ecosystem along with all the other sync applications and assistants that connect to the Apple Address Book. When you have sync services that fan out to the web, devices (like Palm, iPods) and other applications, the system is only as good as the weakest link. If any one of them fail, it going to trash the entire system - so it's tricky business.

We have been working assiduously to deliver quality software and to ensure that we are not the weak link in the system. Our goal is always reliability - but as I just said, we are dependant on the whole system working well.

[baristabrian]

I don't want to go "Spotlighting" anything. I want something that works. Simply. Elegantly. Effeciently. I don't want duplicates. I don't want hassles.

I just wanted to synch my Address Book on my computer with my mobile phone. No muss, no fuss. No bells and whistles. I have my laptop on my lap, my phone on my hip, and I don't see how your product can help me.

Am I missing something? "log" files? ".plist" files? B.S.E.E? MCSE Status? Not trying to be a smart ass, but *all* I wanted was to synch my Address Book with my cell phone.

Nothing more. Nothing less. I don't know if your product even *does* that---even if I *do* upload my entire database to your servers as specified.:confused:

[markjen]

Hi Baristabrian,

Currently, Plaxo doesn't sync your address book with your cell phone. You can synchronize your address book between multiple computer, access it online, and access it from your cell phone via WAP access.

If your cell phone has bluetooth, it's likely that you can sync directly with your Mac OS X Address Book without using Plaxo.

In the near future, we will be providing cell phone sync between Plaxo and various handsets on different carriers. We're currently working on this, but with the number of carriers and different cell phone models out there, it's pretty difficult.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
Mark

[SirSmilez]

My wife and I share a yahoo account. When I sinc, plaxo sees two people using the same email address, one of whom is the primary account holder and one of whom is just a contact, and it deletes the contact. I've added my wife back into my calendar about a dozen times. She syncs fine, until I add our shared email, then she disappears on next sync. I changed my account, and removed my old email, but now when I sync, the old email gets added as "home2" and then next time I sync, my wife gets deleted. Could you please remove the "home2" email address associated with my account so that I can assign it to my wife without causing problems?

Just a heads up if anyone is new to using plaxo with a mac. Don't change your info in the address book and expect it to sync properly. Go online and change it online. If you change it in your address book, it will register as just another contact and you'll wind up with a duplicate. I made three of myself before I figured out what was going on.

[dcolace]

My wife and I share a yahoo account. When I sinc, plaxo sees two people using the same email address, one of whom is the primary account holder and one of whom is just a contact, and it deletes the contact. I've added my wife back into my calendar about a dozen times. She syncs fine, until I add our shared email, then she disappears on next sync. I changed my account, and removed my old email, but now when I sync, the old email gets added as "home2" and then next time I sync, my wife gets deleted. Could you please remove the "home2" email address associated with my account so that I can assign it to my wife without causing problems?

I'd be happy to try to help you with your sync problem but some of the details of the problem you've described are not clear to me. You mention adding your wife to your calendar several times but I'm assuming you mean your contact list?

Also, by default, most of your personal contact information on Plaxo Online is not synchronized with your Apple Address Book 'Me' card. Have you added yourself to your Plaxo Address Book?

When you changed your account to remove your old email, did you do make the change via the Plaxo "Edit My Cards" option (available online and via Plaxo for Mac in the Plaxo menu)? If not, you want to use "Edit My Cards from the Plaxo menu (in Plaxo for Mac) to change the details of your business and personal cards. This is the information that is synchronized with your Plaxo contacts (permissions allowing)

In the "Edit My Cards" window (on Plaxo Online) you might have overlooked a somewhat subtle link labeled "Show Additional Contact Fields". There is one for you business information and one for your personal information. Click on that link for your personal card info and see if the "home 2" field has an email address listed. From what you've said, I expect there is a value in this field. If you clear it, your problem should be cleared up.

Just a heads up if anyone is new to using plaxo with a mac. Don't change your info in the address book and expect it to sync properly. Go online and change it online. If you change it in your address book, it will register as just another contact and you'll wind up with a duplicate. I made three of myself before I figured out what was going on.

Just to be clear on this matter, the 'Me' card in your Apple Address Book does not fully synchronize with Plaxo Online. We currently will sychronize some Plaxo specific info like Photos and card messages, but not your general contact information. So, you are correct that to edit your PERSONAL information, it is essentially required that you use the "Edit My Cards" feature on Plaxo Online to change your contact information.

