---
name: "abook"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "abook"
version: "0.6.1-3+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/abook"
---

# abook(1)

text-based address book program

## NAME

abook - text-based address book program

## SYNOPSIS

**abook** \[ *OPTION* \]

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents briefly the **abook** program. This manual page was written for the Debian GNU/Linux distribution because the original program does not have a manual page.

**abook** is a text-based address book program. It contains Name, Email, Address  and various Phone fields. It is designed for use with mutt, but can be equally useful on its own.

## OPTIONS

- **-h --help**

  Show usage.

- **-C --config** *\<filename\>*

  Use an alternative configuration file (default is *$HOME/.abook/abookrc*).

- **--datafile** *\<filename\>*

  Use an alternative addressbook file (default is *$HOME/.abook/addressbook*).

- **--mutt-query** *\<string\>* \[ **--outformat** *\<outputformat\>* \]

  Make a query for mutt (search the addressbook for *\<string\>*).\
   The **--datafile** option, as documented above, may be used **BEFORE** this option to search a different addressbook file.\
   Only a subset of the below *\<outputformat\>* are allowed: **mutt** (default), **vcard** and **custom**

- **--convert** \[ **--informat** *\<inputformat\>* \] \[ **--infile** *\<inputfile\>* \] \[ **--outformat** *\<outputformat\>* \] \[ **--outfile** *\<outputfile\>* \]

  Converts *\<inputfile\>* in *\<inputformat\>* to *\<outputfile\>* in *\<outputformat\>* (defaults are **abook**, **stdin**, **text** and **stdout**).

  The following *inputformats* are supported:\
   \- **abook** abook native format\
   \- **ldif** ldif / Netscape addressbook\
   \- **mutt** mutt alias\
   \- **pine** pine addressbook\
   \- **csv** comma separated values\
   \- **palmcsv** Palm comma separated values\
   \- **vcard** VCard addressbook

  The following *outputformats* are supported:\
   \- **abook** abook native format\
   \- **ldif** ldif / Netscape addressbook (.4ld)\
   \- **mutt** mutt alias\
   \- **html** html document\
   \- **pine** pine addressbook\
   \- **vcard** VCard addressbook\
   \- **csv** comma separated values\
   \- **palmcsv** Palm comma separated values\
   \- **elm** elm alias\
   \- **text** plain text\
   \- **spruce** Spruce address book\
   \- **wl** Wanderlust address book\
   \- **bsdcal** BSD calendar\
   \- **custom** Custom output format, see below

- **--outformatstr** *\<string\>*

  Only used if **--mutt-query** *or* **--convert** is specified *and* **--outformat**=*custom*. *\<string\>* is a format string allowing placeholders.\
   A placeholder can be any of the standard fields names (see [**abookrc**(5)](/abookrc/5.md)) and must be encapsulated by curly brackets.\
   The default value is "{nick} ({name}): {mobile}"\
   If *\<string\>* starts with *!* only entries whose all fields from *\<string\>* are non-NULL are included.

- **--add-email**

  Read an e-mail message from stdin and add the sender to the addressbook.

- **--add-email-quiet**

  Same as --add-email but doesn't confirm adding.

- **--formats**

  List available formats.

## COMMANDS DURING USE

Press '**?**' during use to get a list of commands.

## SEE ALSO

[**mutt**(1)](/mutt/1.md), [**abookrc**(5)](/abookrc/5.md)\

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Alan Ford \<alan@whirlnet.co.uk\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).

**abook** was written by Jaakko Heinonen \<jheinonen@users.sourceforge.net\>