VCARD Download

Share discussions around the Classic Local Unit Website (LUWS).
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ShirtsDre
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#21

Post by ShirtsDre »

pwhiting wrote:Here is some perl code to do the task...
Doing this in the TCL environment used for the local unit websites is a little more difficult - anyone have a good pointer for doing zips in TCL?
pwhiting,
I have yet tofind anyway to work with zip files in our implementation of tcl, mostly because the packages needed to execute such code don't appear to be installed. Usually, I setup a localhost php site that can do the work for me.
-- Learn from the past. Prepare for the future. Live in the present. -- President Thomas S. Monson
brgbldr-p40
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#22

Post by brgbldr-p40 »

I was also frustrated because I kept trying to download our Ward Directory in the form of a vcard file and import it and it would onoly bring in the first entry MULTIPLE TIMES... I found a great program that's relatively inexpensive, called "VCARD4OUTLOOK" and it's available for $14.95 at http://vcard4outlook.4team.biz/. It has a free trial version, but that only brings in the first 5 entries. I thought about breaking the master file into a whole bunch of individual 5 member files, but after working on it for a while, I realized that my time was worth more than that & it's probably skirting the ethics of their intent of offering us a trial version. Besides, $15 was well worth it to have every one of the addresses, phone numbers, spouses, AND their children's names in my Outlook and subsequently my PDA. Think about home teaching new families and how often we forget their kids and wive's names.... Hope this helps.
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mkmurray
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Note

#23

Post by mkmurray »

brgbldr wrote:...I found a great program that's relatively inexpensive, called "VCARD4OUTLOOK" and it's available for $14.95 at http://vcard4outlook.4team.biz/. It has a free trial version, but that only...

Just a note to reiterate that this utility suggested by brgbldr does cost money and is not endorsed by this site or the Church in anyway. Use at your own discretion.
Pete
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#24

Post by Pete »

If someone can describe the file format outlook can accept, I'd be willing to explore providing an export in that format. Zip doesn't seem to be it...
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tomj
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Unfortunate

#25

Post by tomj »

It's unfortunate that MS hasn't adopted such a universal standard such as vCard. I hate to see all of you guy's working your tails off on this. Has anyone tried to contact MS and see if they have a fix, or could update the software. Outlook has such a large user-base, I'd hope that they would respond with something. I think that typical users will get frustrated and give up on the process if it doesn't just work with their contact manager program. It'd be great if MS could fix it in an update so that John Doe Member doesn't have to be a techie to get it to work.

On the other hand, it's great to see a bunch of LDS tech guys working together in a community to solve a problem simple problem like this!!

Kudos!!!
pfnelson
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Mis2palm

#26

Post by pfnelson »

This seems like a good forum to put a plug in for MIS2PALM (http://www.mis2palm.com/). This only applies if you have admin privledges to export data from MLS, but it is very useful if you are in a bishopric.

The Java application will aggregate the data dumps from MLS into two simple CVS files for importing into Outlook or Palm software. This includes a full member list and all the membership reports (callings, etc.).

I know this doesn't do much for those limited to Web access to VCards, but it has been very useful to me in bishoprics the past 7 years.
jamassag-p40
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#27

Post by jamassag-p40 »

I was just searching around for an existing utility to split vcf files into individual records and found this
http://www.dm9.se/dev/widgets.php
It's a windows executable and it's free.

I tried it on my ward's vcard file and it seems to work great. It did dump the new files into the directory where the application was though. I also didn't try importing them into Outlook but I looked them over with a text editor and they looked fine.
blmcewan-p40
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Yes, CSV Works and with Outlook

#28

Post by blmcewan-p40 »

As a long time computer end user and instructor I've had to solve this type of problem numerous times with multiple PDA devices and most recently an iPhone. As a ward website admin, I only have access to the web data (csv etc) data--my preferred, although the data dumps from MLS are basically the same.

I can't give all the details at this hour right now, but will return again. Suffice it to say it's fairly painless, quick, and easy that just about anyone can do with Excel or should work with the OpenOffice app and Outlook. There's just a little bit of clean-up via some formulas, that need to be copied down the length of the data set. I have the entire ward in my phone all assigned as with a category name to help separate them from othe contacts. Depending on your PDA device and Outlook combination this shows up differently but obviously saves time when trying to go to a specific person/family (would work for an entire stake as I saw mentioned in the thread)

Looks like I should be able to upload a zipped up xls file, but I've never gotten my hands on any of the sample (ideal) ward data. I only have some real data that I don't share. If someone could post/send me that data set I'll gladly share.
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aebrown
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#29

Post by aebrown »

blmcewan wrote:Looks like I should be able to upload a zipped up xls file, but I've never gotten my hands on any of the sample (ideal) ward data. I only have some real data that I don't share. If someone could post/send me that data set I'll gladly share.

First of all, welcome to the LDS Tech forum! We appreciate all new members, and especially those who are interested in sharing information.

Although there is sample ward data for MLS, there is no sample data for the web sites, and the data formats are different. Although there are some similarities as you noted, you would need different spreadsheet formulas and formats to deal with the differences. So there's really nothing we can post or send to you in this area.

It might be helpful for you to post your spreadsheet with just a couple of rows of test data -- take your ward's real data, delete all but a couple of rows, and change all the data to be fictitious. That shouldn't take very long, and posting a sample spreadsheet could help other forum members.
121887mattandjulie
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Importing Member directories / Vcards

#30

Post by 121887mattandjulie »

Seems the main goal of this post was to get ward directories into Outlook, albeit Vcards but if CSV works why re-invent the wheel. There is a program out there called "Unit List on the Run" that will import the entire ward or Stake for that matter directory of members from LUWS and convert to a MS Outlook compatible CSV file. File saved into local directory with program all you have to do is import into Outlook then sync your PDA to Outlook & your done. I built a macro in Excel to do this prior to finding out the work had already been done and the product was cleaner. Works for me! Posted to News & Information section for benefit of all ward members. Now I don't have to build converted files for teh members.;)
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