importing mac addressbook into asteridex

[sims]

1. can i import numbers into asteridex? if so, any advise would be helpful.

2. alternatively geotek phonebook (http://voip-manager.net/asterisk-phonebook.php) also appears to be quite interesting. seems to do a lot of things that i would like to? anybody tried it with pbxinaflash? if so, i have a few questions:
a. does it work well with pbxinaflash?
b. can geotek numbers be referred by pressing first few letters of a name, as can be done in asteridex?

thanks!

 

[TDF]

In my search for a better phone book solution than the built in asterisk one I installed Geotek yesterday, nearly uninstalled it too.

I'm not impressed, the write up made it sound better than it appears to be. Its just a GUI for the existing phonebook, theres no way to import names/numbers other than through the asterisk CVS import bit, that ive never figured out how to do as Outlook doesnt appear to give out the right format.

I havnt figured out how to get it to display the entire contact list like in one of the pictures, nothing is shown untill you search for something, search for numbers starting 0 and all my contacts appear.

The voicemail bit might be handy if you don't get on with all that button pressing on your phone, it certainly looks good if you like to do stuff at your computer, Ive not tried it as it wants a plugin (Apple QT) installing into FF.

2a. The parts this interacts with are the same no matter the distro.

2b. Never tried asterdex (but it could be next lol) but if you mean can it search a name without typing the whole name in then yes, you can enter either 1 letter or 1 number and it will list all the results that match.

It seems every time I store a name and number I press store and the name vanishes, I enter the name again and it stores the second time.

You may find it useful but I didn't, what I'm really after is one that will import numbers from Outlook easily.

 

[sims]

this is community knowledge at its best. i am skipping geotek now

asteridex may be -- although i will wait for others to try it out. i like its stated ability to select the party to call through using phone pad. anybody else with asteridex experience?

 

[TDF]

I might have been a little hard on it, I'd only just woke up lol.

It could be useful to people depending on your habits, the voicemail bit is certainly a easier way to deal with them if like me you sit down at your desk and go through all your messages etc. I was just disappointed that the import bit was no better than the current FreePBX plugin for the phonebook, unless I'm missing something although they call it CVS it really isnt, its "number" ; " name" which isnt even close to what Outlook puts out, leaving you having to add all contacts by hand and needing to remember to update any changes.

It was very easy and quick to install although I did waste 15 minutes trying to find instructions (look in the folder) and the registry key thing is instant, you click the link it emails you immediately.

If you use no other phonebook on or at your computer its handy, but I'm already in the habit of using Outlook/Hudlite and now Outcall to replace Hud. My main reason for wanting a internal (to asterisk) phonebook was for the caller ID but I really want something I can synch easily.

 

[TDF]

All right Geotek is history Asteridex is in.

On first impressions I'm not that excited about this either, I'm a hard bugger to please though.

My biggest wish, I might have mentioned it before is the easy ability to import. I'm not thrilled at the idea of typing in each of my contacts and as theres only 1 number per contact and many of mine have multiple numbers, renaming everyone to

Kate work 0800363636
Kate Home 01203363636
Kate mobile 07888363636

Thats a lot of entries and climbing now that Outcall reminds me to enter peoples details.

Setup for me was a nightmare, I see the bash prompt very rarely so it can be a confusing place, I followed this

http://bestof.nerdvittles.com/applications/asteridex4/

My biggest hurdle as a windows user is my ingrained habit of typing numbers on the keypad to the right of the keyboard, it makes a mess of things and takes me away from the directions to a place I struggle to get back from. By the time I'd installed it the 4th time I remembered to use the numbers above qwerty... lol.

Not got it completely setup but cant really see what its given me, click to call, had that with Outcall only better, it syncs from Outlook and is available from the system tray.

I guess the real if seldom used bonus will be the ability to search names from the keypad, handy for that extension in the garage/workshop that has no phonebook and when calling in through DISA.

I know it can do more, integrate with other stuff but none of thats any use to me, I'll probably keep it for the keypad name lookup, thats if I can be bothered to enter all my contacts lol.

 

[sims]

my needs are rather similar to yours.

i already have an actively updated mac address book and i am not going to be able to regularly update another one in asteridex.

so i guess i need to keep my search on for a home telephone system that will give me a cell phone like address book!

you know, isn't it surprising that there do not exist cordless handsets that will take in my address book (synchronize with the computer and with multiple numbers per address book).

 

[TDF]

There are normal cordless phones here in the UK that have sim readers built in, I was planning on getting a set and syncing Outlook to my mobile then mobile to cordless via a the sim card.

Lately Ive been looking at the Siemans gigaset range of dect/voip phones, thinking I may do away with the ATA. While they're lacking in the sync department too, you can transfer data 1 Vcard at a time lol, the software I use for my mobile (Mobile Master) supports some of the gigaset range.

 

[sims]

can't imagine a good solution that does not sync or import from csv output. so i am stuck

although i will look at gigaset (fancy priced) instruments also...

let me know if you find a good solution.

cheers.

 

[jpe]

1. can i import numbers into asteridex? if so, any advise would be helpful.

