[Tetsugaku]

Hi all, I'm having an issue with address book names not appearing in
the right order, or more to the point first and last names not
appearing in the right order - in fact it's exactly the same as:
discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7471811#7471811
However that solution doesn't work.
Essentially, when I go into address book / prefs and click sort by
firstname/lastname - the list updates, but when I click 'before last
name' / 'following last name' nothing happens at all. The list is ordered by first name - as I want it, but I'm still getting the surname first.
This has transferred over to my Touch as well so it's very frustrating! any ideas?
thanks very much for your time

[bastion]

What version of Address Book?

[Tetsugaku]

Hello, it will be whatever the latest version is, I only pulled the Mac out of it's box 6 days ago and did a full update that morning so it's pretty up to date.



cheers.

[DMurray431]

As in most programs on a Mac it is "all in the preferences". To change the first/last name headings open up the preferences....... click on general and at the top there are two check boxes (circles actually), just check on the way you want.

[Tetsugaku]

Thankyou - however as I said :

"Essentially, when I go into address book / prefs and click sort by
firstname/lastname - the list updates, but when I click 'before last
name' / 'following last name' nothing happens at all. The list is ordered by first name - as I want it, but I'm still getting the surname first."

that doesn't work.



Does anyone have any other ideas?



many thanks :)

[arkman]

I feel your pain. i have had similar problems. Have you tried deleting any Addressbook preferences in your User fold>library? Search for them and delete them (Make sure AB is not running). Then go into AB preferences and set it up the way you want. It has worked for me on a temporary basis.



My problem is when I import names into addressbook from Mail the first and last names get reversed no matter how I have them selected. I deleted preferences and all worked for a time but the reverted back to reversing. It is a pain that Apple has not addressed.

[Tetsugaku]

Hi Arkman - well I have tried looking throught the settings files - but I'm not sure I'm changng the right ones - do you know what files I should be checking?



I have tested the system by adding a new contact - strangely that lines up properly, witht he first name in the right place so maybe it is actually something to do with the import process? Where did yours come from?

[arkman]

My problem came from importing addresses from Apple Mail. It imported all the correct info. but would reverse the first and last names. It is back to doing the same thing after working correctly for a day or two. It must be a bug in the program or interference from some other file. I have deleted all the third party plugins but still no luck. It is a pain to keep switching by hand but I find no other solution. I will follow your thread to see if anyone else has a better solution.



BTW: I have this problem of both my MacBook Pro laptop and G5 desktop. Both are running 10.5.4 and all the latest versions of software.

[Tetsugaku]

Hmm well mine came from an export of my old Outlook / PC set up so maybe it is jut a bug - it's odd that this hasn't shown up anywhere else however - I have looked around and I can't see anyone else with this issue?

[Tetsugaku]

Fixed.... stupid Apple.



Address book - Card - Reorder last name before first....



Quite why there are two options to do one thing and the forst one is broken - I don't know...