Welcome to the 'Text2vCard' home page.

Introduction

The 'Text2vCard' utility software is a Macintosh application to create vCard files from a text delimited data input file.  The created vCard files can be used anywhere vCard files are supported, including the contacts on an iPod. 

There are input preference configuration settings to import files exported from Outlook Express, Yahoo, Day-To-Day, and Dynodex.  The program's input preferences can also be custom configured to accept most column style delimited formatted text files. 

The text input file needs to be formatted like most standard delimited text files.  All of the data for an individual vCard is on a single line of data in the file.  The end-of-line data character/s can be standard Macintosh, Windows, Unix, or non-standard.  The different data fields on the data line are separated with a character delimiter.  The typical delimiter character is the <TAB> but any character from the list in the application's preference settings can be used.

This product is currently being tested on a limited basis. Please report any problems.  (online contact page)

The newly created vCards are put in an output folder named 'vCard Files'.  The 'vCard Files' output folder is created in the same directory that contains the input data file.  Every time an input file is processed, a new 'vCard Files-XX' folder is created as not to overwrite prior vCards. 

The 'Text2vCard' is very fast in creating vCard files.  A progress window is displayed as the vCard files are created.  It may appear as through no vCards were created because the progress window is only displayed momentarily.  This is because, even on slower, older Macintosh hardware, 'Text2vCard' can create 250 vCards per second. 

The current 'Text2vCard' release is version 1.1a2. 

Downloads

This single application release of 'Text2vCard' 1.1a2 has both ppc and x86 binaries.  This Universal Binary Release runs native on Intel Macintosh hardware and on PPC Macintosh hardware with MacOSX systems newer than 10.3.

Directions (for versions 1.1a1 on)

The 'Text2vCard' application converts a text input file into vCard files.  The text input file can be opened from within the application with the 'Open' menu, or by dragging and dropping the text file onto the 'Text2vCard' application icon in the finder.  An input file can also be opened in an AppleScript, which instructs the 'Text2vCard' application to open the file. 

 

The application windows included in the 'Text2vCard' application are the about window, the progress window, the open file browser window, and the preference configuration window. 

 

For the 'Text2vCard' application to create a vCard, there must be data in one of the columns for the last name, the first name, or the name of a business.  If there is no line data found for one of these columns the vCard file will not be generated for that input row line of data. 

Any application can be used to create the input file for the 'Text2vCard' application, as long as it can create a delimited text output file.  Excel and BBEdit applications are both good for creating this file.  The 'Text2vCard' program first scans through the beginning of the input file for column labels.  The 'Text2vCard' application will work with any ordering of the columns.  If you wish to create an input file from scratch, I suggest you look at the text export from Outlook Express or the text export file downloaded from Yahoo.  The input file only needs to include the columns that are to be used in the vCard output.  So the input file only requires a fraction of the columns that the Outlook Express typically exports. 

After the 'Text2vCard' application generates the vCard files, they can be found in the 'vCard Files' folder in the directory with the input file.  The 'Text2vCard' application should never overwrite or delete existing vCard files.  It is up to the user to handle adding, deleting, and synchronizing the vCard files with the user's existing data. 

