Contacts on WP7 - Windows Phone 7 Development and Hacking

Does any one know where are the contacts stored in WP7?
I have tried almost all the Files and Directories in WP7
Dunno if it will be put somewhere hidden
any tips?

The People hub will combine all your Facebook and Live contacts.

If WP7 uses the same contact storage system as WM5/6 did, then it's a database file, using a specialized format. It was generally a bad idea to try accessing it directly in old Windows Mobile, so it's probably twice as bad of an idea to do it in WP7 without going through the appropriate APIs.

Actually, I would like to develop a desktop program which can SMS via Phone, and help you back up SMS conversation, or any other phone info.
But what I want to do first is retrieve all contacts info.

Related

Messenger / Windows Live - Contacts sooo annoying!

Fellow xda people...
I'm a ms messenger addict, well I like it anyway and I've been looking forward to using it on my vario over uk T-mobile web'n'walk...I'm running black 2.5 so now I have the "windows live" thing on my today screen and I'm signed in...
thing is, seems to work...but i CANT STAND the way it insists on putting all my MSN contacts into my contact list! Does this annoy anyone else? Anyone found any clever work arounds?
Typical of microsoft trying to integrate an app and take over the whole machine - horrible?
cheers
bb
its so annoying...almost makes me want to use a different messenger client?
using black 2.0. cannot sign windows live from yesterday until now. it said no internet connectivity but i am connected with gprs and also wifi. can surf net also. it the mobile server different from the desktop?
I'm talking about the contacts in particular....
anyone else use messenger - windows live....polluting my contacts !
I had the same problem when I first used the live messenger beta a few months back. The final version does have the "sync contacts" optionality but as you say it still syncs them and creates duplicates and rubbish!
The only work around I found was to use outlook to copy and paste all the relevant info from the original contacts details into the new contacts created by messenger and then deleting the old one. This then avoids the duplication next time you flash and set up live.
unwired4 said:
The only work around I found was to use outlook to copy and paste all the relevant info from the original contacts details into the new contacts created by messenger and then deleting the old one. This then avoids the duplication next time you flash and set up live.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That seems to work the best for me, I don't have to many contact and it wasnt that hard for me to delete them all and put them back in again - when you do this it asks what sort of contact you want - I think MS should have included a wizard that goes through your contacts when you first install them asking if you want Outlook, Contacts List and/or Messenger for each contact.
Another problem I found was everytime it synced from phone to computer, it would change my Messenger contacts, I found that if you edit the contact in Windows Messenger and make sure the name info is the same as what is one the phone has stored, it solves this problem, my contacts sync OK now.
I have the same issue, so i just reverted to using Pocket MSN...
Someone posted a workaround in the following thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1236933&postcount=22
Don't know if it's working since I didn't have time to install Live Messenger and try it out. Can someone try it?
My Workaround ...
Yeah,
I had the exact same problem. And i have HEAPS of contacts both messenger and outlook ... and of course ... i'm ridiculously anal about having everything exactly perfect ... so i fixed my contacts and reinstalled my phone ... hah
What i found worked for me, was before syncing the first time, make sure that you have outlook contacts corresponding to the email addresses of your messenger contacts. (ie: if windows live messenger sees you have an outlook contact with the same email address, it will just attach the msn display pic etc to that contact.
- Phixx
cheers for this...infuriating !
I have now taken the route one approach...deleted all the daft MS Messenger contacts and removed Windows Live from my today screen (I would delete it if I could)....Hope I never see it again!
The best way to deal with it is to make sure all of your contacts in MS Live have contact entries in Outlook. It sucks, but once you have all of your contacts sync'd up, it's pretty cool: you can see people's online status anywhere you see their contact info on the phone.
BTW; no matter what route you take, you MUST back up your Live contacts and your Outlook contacts on your PC. Seriously. Do it now. I made the mistake of not doing that, and during one of my many reloads, I somehow managed to wipe out my entire Outlook contacts list *and* my Windows Live contact list. It was not a fun day restoring that.
Go to Contacts->Save instant messenging contacts in Windows Live on your PC.
yeah, but i don't want my instant messenger stuff anywhere near my contacts...to me it's a separate app! (or it should be) MS trying to be too clever by half.
What would be nice is if it put the messenger emails in contacts under "emails" Ie personal / business and email catogries.
It really is quite annoying when sifting through the contact list to find a phone number and having to sift through 100's of mail addresses too.
Of course I do try to use the smart dialing but they still come up.
Just having to do these work arounds every reinstall / HR e.t.c is tedious at best.
LeoBadhan said:
I have the same issue, so i just reverted to using Pocket MSN...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want to do the same thing, only I can't find the install for pocket MSN, the only one I could find was on the MS site where you have to pay for it.. it came with my TyTN so I don't want to pay MS another €15 for it!
Can you please provide me the install file? whether it is in PM or in the thread
Thanks alot man
I quite like the way it works.. It's a little bit annoying if you have contacts who have really messed up their details online so that it can't link them to a phone contact, but other than that I really like it.
It would be nice if there was an advanced sync option where you could somehow pair orphan people on MSN to people in contacts on the phone so that it was aware they were the same person.. but I'm not gonna complain too much.
or just give you an option to turn it off.
I'm having an absolute nightmare with this!
I really like the idea in concept and want it to work.
I deleted the contacts it added to my phone adress book cos it looked messy not realising that when I sync'd with my PC it would delete them all (85) from messenger!
So I started re adding my msn contacts being careful to also have a corresponding Outlook contact and all was going well. I was getting them linked up nicely. Now all of a sudden, they've all gone again from my MSN on my PC!
I want this feature to work, I don't simply want to turn it off as some of you have done. How should I go about this?
Yes, me too.. There are nice features in Live messenger for WM, like showing display picture, voiceclip, sending files, pictures, etc, but this contacts problem is so darn annoying! I wish some wizzguy could look into a hack or solution
Greetz.

