Contacts storage?

Where does WLM store your Contacts?

Vista introduced a top-level folder (under the username) called 'Contacts'.
This is so much better than storing your contacts under 'Application Data',
because it makes them easier to back up.

Windows Mail uses the Contacts folder. Windows Live Mail, however, doesn't,
thus rendering the new folder structure in Vista obsolete just months after
launch!

In fact, as far as I can see, if you switch from WM to WLM the Vista
'\username\Contacts' folder isn't used by anything, which seems very odd.

Anyway, can anyone tell me where WLM stores its Contacts? Or is there a
way, perhaps, of forcing it to use the Contacts folder?

Thanks,

SteveT

In your Store folder ([Tools >] Options > Advanced > Maintenance >
Store folder). There is a subfolder called Contacts, containing
subfolders for each Live ID and a Default folder if you've never
signed in. In each Live ID folder is a pair of folders, real and
shadow. One of them reflects the local situation, the other that at
contacts.live.com. After a complete synchronization, they should
contain identical contacts entries. This makes it easy to back up:
nearly all user data - messages and contacts - in one handy folder.
--
Noel

"Steve Thackery" <nobody@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OJp1PLSqIHA.2292@xxxxxx

Not so sure that Microsoft intended that location as an "easy"
backup means. By default, the AppData directory is hidden.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)


"Ildhund" <jnllb@xxxxxx> wrote in message news:uz1VaaSqIHA.4912@xxxxxx

VERY helpful answer! Many thanks, Ildhund.

SteveT

Supplementary question Mr Speaker

In Vista when I double click on a shared OE contacts "folder" (NAB) on
another machine (XP), it automagically copies the content thereof into the
<my>\Contacts "folder". I can then select one or many names from
<my>\Contacts, right click select Action->Send Email and the WLM compose
window appears - all good stuff - if that's what you want to do.

What I would like to do is to have a shared NAB that members of a
"workgroup" can access and update from within their mail client (WLM, OE or
Eudora) "alongside" their private Contacts/NAB. Obviously the shared NAB
would have to be on a "switched on" PC and it would have to be shared with
other workgroup members. Preferably I'd like one copy of the shared NAB -
i.e. no replicants.

I can probably nudge/bribe/coerce the OE and Eudora users into using WLM if
I could deliver shared NABs - the users in question are autonomous so they
cannot be forced via corporate fiat..

Can WLM have multiple sets of Contacts - it doesn't appear so. Which seems
somewhat short sighted given that the much maligned Lotus Notes allowed
multiple NAB's (or whatever it called them) 15 years ago. How do users cope
with having a corporate NAB and a private set of Contacts in a WLM mail
client situation - Exchange Server is not an option in the situation that I
have in mind.

Thanks PhilD





"Steve Thackery" <nobody@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OJp1PLSqIHA.2292@xxxxxx

As I wrote a couple of days ago: set up a new Hotmail Live ID for
the workgroup and populate its contacts with those common to the
workgroup. You won't have to bother about copying contacts from one
user account to another if the user has internet access, and it's
quick and easy to switch the sign-in ID from personal to workgroup
and have the appropriate contacts available in each case.

"Can WLM have multiple sets of Contacts - it doesn't appear so.
Which seems somewhat short sighted..."

You have as many sets of contacts as you like - one for each Live
ID.
--
Noel

"Urbane.Tiger" <viking.warrior@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eOCI77eqIHA.4672@xxxxxx