Directions from Outlook Express
  1. From within the 'Outlook Express' application, export your contacts using the 'Export Contacts' menu item in the 'File' menu. 
  2. Run the 'Text2vCard' application. 
  3. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the preference window from the 'Preferences...' menu item.  Select 'Outlook Express' from the configuration set popup menu in the top most part of the window.  Click on the window's 'OK' button to save the settings' changes.
  4. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the file exported from Outlook Express or drag & drop the exported file onto the 'Text2vCard' application finder icon. 
Directions from Yahoo
Note: Yahoo can export directly to vCard output, but the directions below can allow you to better control the content of the outputted vCard files.
  1. From within your browser application, connect to your Yahoo email account  http://mail.yahoo.com. 
  2. When you are at your Yahoo email account go to your contact by clicking on the button tab link labeled 'Contacts'  http://address.yahoo.com. 
  3. Once at your Yahoo contacts, go to the export page by clicking on the 'Import/Export' link on the upper right hand side of the page, just below the bold Welcome and your name label. 
  4. Now in the Yahoo 'Import/Export' page, click the 'Export Now' Button for the 'Microsoft Outlook' format.  The export file will be downloaded to your computer and the file name will likely be 'Yahoo_ab.csv'. 
  5. At this point, you can quit your browser application.  It is no longer needed. 
  6. Run the 'Text2vCard' application. 
  7. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the preference window from the 'Preferences...' menu item.  Select 'Yahoo' from the configuration set popup menu in the top most part of the window.  Click on the window's 'OK' button to save the settings' changes.
  8. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the file download from Yahoo or drag & drop the exported file onto the 'Text2vCard' application finder icon. 
Directions from Dynodex & Day-To-Day
  1. From within the 'Dynodex' or 'Day-To-Day' application, export your contacts using the 'Export...' menu item in the 'File' menu. 
  2. From within 'Dynodex' or 'Day-To-Day' export configuration window, select the 'Address Book+' popup menu item.  Also check the 'two-address field' option, check the 'include field names' option, and select 'use a tab' delimiter. 
  3. Click the 'Export' button from within 'Dynodex' or 'Day-To-Day' export configuration window. 
  4. Run the 'Text2vCard' application. 
  5. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the preference window from the 'Preferences...' menu item.  Select 'Dynodex' or 'Day-To-Day' from the configuration set popup menu in the top most part of the window.  Click on the window's 'OK' button to save the settings' changes.
  6. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the file exported from Dynodex or 'Day-To-Day'.  Or within the Finder drag & drop the exported file onto the 'Text2vCard' application icon. 
Directions from a General Text Input File
  1. Create or modify the text data input file to use available column heading names in the 'Text2vCard' application, formatted with well defined column delimiters, and well defined EOL row ends.  BBEdit, Excel, and most spreadsheet programs are good choices to verify or make changes to the input file.  The input file must be saved as a raw text file without any of the application's formatting  For example, from Excel use the "Save As..." command along with selecting the output file format of "Text (tab delimited)".  Including a ".txt" filename extension to the data input file's filename is also suggested.
  2. Run the 'Text2vCard' application. 
  3. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the preference window from the 'Preferences...' menu item.  Select an input and set a similar format to the one being used, or select 'Custom' from the configuration set popup menu in the top most part of the window. 
  4. Using the Preference window's settings, make changes to support your input file based on the documentation in the "Information on the Preference Window" section below. 
  5. When the necessary setting changes have been made, save the preference settings by clicking the 'OK' preference window button. 
  6. From within the 'Text2vCard' application, open the text data input file.  Or within the Finder, drag & drop the text data input file onto the 'Text2vCard' application icon. 
Information on the Preference Window

The Preference window has many settings.  In general, each section moving down through the window supports the prior section in more detail.  The challenge in this settings window is to allow the user to set where their flat type input data gets put into the XML tree type data structure of a vCard formatted file.  Knowledge of the vCard internal format is beneficial before creating an input setting set from scratch (see RFC 2426).  The window generally works by adding a vCard type line (see area #4) and then configuring each type line with the input column data to be inserted into that line (see area #8).

Each area in the above figure will be discussed below.

  1. This is where different configuration sets can be selected from the pop-up menu.  A configuration set is used by all of the input file vCards created until the preferences are changed and saved by selecting the 'OK' button.  The predefined sets can not be modified, but a custom set is available to allow a copy of a predefined set to be modified.  To copy and modify a predefined set, select the predefined set and begin making changes in the window.  The custom set will automatically become the active one.  Currently only one custom set is available, so use caution when trying out different things in this window if you already have a custom set that you like and want to keep.  If you are comfortable working with '.plist' files you can duplicate and backup the 'currentSettings' property in 'com.realisticsoftware.Text2vCard.plist' file. 
  2. This top section area contains general file processing settings.  List Business setting prefixes with the formatted vCard name with a '*' on a vCard when the Business column's input data is defined.  Strip character will remove a character from the beginning and end of a column's input data.  This is a useful option to remove wrap characters which a program automatically adds when saving.  Excel used to regularly wrap cell data with a " character.  The delimiter pop-up menu character is the character used in the input file between columns.  The linefeed pop-up menu character/s is the one used in the input file for each row of data. 
  3. This list area contains the list of vCard types to be put into each outputted vCard.  A vCard type can be added to the list with the 'add' button to the right of the list.  A vCard type can be removed from the list by selecting the type in the list and using the 'remove' button to the right of the list.  This list is also used to edit the settings for the vCard type.  The settings for the vCard type are available to be changed in the window section below when the type is selected in the list. 
  4. This area is where vCard types can be added and removed from each outputted vCard.  Most vCard types can exist multiple times in a single vCard.  For example, there will be multiple telephone types for each telephone you plan on including from the input data. 
  5. This bottom section area of the window will display the settings for the vCard type selected in the list.  Each item in the list will have its own unique set of settings, even when they have the same name in the list. 
  6. This entire line of text shows what the output for the vCard type will be in the vCard.  The items in the text line which are wrapped with '<>' characters indicate that the column data will be inserted into that location.  The items in the text line which are wrapped with the " character are special inserts.  "blank" will insert nothing in its place in the outputted vCard.  "H or W if Business" will insert 'HOME' or 'WORK' depending on whether a business column item is defined in the input row.  "Smart Contact Label" will insert a name created from the first name, last name, and business column items input row data.  A vCard type can contain many differance parts to it, as the 'adr' type shows.  The different parts are set from the pop-up menu on the left below this text line.  As the settings are changed for a part, the parts in the text line are updated.  Some parts have output labels and each part in the output is usually separated with a ';' character. 
  7. This pop-up menu contains the available settable parts for the selected vCard type.  Many of the vCard types only have a single part or value, and the pop-up menu will only contain a single item of 'Value'.  Some of the parts allow for a list of parameters, and there will be both an 'Add' and 'Remove' button to the right of the menus for those parts that support it.  Only a 'Set' button to the right of the menu will be available for the vCard type parts that allow for only one valve. 
  8. This is where the pop-up menus and buttons are to add and remove the input data connected to the vCard type parts.  The pop-up menu to the right of the 'Add' and 'Set' button have different menu item types.  Beside this menu containing the static text insertion values, there are dynamic insert menu items which insert values from input data and special inserts that change based on an input data value.  The pop-up menu to the right of the 'Remove' button contains the input type already connected to the vCard type part.  Selecting an item in either pop-up menu does not change the items connected with the vCard type part.  The 'Add', 'Set' and 'Remove' buttons make changes to the vCard type part with the corrisponding pop-up menu item.  The wrapping chars and special insert types in the pop-up menus are discussed in section area number 6.  Column input data from the input file are identified by their column heading name wrapped with the "<>" characters. 
System Requirements
  • Macintosh operating systems version 10.3 through 10.4 is supported.
  • PPC and Intel Macintosh hardware is supported.
  • 9.X system with CarbonLib - should still work.
Price

