Contacts Conflict Resolver

[Pszilard]

I am using an iPad 2 and a Windows 7 64bit system with the current iTunes. I have both Google Apps (aka GMAIL) and Mobile Me accounts.

I turned off all sync functions for MobileMe and only use the iPad locator service. I had the iPad sync Contacts to GMAIL, which was set up using the Exchange (and NOT GMAIL) configuration, which is described by Google. iTunes had Sync Contacts/Calendars/Mail all turned OFF, as I was was syncing directly to GMAIL via 3G.

It looked like all was working, except I noticed that most of my contacts were "linked" to Exchange (i.e. GMAIL) and iPad! This meant that an update might not work, if it was done on the wrong one.

So, I figured I should just delete all the iPad entries and run with the Exchange (GMAIL) synced only.

So I turned off Contacts for Everything - expecting that my Contacts should be wiped, but alas it is not so! Intead the contacts remain, AND my PC reports that the Conflict Resolver found 288 sync conflicts in Contacts!!!

If I click on Resolve Now, it shows 288 entries one at a time, BUT each time it shows a name it displays "iPad" on BOTH the left and the right, and they are identical. I.e. there is NO conflict! I click though all 288, but the next time the iPad syncs, the whole scenario repeats itself! And remember: I have turned OFF ALL Contact syncing, on every mail account and on iTunes!

I am at a loss. Can anyone help?

 

[DrHouse]

I'm not sure if I fully understand the whole situation, but it looks like you did not selected Exchange as you default account for contacts on you iPad. Have a look in emails setting, near the bottom, you have a section for contacts. The is where you need to set that your default account is exchange

I've been doing the same thing for my iPad and my iPhone. When I apply a modification, all my devices are synch by gmail. Never used iTunes for contact management...

VicoPad addict!

 

[twerppoet]

I did the opposite. I synced my MobileMe contacts to Google, but I kept the iPad synced to MobileMe. If for no other reason, because Mobile me lets me keep my groups, and Google does not.

I'm not sure I can help you with the conflicts, but if you turned syncing back on with one of your accounts, then resolved the conflicts there, the changes should sync back to the iPad. Or more likely I just didn't understand your description of what you are doing.

When you turn Contact syncing on and off in the iPad, you need to pay close attention to the pop up option to Keep or Delete the contacts on the iPad. The wrong choice gets messy.

 

[Pszilard]

I'm not sure if I fully understand the whole situation, but it looks like you did not selected Exchange as you default account for contacts on you iPad. Have a look in emails setting, near the bottom, you have a section for contacts. The is where you need to set that your default account is exchange

I've been doing the same thing for my iPad and my iPhone. When I apply a modification, all my devices are synch by gmail. Never used iTunes for contact management...

VicoPad addict!

Thanks. I did have the default set. See my other post below this one...

 

[Pszilard]

I did the opposite. I synced my MobileMe contacts to Google, but I kept the iPad synced to MobileMe. If for no other reason, because Mobile me lets me keep my groups, and Google does not.

I'm not sure I can help you with the conflicts, but if you turned syncing back on with one of your accounts, then resolved the conflicts there, the changes should sync back to the iPad. Or more likely I just didn't understand your description of what you are doing.

When you turn Contact syncing on and off in the iPad, you need to pay close attention to the pop up option to Keep or Delete the contacts on the iPad. The wrong choice gets messy.

Thanks. Could you explain how do you sync MobileMe to Google?

Anyway, I seem to have found the answer to my problem. I was getting the same Conflict Resolution messages even when I had disconnected the iPad from the PC. This made me realize that the culprit was the MobileMe control panel application and not the iPad. So I uninstalled that and everything seems ok at the moment.

Basically I only sync Contacts to Google and not to the PC.

Still if you can answer how to sync MobileMe's Contacts to Google, that would be useful, as I have some entries that are missing from Google.

Thanks.

 

[twerppoet]

Still if you can answer how to sync MobileMe's Contacts to Google, that would be useful, as I have some entries that are missing from Google.

Thanks.

Sorry, I was assuming you were using a Mac. When you mentioned the MobileMe panel I realized I was wrong. On a Mac you have the Address Book program. In it's account preferences you can set synchronization with MobileMe, Yahoo, and Google.

There might be similar settings in the MobileMe panel, but if you are having problems with it then maybe it isn't worth your time.

The key to clean syncing is to choose one master source, and sync all computers and devices back to that. If you have this syncing to that syncing to the other thing you set your self up for delay errors and loops.

 

[Pszilard]

Thanks for getting back to me. I have both Windows PC and a MacBook Pro.

I only sync my iPad to the iTunes on the Windows PC, and I only have the Contacts syn via 3G to Google via "Exchange" configuration.

I do have a MobileMe account, and on the Mac, I connected the Contacts App to Google.

Is there a way to export the data from MobileMe as a CSV file, and then import/merge with Google? I think this is my only remaining issue.

My Conflict problem had gone away, when I uninstalled the iMobile sync from my PC.

Thanks again for helping...

 

[twerppoet]

Doesn't look like MobileMe will export csv, but it will export vCard format, and it looks like Google will import vCard. This is probably the better way to go anyway, since I don't believe there is any standard csv format for contacts.

No guarantees this will work. I'm not going to test it and double all my contacts, because there has to be some limits to helpfulness.

Go to me.com in Safari on your MacBook (for maximum compatibility). Navigate to the contacts, click on the cog/gear icon at the top right, and choose Select All. Do it again and select Export.

You should download a file with the vcf extension. This may automatically open Address Book. Cancel out in order to avoid doubling your contacts.

Now go to the Google Mail web page, and select Contacts. Using the More Actions menu choose Import. You'll notice it says csv or vCard format. Choose and import the vcf file. (it will probably be in your downloads folder)

If you want to avoid duplicating contacts you can probably be more selective about what contacts you export from me.com.

Good Luck.

Addendum: you can use the shift key to select ranges of addresses in me.com, and the Command key to add/remove selections.

 

[Pszilard]

Hi twerppoet,

Thanks again. I was able to do the steps on the PC, followed by a Merge Duplicates in Google. Incidentally it already identified the majority, so I will just have to manage the left-overs myself.

I specified on import a new Group (I called it MobileMe - very imaginative) so that way I can quickly pick out the bad guys.

Thnx for your help.

 

[twerppoet]

No problem, and I'm glad to know it worked as advertised. You never know, I might have to do the same thing some day.