Phonebook can import any tab-delimited text file.  In the left hand column is a list of the fields in the text file you selected, along with each field’s number.

The import dialog box provides a text box for each of Phonebook’s entry fields; the text edit boxes correspond to the fields in Phonebook’s edit window.

In each text box, enter the number(s) of the text field(s) that should be loaded into that field, enclosed in double brackets.  You do this by selecting a text box and double-clicking the text field in the list that should go in that box.  The default settings for the dialog box show an example, but should NOT necessarily be used as the best settings for the file you are trying to import.  The correct settings depend on your file.

You can place more than one of the fields from your text file into any of Phonebook’s fields.  For example, you might place 3 or 4 fields into Phonebook’s memo field.  You do this by entering additional text fields to that text box (using the list at left).  The default settings for the Address field show a good example of this.  For instance, if you enter the following into the memo text box:

«3»
«4»

Phonebook will add the 3rd and 4th fields from your text file to its memo field.

You can also include formatting, such as spaces, commas and carriage returns, in the import by entering additional text that is placed outside the brackets.  For example, the default settings for the address field are:

«4»
«5», «6»  «7»

If the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th fields in your text file are Street Address, City, State and Zip Code respectively, Phonebook will import your text file so that the address looks like this:

111 Main Street
Anywhere, MA  01900

If you enter the following into the memo text box:

Email:  «11»
Department:  «12»

Phonebook will add the 11th and 12th fields from your text file to its memo field.  The result will look like this:

Email:  jones@aol.com
Department:  Programming

You can automatically check categories by entering the number of a text field that contains categories in the Categories text box.  If you have more than one text field that contains categories, enter the additional field numbers like this:

«8» «9» «11»

Phonebook will try to match the fields in your text file to existing categories in the Phonebook and check the menu for matches that it finds.  If it can”t find a match and “Add Missing Categories” is checked, Phonebook will add the category from your text file and check it for that record and any subsequent records that use it.

For example, if your text file’s 12th field contains either “Friends,” “Clients,” or “Releatives,” depending on your relationship to the person, you can enter «12» into the Categories text box.  When Phonebook imports the file, it will check the appropriate categories and create them if necessary (if “Add Missing Categories” is checked). 

If “List by Company” is checked, the imported records will be sorted by Company (if there is a company), just as if you had clicked the “List by Company” radio button in the edit window.