Contacts phone #, email, and details Sync across several devices

Hi all,
Just wondering what you guys use to keep your contacts in Sync with multiple devices (PalmOS, WM6x, Android)
Personally now I use Google Apps Contacts, however Google Contacts lacks some features and it doesn't sync fully some extra fields.
Before I started using Google Contacts, I was using a mix of several applications like SwitchSyncEX and other alikes.
so i was wondering if there are some sort of apps for Android that can do cross platform contact sync-ing keeping all the fields, instead of chopping off whatever it doesn't understand (Google Contacts)
i would like to know this as well as I'm in the same boat (palm desktop, outlook/wm 6.5, and soon to be android)
I keep my master copy of contacts in Mac OS X address book which syncs with Google Contacts which I then use from remote devices (iPhone, Android, whatever)
I keep hearing about Plaxo, no idea if it's any good or available for Android.
I've used GooSync earlier. It did the job, but then you are still dependant on Google Contacts, which seems to be where you're missing some features.
igniztion said:
I've used GooSync earlier. It did the job, but then you are still dependant on Google Contacts, which seems to be where you're missing some features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly!
i like google contacts, is great, but it's missing features i got used to since PalmOS and WinMobile
i keep using both my old HTC Athena and SGS i9000, so Google Contact is the best one out there at the moment, unfortunately those extra fields from Outlook doesn't get sync-ed over.
and or if i create them in Google, there is no way to map it back to Outlook.... it's a bummer
Try mIQLive.com
Had all my HD2 Contacts, etc., synced with Exchange Server. Go to above Site, Download & Install the App on your current Device.
You can then upload all Contacts; Calendar; Texts; Call Logs; Bookmarks; Photos & Videos onto their "Cloud" server
Then on the new or 2nd phone, Download & Install the App. Sign in using the same Credentials. The mIQ Cloud Server will then Sync all of the above items with your new Device
I've used this recently to Sync up both Windows and Android Phones. Runs in a very similar manner to Dropbox, if you're familar with that for File Sync across mutliple PC's
Two other nice little bonuses IMHO
a) As the mIQ app runs in the background on your Phone, it maintains a "Push" type connection with your phone (not too dissimilar to a connection to Exchange Server) This will then automatically Sync New Texts; Photos; Contacts and Call Logs onto the Cloud Server for access thru a PC
b) This same connection allows you to send & receive Texts on your PC Browser, with the phone remaining in your pocket the whole time. Very handy at times
I should emphasize that BOTH my HD2 and Galaxy have their "Master Sync" with Exchange and I haven't noticed any abbreviations on the Outlook Contact Fields to date. And I use Outlook Contacts extensively for adding extra Contact Info etc. Your mileage may vary though!!!!
Oh and by the way, this is Free. So, hard to beat the price!!!
but google does that already for free, why i'd switch to a paid service when it does the same thing?
1) First of all, the mIQ Service is FREE, so no harm to try it
2) Secondly, mIQ is a “Live, Constantly On” service, so any Contact Changes; Texts; Call Timer Logs; New Photos etc. Are automatically backed up to the cloud. Handy in the event of disaster. Gmail Backup is far more intermittent
3) Thirdly, Google does NOT offer Auto Backup of the following items (which mIQ does)
a) Call Timer Logs (handy for business logs, if that’s important to you)
b) Photos, Files & Videos Backup
c) Browser Bookmarks (as far as I know)
4) Fourthly, Google Sync does NOT allow the feature I described above, of being able to Send and Receive Texts from your Desktop, while your phone remains in your pocket
If you run two phones (as I do) it can be very handy to move from one phone to the other and know that a new Bookmark you may have added on one phone; or a Text you may have received is Automatically on the OTHER phone by the time you pick it up. All happens within 10 seconds or so
now that sounds much more interesting, i'll give that a go
You can also try syncfriend Also free
sync
I use funambol sync, 90 days free on WInmo and free on android.
So I made a sync on my winmo to the funambol server and then when I got the SGS I installed Funambal and synced the contacts back to my SGS.
For me it worked fine!
AllGamer said:
Hi all,
Just wondering what you guys use to keep your contacts in Sync with multiple devices (PalmOS, WM6x, Android)
Personally now I use Google Apps Contacts, however Google Contacts lacks some features and it doesn't sync fully some extra fields.
Before I started using Google Contacts, I was using a mix of several applications like SwitchSyncEX and other alikes.
so i was wondering if there are some sort of apps for Android that can do cross platform contact sync-ing keeping all the fields, instead of chopping off whatever it doesn't understand (Google Contacts)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as WinMo 6x and android devices are concerned, no need to buy any third party app. This is what i do. The only pre condition is that your primary server should be gmail(google) not hotmail. Then all you got to do is add gmail server as exchange server in WinMo device. Thereafter both WinMo & android will always be in sync simultaneously.

HTC Sync: Is there any use?