This release of the 'Text2vCard' application can be used for personal use at no cost.  However, gratuity is appreciated.  You may contribute support through this link.
Release History
  • Version 1.1a2 - released on 2/12/2007
    [MacOS X release download size of 345KB]
    This release was to fix a bug and renew the expiration date of the product.  This release was also changed to include all the binary support in one application file.  The single application released includes support in it for ppc execution in 10.3-10.4 and x86 execution in 10.4.  Highlights of the changes included:
    - single package release
    - bug fix in progress window HI which would on rare times crash application

  • Version 1.1a1 - released on 8/8/2006
    [MacOS X Universal Binary Release download size of 280KB]
    [MacOS X ppc release download size of 200KB]
    This release was done to completely revise the application source code to use the most up-to-date system API calls.  These code changes were needed to support Intel native binary code.  Highlights of the changes included:
    - XML plists files are used instead of resource data forks
    - all resource fork usage has been replaced
    - HI was completely rewritten to use NIBs
    - all file IO code has been rewritten
    - thread code has been rewritten
    - product can now support long filenames and multiple languages
    - input configuration set for Day-To-Day has been added
    - MacOS 10.0 - 10.2 support has been dropped
    - Intel Macintosh hardware (Universal Binary) native Intel code is supported

  • Version 1.0a6 - released on 7/8/2006
    [MacOS X release download size of 120KB]
    This release was to extend the expiration date of the product. 

  • Version 1.0a5 - released on 2/10/2006
    [MacOS X release download size of 131KB]
    This release was done to enhance and bug fix the product.  Highlights of the changes included:
    - new support for large individual field entries of up to 2KB, rather than its prior limit of 255 bytes
    - fixed bug where the program incorrectly reported an error that the input file was not formatted correctly
    - fixed bug to correctly handle output file names containing ':' for the input contact information
    - fixed bug to handle '\' backslash in the input data
    - fixed rare and unusual application crash bug that was connected with closed output files
    - fixed Dynodex input setup to mark home and work phone numbers based on business or personal contacts being imported

  • Version 1.0a4 - released on 1/30/2006
    [MacOS X release download size of 121KB]
    This release was done to change over to the Apple xCode development environment.  Highlights of the changes included:
    - new compiler
    - MacOS 7.x - 9.x non-CarbonLib support dropped

  • Version 1.0a3 - released on 1/8/2005
    [Carbon(MacOS X) and PPC release download size of 152KB]
    This release was to better support MacOS X.  Highlights of the changes included:
    - new compiler
    - updated & improved shared library source code
    - HI changes to support MacOS X
    - 68K support dropped

  • Version 1.0a2 - released on 3/31/2004
    [Carbon(MacOS X) and FAT(68K & PPC) release download size of 130KB]
    This release was done for internal improvements.  Highlights of the changes included:
    - new compiler
    - updated & improved shared library source code

  • Version 1.0a1 - released on 10/21/2002
    [Carbon(MacOS X) and FAT(68K & PPC) release download size of 156KB]
    This release was done to debut the initial version. 

Limitations
  • This alpha release expires on 1/1/2008.
Contact Information

Brian Beardmore
PO Box 836
Cupertino, CA  95015
support (at) realisticsoftware (dot) com
contact web page
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© 2008 Brian Beardmore.  All rights reserved.
Last Updated on 2.12.2007