It would be nice to hear from Plaxo members if you prefer the requirement (and strict delineation) of editing your personal contact info on Plaxo Online via "Edit My Cards", or whether you'd like to (have the option to) edit your personal infomation in your Apple Address Book 'Me' card and have it automatically sync to Plaxo (and out to Plaxo members with permission to see your info).

All other contacts in your Apple Address Book, however, can be edited on your Mac and that information will synchronize to your Plaxo Online Address Book (as well as to any other sync points you have with Plaxo).

[haukemueller]

It would be nice to hear from Plaxo members if you prefer the requirement (and strict delineation) of editing your personal contact info on Plaxo Online via "Edit My Cards", or whether you'd like to (have the option to) edit your personal infomation in your Apple Address Book 'Me' card and have it automatically sync to Plaxo (and out to Plaxo members with permission to see your info).


I definately want to have the feature that changes in my 'Me' card are correctly synced to my cards in plaxo online!

[chambersd]

Was there ever an answer to Chapps question waaaay at the top? I'm seeing the same behavior with duplicates being created in Address book and the doubley redoubled in entourage. It seeems to hav ssomething to do with Plaxo since when I turn off the plaxo syncing it doesn't create the duplcates.

I'm not complaining. I love Plaxo. It's saved my bacon more than once when my stupid cell phone has deleted everything. If it's just part of the beta-ness I'll live, but if there's an answer out there...

-David

[plaxomachead]

Hey David

Am sorry you are having problems with duplicates when you sync.I am not really sure what could be causing this because sync in the Plaxo for mac is a Address Book to single folder sync.

Could you please send us the log file (you can find it using spotlight) and as well as a snapshot of your plaxo settings (use the grab application in your mac)?

Mail these along with a description to us at beta@plaxo.com and I assure you we will do our best to solve the problem.

Kush

[oxygen]

I have the same issue, just having gone through and edited my address book on the mac, subsequently synched with Plaxo, and now have duplicates of all of my info. It also managed to wipe out a significant number of manual edits I did, re-inserting old/incorrect information.

I have emailed the log file to beta@plaxo.com

C.

[dcolace]

I have the same issue, just having gone through and edited my address book on the mac, subsequently synched with Plaxo, and now have duplicates of all of my info. It also managed to wipe out a significant number of manual edits I did, re-inserting old/incorrect information.

I have emailed the log file to beta@plaxo.com

C.

I'm sorry for the frustration you're having with Plaxo sync.

The only circumstance were I would expect that this could happen is in the case where you've sync'ed with Plaxo and then sometime Plaxo believed it was necessary to perform an initial sync 'slow sync where all your records are sent up anew' after you've done your editing - this would create the situation you described. The real trick is identifying what happened to induce the slow sync situation while you were editing your contacts.

Do you happen to sync with .Mac as well?

-Drew

[oxygen]

I do sync with .Mac on occasion as well. This has happened several times over the past few months, and I wish I could figure out why exactly it happens.

Until the source of this error is rectified it has the potential to create havok for a lot of us. :-(

[oxygen]

More information:

I just ran a "fix duplicates" using the online version of Plaxo and edited my contacts. I subsequently did a sync with my Mac. End result. Instead of having two duplicates of most contacts on my Mac, I now have three.

Until this issue is resolved I cannot recommend that anyone install and sync using the Plaxo toolbar for the mac.

C.

[dcolace]

More information:

I just ran a "fix duplicates" using the online version of Plaxo and edited my contacts. I subsequently did a sync with my Mac. End result. Instead of having two duplicates of most contacts on my Mac, I now have three.

Until this issue is resolved I cannot recommend that anyone install and sync using the Plaxo toolbar for the mac.

C.

I don't believe this is happening in the general case, but I certainly will investigate how this could be happening to you.

-Drew

[astorg]

It's happening to me as well. It basically ruined my entire database and I had to manually fix records. I have since uninstalled Plaxo (I had purchased Premium membreship because on paper it looked so powerful) but this issue needs solving before I can use it. Pity.

[dcolace]

We can tell if the dupes are being created by Plaxo or by another program. If you would like to send me your PlaxoAssistant.log file, I can determine if the issue is with our service/software or elsewhere.