2. alternatively geotek phonebook (http://voip-manager.net/asterisk-phonebook.php) also appears to be quite interesting. seems to do a lot of things that i would like to? anybody tried it with pbxinaflash? if so, i have a few questions:
a. does it work well with pbxinaflash?
b. can geotek numbers be referred by pressing first few letters of a name, as can be done in asteridex?

thanks!

I've been looking for a way to import the mac address book for a long while now and haven't found a simple way to do it with my limited knowledge.

I am posting to repsond about Geotek Phonebook. I have been playing with it for the last couple of hours and I think it should be revisited.

I like it.

jp

 

[wardmundy]

Search is a Wonderful Tool

Can AsteriDex do an import from CSV? Why, yes. If there's anything else on your wish list, please post it and we'll put it on our To-Do List.

http://pbxinaflash.com/community/threads/ready-asteridex-outlook-sync.2039/?t=2039

 

[jpe]

How I imported my Mac AddressBook into Asteridex and Geotek.
Download this address book to cvs converter. Run it to get an export file.
Open the resulting file in an editor of your choice. (i used fmp)
Manually go through listing and sift entries down to 2 columns. (duplicating those who had more than one contact number, making one entry for each number).
Export results.
For asteridex, you have to add a field (id) at the start and one between name and number (in extension): id, name, ext,number
For Geotek, you need just two fields: number, name.

Then your done.

Asteridex and Geotek are two different beasts I have come to see.

I would never get my mom to use Geotek, after being spoiled with the simplicity of Asteridex.

 

[rugby]

How about vcard import? Or better yet, how about a hotfolder on the PIAF box that will auto-import any vcards dropped into it?

 

[wardmundy]

Vcard autoimport doesn't look too hard. Here's the format I have. Are there differences I need to know about? Should each phone number generate a separate entry in AsteriDex? Do we just match up the email address of HOME to the phone number for HOME? Same for work and cell? What if there is no match? Can there be multiple BEGIN:VCARDs for multiple people in a single file? Are there Vcards in the Windoze World also? Same format??

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:2.1
N:Schmo;Joe;;;
FN:Joe Schmo
EMAIL;INTERNET;HOME:[email protected]
EMAIL;INTERNET;WORK:[email protected]
TEL;HOME:404-331-5152
TEL;WORK:888- 637-3866
TEL;CELL:678-234-5678
TEL;CELL:843-808-8080
TEL;WORK;FAX:404-350-0216
ADR;HOME:;;1212 Peachtree Rd.;Atlanta;GA;30301;United States
END:VCARD

 

[rugby]

I just created a vcard in Leopard's Address Book and here's what I see:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:User;Test;;;
FN:Test User
ORG:Company Name;
EMAIL;type=INTERNET;type=WORK;type=pref:[email protected]
EMAIL;type=INTERNET;type=HOME:[email protected]
TEL;type=WORK;type=pref:317-555-1212
TEL;type=CELL:317-555-1515
item1.ADR;type=WORK;type=pref:;;1313 MockingBird Lane;Indianapolis;IN;46202;
item1.X-ABADR:us
item2.ADR;type=HOME:;;1234 Main Street;Indianapolis;IN;46022;
item2.X-ABADR:us
X-ABUID:59356072-ECFE-4EBF-8C54-6CE4FD9C85EE\:ABPerson
END:VCARD

I will address your questions below:

Are there differences I need to know about?

I posted an exported vcard from 10.5.6


Should each phone number generate a separate entry in AsteriDex?

Can we have a Jane Doe (cell) Jane Doe (Home)?



Do we just match up the email address of HOME to the phone number for HOME?

I personally don't want email addresses in Asteridex at all.


Same for work and cell?

Same

What if there is no match?

Let's just leave that field blank if there's no match.

Can there be multiple BEGIN:VCARDs for multiple people in a single file?

Here's an export from a multi-vcard export:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:User;Test;;;
FN:Test User
ORG:Company Name;
EMAIL;type=INTERNET;type=WORK;type=pref:[email protected]
EMAIL;type=INTERNET;type=HOME:[email protected]
TEL;type=WORK;type=pref:317-555-1212
TEL;type=CELL:317-555-1515
item1.ADR;type=WORK;type=pref:;;1313 MockingBird Lane;Indianapolis;IN;46202;
item1.X-ABADR:us
item2.ADR;type=HOME:;;1234 Main Street;Indianapolis;IN;46022;
item2.X-ABADR:us
X-ABUID:59356072-ECFE-4EBF-8C54-6CE4FD9C85EE\:ABPerson
END:VCARD
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
N:User2;Test;;;
FN:Test User2
EMAIL;type=INTERNET;type=WORK;type=pref:[email protected]
EMAIL;type=INTERNET;type=HOME:[email protected]
TEL;type=WORK;type=pref:317-555-1212
TEL;type=CELL:317-555-1234
item1.ADR;type=HOME;type=pref:;;home address;home city;home state;home zip;
item1.X-ABADR:us
item2.ADR;type=WORK:;;work street;work city;work state;work zip;
item2.X-ABADR:us
X-ABUID:EDB61CE2-71FA-41AF-85BD-015F806F4704\:ABPerson
END:VCARD


Are there Vcards in the Windoze World also?

They work crossplatform, but I'm not 100% sure how they are exported from Outlook.

Same format??

 

[rugby]

Any more info on this?