Evolution backup restore

[mlempenau]

I backed up evolution in January and just updated to ubuntu 11.04. Now I need to restore my address book only. The only way that it wants to let me do this is to replace everything! What am I missing? The backup has different files for everything but it will not just run one file. Thanks for helping.

[sgosnell]

You should be able to just restore the addressbook file. Evolution should use any proper file in the right place. It should be ~/.evolution/addressbook/local/system/addressbook.db.

[mlempenau]

I have two backup files. One made in Nov 2010 and another in Jan 2011. When I extract both files and try to restore just the address.db it give me an error. When I try to restore using the complete backup it seems to recognize it but tells me it will replace everything which I don't want. I have no idea what to do next. Mike

[sgosnell]

What error? What sort of backup file? How are you trying to restore the files? You're not providing much information for us to go on.

[mlempenau]

What error? What sort of backup file? How are you trying to restore the files? You're not providing much information for us to go on.

The error says Invalid Evolution backup file. The file is addressbook.db. This is one file of the Evolution backup file that I made a couple months ago. I am using the Evolution restore function.

[sgosnell]

You don't need to use the restore function. Just put the addressbook file in the proper folder, and run Evolution. It will read and use it, just as if it had always been there.

[mlempenau]

So I did a search on addressbook.db in the file system and in the user director. I was not able to find where to put it. Did a search on just addressbook and still no help.

[TaZMAniac]

Go to your home folder.
In the toolbar click on View then select Show Hidden Files
You will now see all your folders. Look for the .Evolution folder (Notice the period before the name?)
Open it up and you will see the addressbook folder
Within that may be one or more folders. They are user folders.
Find the correct user folder if there is more then one and drop the addressbook in there.

HINT!
Before you copy in the replacement addressbook.db rename the existing one to something like addressbook.old.db

That way if the replacement is actually corrupted and doesn't work you can restore the original by renaming it back.

[mlempenau]

.evolution folder has one folder in it with no files. That folder is named mail and has one folder in it and no files. That folders name is local and it has no folders and one file in it. The files name is folders.db. There is no address book. When you do a search on addressbook.db you find nothing. Where is evolution keeping my address book?

My evolution contacts have two mailboxes. One is a google synced and the other is local.

[sgosnell]

Just copy the addressbook.db file to ~/.evolution/addressbook/local/system/. You have no addressbook database, so you won't find it. You have to put it there.