There is a possibility that the issue is with .Mac/Sync services, but I don' t have concrete info to substantiate that and I'm not trying to pass the buck - but it is something we're investigating.


I'm ideally looking for a Plaxo for Mac user that is experiencing the sort of rampant contact duplication mentioned in this thread who has a relatively small address book (the smaller the better since it's easier to see the data changes). Anyone who would like my direct help with this is free to send me the aforementioned log file for examination and I'll do what I can to help.

-Drew

[oxygen]

Drew,

I've sent in my log file twice already.. do you need it again?

[dcolace]

Drew,

I've sent in my log file twice already.. do you need it again?

I'm sorry to have you go through this again but if you could send it directly to me (you can get my email address in my profile) I'll check it out.

The log file will only be useful if the unwonted duplication has occurred recently (~ 2 - 3 days) since the log files do continually roll over their info.

[Franklin]

I'm one of those early adopters. I opened my Plaxo account in 2004 when I first learned of it. But I'm also on a Mac, and use Entourage. So I waited, like the rest of us here, for a year and a half.

Finally, Plaxo for Mac arrived! I immediately set it up...

and found all the above problems using the double sync set up via Address Book (which I've never used except in that one case.) I too upgraded to Premium, but ended up with out-of-control dups, wasting several days trying to rebuild, even called you guys... but in the end, it was more hassle than it was worth. I uninstalled and have been waiting since then for a Plaxo that syncs directly to Entourage.

Here it is almost a year later, and this forum shows me that basically Plaxo is writing us off.

I suspect that stems from Plaxo management not being clued in to the real-world use patterns of Mac users. Address Book looks good on paper, but Entourage is so much more powerful and elegant a solution, that my experience is power users on Macs generally use Entourage. Further, my guess is that those most interested in Plaxo for Mac are those very same power users. Plaxo is missing the boat here.

Please wake up.

[dcolace]

I'm one of those early adopters. I opened my Plaxo account in 2004 when I first learned of it. But I'm also on a Mac, and use Entourage. So I waited, like the rest of us here, for a year and a half.

Finally, Plaxo for Mac arrived! I immediately set it up...

and found all the above problems using the double sync set up via Address Book (which I've never used except in that one case.) I too upgraded to Premium, but ended up with out-of-control dups, wasting several days trying to rebuild, even called you guys... but in the end, it was more hassle than it was worth. I uninstalled and have been waiting since then for a Plaxo that syncs directly to Entourage.

Here it is almost a year later, and this forum shows me that basically Plaxo is writing us off.

I suspect that stems from Plaxo management not being clued in to the real-world use patterns of Mac users. Address Book looks good on paper, but Entourage is so much more powerful and elegant a solution, that my experience is power users on Macs generally use Entourage. Further, my guess is that those most interested in Plaxo for Mac are those very same power users. Plaxo is missing the boat here.

Please wake up.

We've been keeping our eye on Entourage and really want to provide the best sync solution for Entourage users. We had hoped that the daisy chain of Entourage to Address Book to Plaxo would be a reasonable holdover until we had a better solution in place - but for you it obviously is not.

Microsoft is currently undertaking their first major rewrite of Entourage since bringing Office to Mac OS X. We're targeting to support Microsofts new platform since that is where all the professionals using Office/Entourage will be going - it just is awkward timing. I'm sorry that you're left waiting.

Regarding the duplicates that you see in Entourage (or all around your address book) do you see this on all of your contacts or just some. Does there seem to be any common element between the duplicate items.

In my own use, I have Entourage syncing with Address Book (which of course is syncing with Plaxo for Mac) and I am not getting this wild duplication problem. I'm not claiming that you're not having problems with the sync, but I mention it only to say that I don't believe that it is a universal problem. It might have to do with how we access the Address Book differently or if perhaps you are using other sync software (like a Palm) in the sync mix. I'd really like to be able to get more details from you to see if there is anything that can be done from the Plaxo side of things to improve the current situation.

-Drew

[shady]

Guys, you're on one hand autocreating duplicate entries, and on the other hand sending me emails saying if I pay money to upgrade to Plaxo Premium you can fix the duplicates you've detected in my address book.

Can you see anything wrong with the above?

BTW, I don't use Entourage, and I don't know anyone who likes it.