People (contacts) app: Add export tool to UI

Feature Requests
1

Currently the People app has an import wizard available through the UI, but exporting contacts has to take place through the Terminal:

It would be very useful to reach this functionality from the same places, where the import is found.

When one has put contacts in the local address book by mistake and wants to have them synced there are currently a number of hoops to jump through. One is exporting all local contacts.

(This is a somewhat common problem that first-time users encounter, and the recovery being needlessly convoluted makes a bad first impression of using SailfishOS.)

(Edit to add: Another solution would of course be to move contacts between address books within the People app, but as far as I understand this is difficult to achieve due to how storage is structured in the underlying framework. A distinct Export action available from the same place where Import is would still make sense - both from a symmetry perspective and a user perspective.)

Edit to add link to “the hoops”

Edit to add: This is one of three feature requests to address the “move contacts between address books” need. The other two are: People (contacts) app: Add address book picker to import dialog and People (contacts) app: Allow selecting local contacts only

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2

You are right, importing and exporting contacts should be made easier. This is the first thing new users struggle with. When I use the pulley menu in contacts I get ‘add contact’, ‘seach’ and ‘select contacts’. Can this be expanded with ‘import’ and ‘export’?
With Jolla 1 I imported contacts from desktop to the phone via bluetooth. Lateron this didn’t work anymore.

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Jolla 1 can still import contacts just fine (bluetooth), but perhaps it is a problem with your desktop.

Sony 10II can export contacts to the Jolla 1 over bluetooth just fine too, and I see contacts export options for e-mail and mms as well (not tested).

-josaccc

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We would also need a function to transfer sms messages from Android to SFOS and vice versa. There is only a python script for zhe moment. Maybe a SFOS port or adaptation of sms backup & restore. With this function much more people would be willing to switch… :slight_smile:

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This probably needs to be discussed.

I think it makes sense to have them elsewhere, since these are low-frequency actions compared to the other items in the pulley menu. (Long pulley menus are a hassle, especially on notched devices.) This would also follow a common pattern, collecting settings and certain actions on the Apps tab of the Settings app.

On the other hand, discoverability suffers. There are also many apps that have a Settings item in their pulley menus.

Also, do note that Bluetooth transfer of contacts does not solve all cases where an export is needed. Like in the case linked in the OP (“hoops”). The export should be available as a distinct operation, reachable from the UI.

I agree. It is, however, unrelated. Would you mind making a separate feature request for this?

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