New Attributes Added to Address Book

I have almost finished adding some new attributes to the address book that can be synced with Google.  The attributes will work on cards whether they are in the address book being synced or not.

The catch: It requires the current patch to Bug 413260, which is temporarily delayed.

The list currently includes:

• ThirdEmail
• FourthEmail
• HomeFaxNumber – Thunderbird’s Fax Number is synced as a work fax number, but Google also has an option for a home fax number.
• OtherNumber – A phone number marked as “other” in Google
• OtherAddress – on multiple lines, similar to Google Contacts
• Google Talk screenname*
• ICQ screenname*
• Yahoo! screenname*
• MSN screenname*
• Jabber screenname*

*the screennames are listed as text; there is no link to open your IM client(s).

It is easy to add more, so please let me know what you would like added.

I have a (large) screenshot on my website here.  I cannot yet save changes made in the edit card dialog, but I expect to have that finished soon.

Extension Update

Refactoring

Since the last update, I have finished refactoring all of my code except for the code that converts contacts from one format to the other to make it more object-oriented.

Bug 413260

I have applied the most recent patch in Bug 413260, which, among many other things, removes specific attributes from nsIAbCard and uses a hash table to store attributes.  Since custom attributes can be added and retrieved easily and quickly, I have started synchronizing more information.  From now on, the extension will depend on bug 413260, thus Thunderbird 3.0a2pre and above.  There will be more changes in that bug, and I will adapt my extension to each new patch.

Synchronized Attributes

Google

• Name
• The first four e-mail addresses (of any type).  Only the first two are shown in Thunderbird, for now.
• The first mobile, home, work, pager, and both home and work fax number.  Home fax number is not displayed in Thunderbird.
• The first screenname of each type (Google Talk, AIM, MSN, ICQ, Jabber, and Yahoo).  Only AIM screennames are shown in Thunderbird.
• The first home, work, and other address.  The other address is not displayed in TB.
• Job Title
• Organization
• Notes

Thunderbird

• Display Name
• Home: Address, Address Line 2, City, State, Zip, and Country
• Work: Address, Address Line 2, City, State, Zip, and Country
• AimScreenName (_AimScreenName)
• Work, Home, Pager, Cellular, and fax number (fax number is set as work fax when syncing)
• Primary and second/additional email
• Notes

Possible Future Additions

I may add my own instantiation of nsIAbDirectory, as suggested by my mentor.  This would bring several advantages in the future.

I will probably add an overlay to the card view to show some attributes that gContactSync adds (such as additional e-mail addresses and screen name types).

Questions for potential users

• Would the ability to sync photos be useful?
• Approximately how many contacts would you sync?
• What else would you like synced?
• Are there any attributes you would like added to the Thunderbird Address Book?
• Do you use lists in Thunderbird?  Groups in Gmail?