But it's giving you addresses when you address your email messages. I'm not sure there is anything to "restore".

Address books can be found in your profile and they have a .mab filename extension. But I don't know how knowing that will help you.

Can you post a screen shot showing your apparently blank Address Book?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-create-screenshot-my-problem

Zenos Thanks for your response. I've added the screenshot as requested. No entries with names, addresses and other contact information appear. But, some of this information must be stored somewhere because as I type in a name to address an e-mail, a number of suggested possibilities in my address book populate the field. What I'd like to be able to do is have all my entries visible when I open my address book.

The image looks like you are using a MAC. The top 'Menu Bar' (File, edit, view,Tools, Help) is not showing. Right click in the area to the right of 'Delete' and select 'Menu Bar'.

Then make sure the Directory Pane is enabled. 'View' > 'Layout' > 'Select 'Directory Pane'.

Do you use the Mac OS X Address Book ? If yes, please check it is selected: 'File' > 'Use Mac OS X Address Book'

Please report back on results.

O.K. Everyone.

So, now I really feel stupid ! I QUIT ThunderBird, then restarted: Problem solved ! Names now appear in my address book!

Thanks for all who responded, I appreciate your sincere efforts to help!

As an aside, I get a similar display and warning when using a corporate address book supported via LDAP, i.e. nothing in it until I start searching.

The '.' character is enough to get a listing as virtually all email addresses contain a dot somewhere!

I'll try to remember that for future reference. Thanks