Frankly, I asked myself this question after looking through the software.
It doesn't seem to back up anything
If it does, it does a damn good job at hiding where it stores the backup files. And that idea is further driven by the lack of "Backup" or "Restore" options in the software.
Its full of bugs
It seems that while HTC put all their design and development effort into their phones, they put little into the Sync app.
There is so many bugs and annoyances inside that I wonder if its any more hopeless than Windows Vista:
- Leaving the Sync in the background, it will keep accessing the HDD twice a second for absolutely no reason whatsoever. The HDD light just keeps flashing non-stop until I kill the process. Is it intentionally trying to kill my battery and drive?
- You can't change the default directory where it dumps all the copies it makes of all your images or other files on your phone.
- If you ask it to sync a specific folder in your computer, it replicates the ENTIRE directory structure in your phone.
Eg.: If I set it to sync My Documents on my netbook, what is does is create this long line of directories in my phone: /sdcard/c/documents and settings/username/my documents/
- And the worst part of it all is that you can't seem to change any of these predefined settings inside any of the software's config files or registry settings.
Its Redundant & Irrelavent
With available apps like DropBox and file explorers like ES File Explorer(I highly recommend this) and Astro File Manager, which can access shared network folders, I fail to see any real use for HTC Sync on my desktop.
Or am I missing something else here?
Regarding HTC Sync, I recently tried it out. I only use it for 2 things.
1. Browser bookmarks syncing. Back with Eclair, the device use to be able to backup bookmarks locally on the device itself. But seems this feature was removed in the Froyo update. Seems to work alright for this purpose. Does anyone else have another way to backup their bookmarks? (I would love to have my browser's bookmarks just sync OTA with Delicious.)
2. Photo syncing. It saves all my camera photos to my computer. Sure, you can just drag&drop in disk drive mode. But this is just convenient.
Overall, I don't find HTC Sync very useful. It's good to have, but you won't be missing out on anything if you don't use it.
I'm sure HTC is dropping development for this program in favor of HTCsense.com. That would be something I would use..
Info
Ok - i use it for 4 Month every day -
it is one of the easyst tool to sync to lotus notes
i sync contact's and appointments and it works perfect
But in the new Version 3.0 - there is no lotus notes sync anymore !! - It is most provoking.
i use htc sync every day to sync my outlook contacts and calendar as i don't want my data stored on someone else's servers.
it does work most of the time admittedly but it's an extremely frustrating piece of software to use. a complete lack of options doesn't really make it easy to use either.
it's the one thing that i really miss about my old winmo device - at least activesync was reliable and predictable.
i'd be happy to pay for a piece of software that could reliably sync with outlook over usb and display using the default apps ...

pim backup on windows 7

Hi,
I currently use PIM backup to back my entire contacts and messages (Which amount to more than 3000 + )
Once windows 7 comes would PIM backup be available for it (As there are rumours that you can only install stuff from the windows market place for win 7)
If any of the members have some inside news it would be really appreciated..
(Like if MS is planning some way to transfer data from old phone) I am not talking about windows my phone though
Thanks a lot
