Windows Address Book

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Windows Address Book is a component of Microsoft Windows that lets users keep a single list of contacts that can be shared by multiple programs. It is most commonly used by Outlook Express. The Windows Address Book API can query LDAP servers or read/write data to a local .wab file. In Windows Vista, Windows Address Book was replaced with Windows Contacts.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Uses 3 Errors 4 See Also 5 Sources 6 External links

[edit] Overview

The Windows Address Book is an application that has a local database and user interface for finding and editing information about people, making it possible to query network directory servers using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. Other applications can use the WAB. For example, Microsoft Outlook uses the WAB as its e-mail address book.^[1]

One should not confuse the address book used in Outlook Express with that used in Microsoft Outlook. Outlook does not use Windows Address Book. Instead, it stores addresses in .pst files.

[edit] Uses

The Wab.exe program, used in Windows 98 and up, enables you to:

• Create contact entries
• Store contact information locally.
• Search for entries in your contact database.
• Edit your contact information.
• Add contacts from e-mail messages. When you receive e-mail you can add the sender's contact information.
• Import contacts from other programs.

Wab.exe searches for files named Username.wab.

[edit] Errors

Sometimes, when importing Windows Address Book to Outlook Express, there may be an error message saying, “An error occurred during the import process. The import process could not be completed.” The files that are being imported may be read-only files, which may mean that they are on a write-protected medium, such as a protected CD-ROM.^[2]

[edit] See Also

• Microsoft
• .wab
• Microsoft Outlook
• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol

[edit] Sources

1. ^ Window Address Book Description. Microsoft. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.
2. ^ Windows Address Book's errors with Microsoft Outlook. James A. Eshelman, E-List. Retrieved on 2007-03-30.

[edit] External links

• Recovery Toolbox Address Book Recovery Tool for a recovering damaged or corrupted WAB files of Windows Address Book. This tool can recover deleted contacts.
• Libwab command-line WAB to LDIF converter under GPL license. Works on broken files and can export deleted records.
• MSDN API Reference Information about the WAB API.
• NKTWAB a freeware COM to manage contacts & groups featuring undocumented capabilities.
• Microsoft More information on Microsoft's softwares