Unable to import contacts backup to Address Book

[dgold]

I wanted to restore my contacts on my Mac from a backup. I deleted all my existing contacts (which sync via icloud). I then deleted the Address Book folder in Application Support. I then tried to import an abbu file but it would come up blank in contacts. I then reverted to several time machine backups of the Address Book folder and the same result - the contacts app appears blank. On a couple of occasions I did get it to show all the contacts but that would last for a few seconds before they disappeared (I assume iCloud syncing was deleting them). I then turned Contacts syncing off and on hoping that would fix it but it didn't. After that I turned off iCloud syncing altogether and then turned it back on and now I can't get it to even show any contacts when copying the backed up address book folder or importing the abbu file. I am at a loss at to what to try next. I know that all the data is there and backed up but I can't get the contacts app to see it. There are several sources in the sources folder. Does anyone know what I can do to fix this?

 

[ferrarr]

The proper way to restore from Time Machine is;

Open whatever it is you want to restore, in this case Address Book or Contacts app (depending on Mac OS X/OS X/macOS version).
Select "Enter Time Machine" from the TM icon in the Menu bar. If the icon is not there, go to System Preferences > Time Machine, and check the option to "Show Time Machine In the menu bar". Then you will be able to scroll through your Time Machine backups.
Select the TM backup that has the contacts you need.

I don't know if you will have to uncheck the Contacts option from System Preferences > iCloud?

 

[IWT]

I don't know if you will have to uncheck the Contacts option from System Preferences > iCloud?

I too think this is a problem, Bob.

The OP, dgold, has told us that he/she deleted all contacts which sync via iCloud, then deleted the "Address Book Folder".

Then trying to use Time Machine - possibly incorrectly, not quite sure on that - did acquire the contacts, only for them to "disappear" immediately after. But he still had iCloud Sync turned on when he did this.

I think he/she needs to sign out of iCloud before attempting to restore, correctly, from Time Machine???

Ian

 

[Slydude]

I think you're right Ian. That occurred to me earlier but, frankly, I was a bit confused by the whole situation.

I'm also wondering if the folder deleted from Application Support is causing issues. If your suggestion does not work I'd take a look in the Application Support folder to see if things are as they should be.

 

[dgold]

I think you're right Ian. That occurred to me earlier but, frankly, I was a bit confused by the whole situation.

I'm also wondering if the folder deleted from Application Support is causing issues. If your suggestion does not work I'd take a look in the Application Support folder to see if things are as they should be.

I think you are right that there is something not right with the Application Support folder and maybe I need to manually manipulate something to fix it. I also have an ABBU file as a backup and that is having the same issue when trying to import it. I have tried turning off the wifi and also have tried turning off iCloud with the same result.On the odd occasion it did import them but as soon as I reconnected to iCloud they disappear. Now I can't see them any time I import them. I know they are there as on some of those occasions they did import. Since I signed out of iCloud and then signed back in I can't get them to come back on any occasion. See some screenshots of my Address Book folder in Application Support if anyone knows if anything is amiss:

 

[ferrarr]

Restore your Application Support folder from Time Machine.

Open the Application Support folder in a Finder window, then "Enter Time Machine. Go back through the variations until you get to a time before you "messed up" the folder.

 

[dgold]

Restore your Application Support folder from Time Machine.

Open the Application Support folder in a Finder window, then "Enter Time Machine. Go back through the variations until you get to a time before you "messed up" the folder.

I've done that but it still opens as blank. I also have a Super Duper backup from a couple of weeks ago - same issue. Until I signed out of iCloud I could get them to come up and then iCloud would erase them. Now I cannot get them to come up at all - even off the same backup that was previously coming up until iCloud erased them. I have tried offline and tried turning off iCloud sync. Same issue.

 

[chscag]

Too late for you now, but always backup your contacts by exporting them to vcard or pdf archive. Then, regardless of what iCloud does you'll always have a good copy of your contacts to restore from.

 

[dgold]

Too late for you now, but always backup your contacts by exporting them to vcard or pdf archive. Then, regardless of what iCloud does you'll always have a good copy of your contacts to restore from.

Thanks - yeah I learnt my lesson.

I do have a vcard archive but for some reason Contacts is giving me an error when trying to import them. I've finally been able to solve it using Cardhop and importing them into there and it has then automatically imported them into Contacts.