sync Google groups with Thunderbird addressbooks
The addon now syncs Google Groups with Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, Postbox and Spicebird addressbooks. The feature is currently in testing.
How it works
After enabling the option, the next sync creates addressbooks that correspond to Google groups.
The synced Google groups
The synced groups are:
- the system groups: Contacts, Coworkers, Family, Friends
- Suggested Contacts
- user-created groups prefixed with ‘zindus/’
The Google group ‘knitting’ in the example isn’t synced because it doesn’t have a ‘zindus/’ prefix.
Suggested Contacts
Google adds to your Suggested Contacts when you email someone for the first time.
The addon separates Suggested Contacts into their own addressbook, which may be a more convenient view than Google’s current blending of Suggested Contacts into “All Contacts”.
Add, rename and delete
Add, rename or delete an addressbook and the next sync will change the corresponding Google group.
Delete a contact from a zindus/yourname@gmail.com#xxx addressbook and the next sync changes the contact’s group membership.
To entirely delete a contact, delete it from Personal Address Book, zindus/yourname@gmail.com or zindus/yourname@gmail.com#Suggested Contacts.
Drag and drop between zindus/yourname@gmail.com#xxx addressbooks alters the Google group membership.
Limitations
- don’t edit a contact in two different thunderbird addressbooks. The addon chooses a winner and propagates it.
- don’t drag and drop if you use Thunderbird 2, Postbox 1.x or SpiceBird 0.7.x.
Addressbook limitations in these clients cause a drag+drop to appear to the addon as a delete+add (instead of a move) - which creates duplicates. - don’t drag and drop between Personal Address Book or zindus/yourname@gmail.com and zindus/yourname@gmail.com#xxx. You’ll have to ‘Reset’ to get back into sync.
Mailing lists
An explanation is owed to the many people who asked that Google groups be synced with Thunderbird mailing lists. See the roadmap.
Enjoy!
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January 7th, 2010 at 8:32 am
Are there any functional problems with the testing release? I’m eagerly awaiting the next official version with Google Groups included…
January 17th, 2010 at 10:56 am
I’m not getting anywhere with the sync add-on. Thunderbird doesn’t even see the file when I go to install it. Has anyone else had this issue or is it just my space-time warp around my desk here?
January 17th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
@Rise-T - one more (tricky) bugfix and one more translation and it’ll be ready - shouldn’t be too long now.
@Yoshi - most likely you’ve downloaded it to one directory and are looking to install it from another. eg. if you download it to c:\windows\Temp then when you visit Tools/Addons/Install type c:\windows\Temp\*.xpi and you’ll see it.
January 19th, 2010 at 8:54 am
Hi,
Would it be possible to sync Gmail groups with mailing lists instead of new address books? I think it would be more “aligned” with Gmail behaviour, since groups are a subset of “All contacts” (just like a mailing list is a subset of a certain address book).
What do you think about this?
Regards,
Lorenzo
January 19th, 2010 at 8:59 am
Sorry, just read the roadmap…
Regards,
Lorenzo
February 11th, 2010 at 5:26 am
Is it possible to integrate this feature in such a way that one could select which Thunderbird AB to sync with which Google group. i.e. I could configure a Thunderbird AB named “Family” to sync with my Google group “Family”.
This would allow for cleaner names for the AB instead of “zindus/yourname@gmail.com#xxx”, and cleaner names for Google groups instead of “prefixed with ‘zindus/’”.
February 12th, 2010 at 2:04 am
Man I need to be able to sync TB address books with Google contact groups. Since upgrading to TB 3 I have no way to sync my 4 installs.
March 6th, 2010 at 10:27 am
“most likely you’ve downloaded it to one directory and are looking to install it from another. eg. if you download it to c:\windows\Temp then when you visit Tools/Addons/Install type c:\windows\Temp\*.xpi and you’ll see it.”
This doesn’t work for me even if i put the correct path into the install window. Isn’t there an easier solution? I was able to install the main add-on with such ease. Thanks in advance for your help.
March 6th, 2010 at 11:03 am
@Bob, here are instructions on how to install a Thunderbird addon:
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Extensions_%28Thunderbird%29#Installation
March 7th, 2010 at 10:43 am
Thanks for the quick response, Leni. I’m finding that I can only sync the groups as designated by Google itself, not the ones I created myself. Could you please advise?
March 7th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
@Bob, in the current testing release, user-defined google group names have to have a ‘zindus/’ prefix to sync with TB. That might change in a future iteration because you’re not the first person to trip up over that.
March 10th, 2010 at 8:30 am
I cant sync groups with TB 3 either. the main book syncs but none of the groups do. I tried naming one zindus/test too - still nada.
March 10th, 2010 at 8:32 am
@mike, the feature is off by default - did you enable it in settings (Tools/Zindus/Edit Account)?
March 10th, 2010 at 8:34 am
If it helps any, I have ver. 0.8.14 and I cannot find the option box to select “sync groups” anywhere…
March 10th, 2010 at 8:53 am
@leni - I don’t see the option… seems like i don’t *really* have the right add-on maybe?
March 10th, 2010 at 10:08 am
@mike, the feature is currently in the testing release.