SOLVED Select Recipients Win7 Live Mail - By Last Name

[fredb58]

My problem is with Windows 7 Live Mail.

I am able to arrange my “Contact” Alphabetically by Last Name – THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM.

After composing an email I try to select recipients for the mail and the list provided me by Live Mail is alphabetical BY FIRST NAME. THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

It take forever to select a bunch of recipients – it even takes longer to find Mary SMITH that it takes to find SMITH Mary even if I have to pick her out of 6 SMITH (s) in my contact list. I am familiar with the last names of my clients and acquaintances but not always with their first names.

They provide a way to sort the Contacts by last name – why do they not provide a way to add them to an email by selected by last name!

I HAVE searched the web for an answer to this and in every “forum” the volunteer responder didn’t read the question and explained how to “sort your contacts” OR the question was about email in VISTA (not Win7).

OF COURSE – I can go through my entire contact list and re-arrange it putting the Last Name and the First Name together in one field – thereby fooling Live Mail displaying it properly – BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THAT.

I sure I’m not the only one that finds fault with choosing recipients by First Name as evidenced by the websites I’ve visited.

Is there something I’m missing in Windows 7 Live Mail OR is it impossible to sort “Select Recipient” by Last Name?

 

[davehc]

"why do they not provide a way to add them to an email by selected by last name"

Not sure where you are heading with this? If you have them sorted by last name (You state you know the procedure for that) why are you not able to select them to add by searching last names?
But, having said the above, you add the comment "Is there something I’m missing in Windows 7 Live Mail OR is it impossible to sort “Select Recipient” by Last Name?
FWIW. Live Mail is not functionally linked to Vista or Windows 7. Any procedures would be the same, whichever OS you were using.

 

[andsome]

I don't underatnd what is going wrong. When I select a name to send the e mail to in Windows 7 with Windows Live Mail 2011, the list to select from is in EXACTLY the same order as I saved it, i.e.with last names shown first. I use the little add sign along the top.

 

[fredb58]

"why do they not provide a way to add them to an email by selected by last name"

Not sure where you are heading with this? If you have them sorted by last name (You state you know the procedure for that) why are you not able to select them to add by searching last names?
But, having said the above, you add the comment "Is there something I’m missing in Windows 7 Live Mail OR is it impossible to sort “Select Recipient” by Last Name?
FWIW. Live Mail is not functionally linked to Vista or Windows 7. Any procedures would be the same, whichever OS you were using.

Thanks for rapid reply .

I have sorted my "Contacts" when in "Contacts" and selected Last name as the first column and First name as the second column and they line up alphabetically that way when in "Contacts"....

Then I leave Contacts and select Mail and then create a new outgoing email message.

When I try to add recipients to the message I am presented a list that has First name in the first column and Last name in the second column And the first column (First Name) is in alphabetical order. The second column (Last Name) is NOT in alphabetical order. I have to search thru Alice, Andy, etc instead of Abbot, Brown, Chaney etc.

At that point in Live Mail there seems to be no way to change the order that the Contacts are presented...... You can see by his reply that the other responder seems to have no such problem. I will respond to him now.
Thanks again for the reply
Fred

 

[fredb58]

I don't underatnd what is going wrong. When I select a name to send the e mail to in Windows 7 with Windows Live Mail 2011, the list to select from is in EXACTLY the same order as I saved it, i.e.with last names shown first. I use the little add sign along the top.

Dear Andsome,

Thanks for the reply. If you do not have my problem then maybe something is amiss with my Live Mail program.

The .jpg that you provided does not show the window that you select the recipients from.

If you read my recent reply to the other responder - it explains again what my problem is. I simply want to scan down the LAST names in alphabetical order to select recipients for the email.

I can find no setting that lets me do this in Live Mail.

Help!

Thanks again.
Fred

 

[andsome]

Did you read my post above?

See the image.

Now look at the two following images, one shows how the contacts appear in the contacts folder, the other shows how they appear when I click on the add sign as shown above.

I think you need to check the settings. Do you have the 2011 version of Windows Live Mail? If so try playing around with the various settings available. I can't remember exactly what I tried when setting up. Trial and error may be the order of the day.

 

[davehc]

I suspect you are looking at the wrong contacts folder. Live mail has the contacts in a Dbase, whic is not accessible as a visible text file.
To alter the Live mail contact settings, open your mail program and, down on the bottom left,of the navigational pane, you will see "contacts". Click this.
oUp on the new top menu bar, towards the middle, you will see "Sort by"
This has only two choices, last name or first name.

 

[fredb58]

Did you read my post above?

See the image.

Now look at the two following images, one shows how the contacts appear in the contacts folder, the other shows how they appear when I click on the add sign as shown above.

I think you need to check the settings. Do you have the 2011 version of Windows Live Mail? If so try playing around with the various settings available. I can't remember exactly what I tried when setting up. Trial and error may be the order of the day.

Yes to 2011 Version of Live Mail

Please let me offer these to "Screen Prints" for your examination. I believe from your replies that you select your recipients ahead of time - before composing the email and I am talking about creating new email and THEN selecting the recipients.

 

[fredb58]

I suspect you are looking at the wrong contacts folder. Live mail has the contacts in a Dbase, whic is not accessible as a visible text file.
To alter the Live mail contact settings, open your mail program and, down on the bottom left,of the navigational pane, you will see "contacts". Click this.
oUp on the new top menu bar, towards the middle, you will see "Sort by"
This has only two choices, last name or first name.