Basically you have to get your contacts into Windows Live or some other email provider (exchange, GMail, etc) that will allow you to sync down your contacts. 3rd party apps won't be able to do it and at least as of now Zune doesn't have that capability. But I'm curious how they'll do it for the carriers. Maybe they will have some app that does it? It's a rather common exercise for the drones that work at the carriers stores to backup/transfer contacts for people. If I'm coming from my dumbphone and picking up a WP7 phone, I want to leave that store with my phone chock full of contacts.
RustyGrom said:
Basically you have to get your contacts into Windows Live or some other email provider (exchange, GMail, etc) that will allow you to sync down your contacts. 3rd party apps won't be able to do it and at least as of now Zune doesn't have that capability. But I'm curious how they'll do it for the carriers. Maybe they will have some app that does it? It's a rather common exercise for the drones that work at the carriers stores to backup/transfer contacts for people. If I'm coming from my dumbphone and picking up a WP7 phone, I want to leave that store with my phone chock full of contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think contacts can be done easily (You can also use outlook)
It is the messages I was wondering about...
RustyGrom said:
Basically you have to get your contacts into Windows Live or some other email provider (exchange, GMail, etc) that will allow you to sync down your contacts. 3rd party apps won't be able to do it and at least as of now Zune doesn't have that capability. But I'm curious how they'll do it for the carriers. Maybe they will have some app that does it? It's a rather common exercise for the drones that work at the carriers stores to backup/transfer contacts for people. If I'm coming from my dumbphone and picking up a WP7 phone, I want to leave that store with my phone chock full of contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the in store contact transfer was normally done via the SIM card, and is mildly limited.
shamreez said:
I think contacts can be done easily (You can also use outlook)
It is the messages I was wondering about...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to sync it to a hosted service. There is no direct outlook sync.
l3v5y said:
I thought the in store contact transfer was normally done via the SIM card, and is mildly limited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not all phones have SIM cards. Maybe this is a reason WP7 is GSM only right now?
shamreez said:
I think contacts can be done easily (You can also use outlook)
It is the messages I was wondering about...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think Microsoft Myphone is your best shot...
cool_dd said:
I think Microsoft Myphone is your best shot...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
I would sync to MyPhone. With that many contact most likely take a while your first time(go for WiFi ) but once done MyPhone is coming to WP7 so I am only guessing but copy you profile across?
PIM backup on windows phone 7
I backuped my contacts using PimBackup..now I am on Windows Phone 7...
can I get my PIM backup into my phone 7 ???
Vito
vitolamanna said:
I backuped my contacts using PimBackup..now I am on Windows Phone 7...
can I get my PIM backup into my phone 7 ???
Vito
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No way to directly use your PIM backup on WP7. What you can try is sync your WM 6.5 device with your windows live account using Activesync, that should put your contacts and calendar in Windows Live though I'm not 100% sure which way the sync will go but since you have a backup you should be good. Or just use Outlook if you have it, install the hotmail connector and copy your data across. Helps if you change the view to List view so you can easily select all your data. Another way for Calendar items is to export them to ical format then import them into windows live. No way to transfer SMS messages though. HTH.

