App to edit Contacts make bulk changes to groups and notes etc?

Software
1

I’m going through my contaccts list and want to make significant changes to the info in notes (which I use for smart groups) move cards into and out of the regular groups and generally muck about in the database. I don’t really need the power of a whole new app, regular cotacts does enough of what I need that I’ll stick with it but the maddening way I have to locate the groups a person is in, delete them fromt eh groyp etc. has me thingking there msut be a better way.

I htought Contacts was an SQLite database but if it is then I found the wrong file to try to look at as I got an error when I tried to bring it up into my sqlite toolbox to work on.

I was thinking of exporting all the cotnact out into some format, using some other tool to make all the bulk changes and then deleteing the old addressbook and importing my new one.

So I’m looking for a good tool to do that.

Alternatively this might just kick me into stating the on-hold project of creating a CardDAV server and migrating all my contacts there. I still need to do the clean-up but I think there are some more tools in some of the CardDAV clients. Haven’t really started looking down that path yet.

Thoughts?

Just sitting here at home with hubby, both of us sick and coughing, might as well do something on the computer, no Christmas parties for us, we might infect someone. :wink:

1 Like
2

  1. Export as a vCard, open in a text editor, do global find/replace. Drag the file you just saved onto Address Book’s All group entry. A sheet will appear that asks if you’re sure you want to import X number of cards. Below this question is an entry that reads “X cards are duplicates and will be updated.” Click Import and the contacts you originally selected will have their information updated. This article goes more in-depth on manually editing, and even shows an Applescript to help.

  2. Addressbook Aid is the one well-reviewed Mac app I know of which takes a database approach to Contacts for editing. It’s been around for years but hasn’t been regularly updated.

  3. vCard Editor, from the same dev as Addressbook Aid. Looks pretty similar.

  4. Contacts Cleaner for Mac does basic maintenance, not find/replace.

  5. Simpler Pro for iOS can do some multi-editing that Contacts cannot.

4 Likes
3

This was released yesterday and I already used it to clear notes from thousands of contacts.
AddressBook Aid2

I also purchased this to so a nice job on cleaning up contacts based on email and phone numbers.
Cisdem ContactsMate