Again, Thanks for the reply.

Please look at the screen prints I just sent to the other responder.

IF you have your Contact list sorted by LAST name. AND if you compose an email AND THEN add recipients - will your choices be sorted the same way as your contact list???

 

[andsome]

I write the e mail and then select the recipients after that, as you can see by my two examples.Never had a problem.

 

[fredb58]

I write the e mail and then select the recipients after that, as you can see by my two examples.Never had a problem.

Dear andsome

Thanks again for the reply.

I just reviewed your .jpgs again and realized that you do indeed attach the recipients after you compose the email.

It's also apparent that we are discussing "apples and oranges" - since we do not maintain our Contact lists in the same way.

I try to type all Last names in capital LETTERS and all First names etc in Upper/Lower case. Your 2nd .jpg shows that your selections are sorted by the first column into alpabetical order but often the First name starts the 1st column and often the Last name starts the 1st column.

That indicates that you either type both names into your Contact list in any order, or you type both names into one field as you see fit - ALL OF WHICH IS ALL RIGHT - YOU ARE HAPPY WITH IT AND APPARENTLY WORK WELL WITH IT - but it's just not the way I prefer to do it - not the way I have been doing it for a long time.

I started this thread hoping someone would explain how to program the "Send an Email" (see .jpg02 above) window so it present the choices alphabetically by LAST name - but I haven't made any progress.

Thanks again for your participation/replies. If you come upon the answer please let me know.

Fred

 

[davehc]

and you tried the suggestion in my last post?

 

[fredb58]

I write the e mail and then select the recipients after that, as you can see by my two examples.Never had a problem.

Dear Andsome,

Thanks again for the replies,

I looked at your .jpgs again and realized that they show you do indeed add the Recipients after you compose the Email.

It’s also apparent that we are talking “apples and oranges” because we do not maintain our Contacts list the same way.

Your “Send an Email” .jpg shows an alphabetical list that is sorted both by First AND by Last names. This indicates that you created your contact list by typing both First and Last name in any order or by typing them into the same (one) field.

I have mostly typed the Last name in capital letters, and the First name etc in Upper/Lower case and entered them into the proper fields in the Contact List. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH DOING IT YOUR WAY – YOU LIKE IT AND APPARENTLY WORK WELL WITH IT – I just choose to do it otherwise as I have for many years.

I started this thread in hopes someone would tell me how to alphabetize the “Send an Email” window by LAST name and not FIRST name as Bill Gates insists on doing.

I’m not getting anywhere fast and may have to give up or re-write my Contact List putting both LAST name and FIRST name in the same field in that order so it shows up the way I want it on the “Send an Email” window.

Thanks again,
Fred

 

[fredb58]

and you tried the suggestion in my last post?

Yes - have done that. My Contact list is well-maintained and sorted by Lastname.

I just sent a response to "andsome" and at first it did not indicate that it went through so I typed it again from memory .... and sent it again... of course they both show up now.

If you will review our .jpg pictures that we both sent then you can follow our conversations.

If you find a way to sort the “Send an Email” window by LAST name please let me know.

Thanks again,
Fred

 

[davehc]

Sorry Fred, but I think there is some conversation going on which seems to be at cross purposes. I get the same results as Andsome. I have sorted by last name, from the method I stated, and that is what I see when I select "Add".

 

[fredb58]

Sorry Fred, but I think there is some conversation going on which seems to be at cross purposes. I get the same results as Andsome. I have sorted by last name, from the method I stated, and that is what I see when I select "Add".

Hi,

If you look at andsome's .jpgs and read my response to him - you will see that we are not "at odds" - it's just that he does not enter contacts into his contact list so that it can sort by Last name or First name. He evidently enters both first and last name into the same field in any order he chooses at the time of entry. His "Contacts" list is alphabetical - but sometimes a line starts with the first name and sometime it starts with the Last name.

You can see that in his first .jpg that shows the Contact list.

Will you study all four of our .jpgs? You will see what I am talking about.

I'm still looking for a way to sort the “Send an Email” window by Last name.

Thanks again,
Fred

 

[fredb58]

Sorry Fred, but I think there is some conversation going on which seems to be at cross purposes. I get the same results as Andsome. I have sorted by last name, from the method I stated, and that is what I see when I select "Add".

I don't know if you want to go to the bother of publishing "screen prints" like andsome and I have but ............

Anyway, I have my Contact list sorted by last name and have the last names in the "last name field" there AND the first names in the "first name field" there. - and they display properly in "Contacts". They just display backwards (first name first) when I try to select recipients for the email..

 

[davehc]

Fwiw.
Here are mine.

 

[fredb58]

Fwiw.
Here are mine.


View attachment 2322View attachment 2323

Both of the .jpgs look like they are of the same window in CONTACTS and show that you have the same setup I do.

If you can:
Goto MAIL
Tap EMail message in the upper left corner
Tap "To..." to get the "Select contact(s) to whom to send an email." window.
THEN look to see how they are sorted.....and maybe take a picture of that???

Mine are sorted differently in the Contact (Last name) than they are in the "Select contact(s) to whom to send an email." window where they are sorted by First name.

 

[davehc]

The pictures are exactly the same. It would take me to the same contact list.
I am afraid I am at a loss to assist you further