Q: How do I sync "Notes" into device?

For many years, I have been a user of “notes” in WM devices. I now have accumulated quite a list of them and I use them routinely. They have always resided on an SD card which I swapped when I changed devices.
Has anyone discovered a way to get these “notes” into the new devices? A cloud-based solution is certainly acceptable for transfer of the data, but not for storage. I require device-based storage for almost everything as I spend a lot of time removed from any source of connectivity.
Thanks!
At the moment, there currently is no way to sync files other than media (photos, music, videos, podcasts, which are sync'd through the Zune software).
You can however, store your file online (such as through SkyDrive), and then download them using the phone's web browser. When you download files from the web, they certainly get stored somewhere, but since there is no file browser, you can't browse to a directory and tap the file to start it. For example, when you load a PDF file from the web on your phone, it gets downloaded somewhere, but if you decide to look at the PDF again in the future, you can only access that from the Adobe Reader app, where it gets listed until you decide to remove it.
That being said, I don't think that Windows Phone supports the old Windows Mobile Notes files though, so I'm not sure how you would view them on Windows Phone 7.
An alternative would be to convert over to OneNote and use the online syncing capability (which rocks). Create your notes on your desktop, online, or on your phone and they can automatically stay in sync with each other.
I am not quite sure if you mean this but if you go to office then onenote and then press all you can sync them.
I only used office 2010 for some months, but I think you can create a online link and connect it to your phone.
The data is stored on the phone and if you edit something it will be synced the next time if you are online.
I hope i helped as i am not quite sure myself and I am waiting to get office 2010.
XATAGuy said:
For many years, I have been a user of “notes” in WM devices. I now have accumulated quite a list of them and I use them routinely. They have always resided on an SD card which I swapped when I changed devices.
Has anyone discovered a way to get these “notes” into the new devices? A cloud-based solution is certainly acceptable for transfer of the data, but not for storage. I require device-based storage for almost everything as I spend a lot of time removed from any source of connectivity.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's pretty easy to set up skydrive to sync with OneNote on your phone. I used cut and paste on my pc to copy my notes from Outlook to OneNote on my browser (skydrive), then synced the phone. Now any changes to the notes - made either on the web app or the phone - get synced automatically. Very convenient after all the initial copying.
another vote for oneNote, the default notbook works great, in system settings go to applications > onenote and slide the sync slider, they'll give you more info, read it, they won't tell you again.
I also setup a second notebook to share with a business partner on my PC, the link showed up in my ME tile, I clicked it out of curiosity, now it's synced too!
+1 for one note, a very convenient solution, not something i had used before now, but i am becoming increasingly reliant on it!

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