topic Re: importing contacts into EE hub in Broadband & Landline

importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 09:24:08 GMT

I have been trying to import contacts in vcard format into my hub. Apart from manually entering them in to the phones, this is the only way. However I get an error "invalid data CHOP3-903"

I have checked the format by opening in a text editor and it conforms to the standard vcf file format. So I do not know where to go from here

As anyone successfully imported contacts. Would it be possible for them to post an example vcard that imported (after anonymising of course).

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

Christopher_G — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 11:41:39 GMT

Hi @heelisp

Welcome to the community.

Which router do you have?

Chris

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 11:45:26 GMT

smart hub SH31B

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

juiceof2limes — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 15:31:04 GMT

I have successfully imported vcard contacts to SH31B hub that were previously exported from a BT SH2 and which I have also modified before importing back etc.

Simply repeat for another contact.

Format:

BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:4.0
FN:firstname Surname
N:Surname;Firstname;;;
TEL;VALUE=uri;TYPE=cell:tel:xxxxxxxxxxx
TEL;VALUE=uri;TYPE=work:tel:xxxxxxxxxxx
TEL;VALUE=uri;TYPE=home:tel:xxxxxxxxxxx
MEDLODY:0
ACCOUNTID:0
DFTNUM:0
OWN:0
END:VCARD

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 16:00:16 GMT

thanks for that. However I tried with this format and received the same error. What OS did you use to generate the vcf file. I am using a Mac. perhaps it makes a difference?

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

juiceof2limes — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:30:21 GMT

Strange. I use Windows and Notepad++
The end of each line has CRLF if that helps.

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

juiceof2limes — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:32:26 GMT

I should mention that the phones I have are the Advanced Alexa ones but I wouldn't think that should make much difference

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:28:41 GMT

Hi, I have not succeeded in importing contacts despite trying every permutation of file format. I am amazed that EE do not publish anything that would be of help on this, since it must effect everyone switching to digital home phone (which in time will mean everyone).

Thanks for your efforts though, I really appreciate it.

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

Daniel-S — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:55:31 GMT

Hi @heelisp,

I'd like to take a look into this for you to see what could be causing it.

From what you've said, you have exported the file from a Smart Hub 2.

I'd like to know a bit more info privately if possible. Specifically the VCF info.

I'll send you a private message where you can reply to me if you wish.

Thank you
Daniel-S

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

Glynton — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 23:26:27 GMT

I’m trying to achieve the same, what was the outcome of this? It’s all very well ‘going private’ but when you’ve figured it out, can you please post the solution?

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 09:42:32 GMT

I did not get a solution as yet. I will let you know what happened

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 09:43:39 GMT

I was importing contacts exported from a Mac contacts file, not from a smart hub 2. However once I know the format that the SH31b will take, I can manually edit the contacts file to suit.

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

bobpullen — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:11:09 GMT

@heelisp - is the file you are using always derived from an exported Mac contacts file? Have you tried creating the file afresh using a text editor?

I imagine the functionality is intended for somebody exporting contacts from an older BT hub (which another poster has reported success with), but in principal I can't see why you can't get it working with some file manipulation.

I've managed to successfully import a test VCF file containing the following (as @juiceof2limes advised, there's a CRLF at the end of each line): -

BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:4.0 FN:BT N:;BT;;; TEL;VALUE=uri;TYPE=home:tel:0800800150 MEDLODY:0 ACCOUNTID:0 DFTNUM:0 OWN:0 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:4.0 FN:EE N:;EE;;; TEL;VALUE=uri;TYPE=home:tel:08000798586 MEDLODY:0 ACCOUNTID:0 DFTNUM:0 OWN:0 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:4.0 FN:Plusnet N:;Plusnet;;; TEL;VALUE=uri;TYPE=home:tel:08004320200 MEDLODY:0 ACCOUNTID:0 DFTNUM:0 OWN:0 END:VCARD

Another thought - what browser/OS are you using to import the file and have you tried alternatives?

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 16:19:39 GMT

I tried pasting in your contact into textedit on the Mac and saved as a vcf file. However It would not import using safari, Firefox or chrome.

When you say the is a CRLF at the end of each line, do you just press return to insert one, sorry if this is a dumb question

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

XRaySpeX — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:30:49 GMT

MacOS, à la Unix, just puts out a LF char. You need somehow to insert in front of it a CR = Ascii 13 (0DH).

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

bobpullen — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 15:46:43 GMT

A spot of Googling suggests that the BBEdit text editor has the ability to switch between line break methods, and also possibly display the invisible LF/CR characters so you can see what you are doing.

When I next get the chance, I'll take my test file from earlier, convert all the CRLF's to LF's and see what happens when I try and import it.

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

SJM2000 — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 12:45:48 GMT

Hello. Have you resolved this yet. Just switched over from BT to EE. With Bt you could import and export contact phone lists via vcard by logging on to the hub. EE only seems to have an import choice. Export is needed so that any changes you add to the phone numbers and contacts can be saved to a computer for future use. If that cannot be done all the data is lost if you have to reset the system. Or am I missing something?

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

heelisp — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 16:15:48 GMT

sadly, I have not solved the problem, but it appears to relate to adding CRLF to each line. Once I can understand how to do that with a text editor, it may work.

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

bobpullen — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 17:51:48 GMT

@bobpullen wrote:
When I next get the chance, I'll take my test file from earlier, convert all the CRLF's to LF's and see what happens when I try and import it.

Found some time to do this. I took the file from my post here, that I was able to successfully import, and checked for CR and LF control characters using Notepad++

I then stripped the CR's, leaving just the LF's, and saved the file: -

And on attempting to re-import the file: -

So it seems fairly conclusive that the EE Smart Hub Plus does not like .vcf files that have been created using MacOS/*nix. This had me wondering...

1. Does the BT Smart Hub 2/newer EE Smart Hub behave the same?
A: I was able to test this too and it doesn't. I can import the file with the 'missing' CR's to a BT Smart Hub 2 without error.

2. What does a .vcf file look like when exported from a BT Smart Hub 2/newer EE Smart Hub using a MacOS/*nix device?
A: It preserves the CRLF characters and the resulting file can be imported successfully to the Smart Hub Plus.

So, to summarise: -

Exporting from an older BT or EE hub generates a .vcf file with CRLF characters at the end of each line. The resulting file can be successfully imported into an EE Smart Hub Plus without error, regardless as to whether you use a Windows or *nix machine to do the exporting/importing.
If however, you obtain a VCF file from a third party application, or create one yourself using a *nix-based operating system, then there are no CR control characters at the end of each line. If you subsequently try importing this file into a Smart Hub Plus it will error, however the same file can be imported into an older hub like the BT Smart Hub Two or newer EE Smart Hub.

@SJM2000 - getting to the bottom of this problem won't have any bearing on the inability to export contacts from the Smart Hub Plus as the functionality doesn't exist; I don't know of any way to export from a Smart Hub Plus currently that doesn't involve 'pen and paper' (so to speak).

Re: importing contacts into EE hub

bobpullen — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 17:54:24 GMT

@heelisp wrote:
Once I can understand how to do that with a text editor, it may work.

Does this offer any clues?