vCard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Filename extension | .vcf, .vcard |
|---|---|
| Internet media type | text/vcard |
| Type code | vCrd |
| Uniform Type Identifier | public.vcard |
| Developed by | Internet Mail Consortium |
| Type of format | electronic business card |
| Container for | contact information |
vCard is a file format standard for electronic business cards. vCards are often attached to e-mail messages, but can be exchanged in other ways, such as on the World Wide Web or Instant Messaging. They can contain name and address information, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, URLs, logos, photographs, and audio clips.
Contents |
[edit] History
Versitcard was originally proposed in 1995 by the Versit Consortium, which consisted of Apple, AT&T Technologies (later Lucent), IBM and Siemens. In December 1996, ownership of the format was handed over to the Internet Mail Consortium, a trade association for companies with an interest in Internet e-mail.
Version 2.1 of the vCard standard is widely supported by e-mail clients. Version 3.0 of the vCard format is an IETF standards-track proposal contained in RFC 2425 and RFC 2426. Version 4.0 is defined in RFC 6350, with a new XML syntax, xCard, defined in RFC 6351. The commonly-used filename extension for vCards is vcf.
In RFC 4770, vCard Extensions for Instant Messaging, a new type of entry to hold an IMPP URI is defined, which is "IMPP". This is now part of the base vCard 4.0 spec.
[edit] Media type
The standard Internet media type for a vCard (often referred to as its mime type) is:[1]
text/vcard
As of version 4.0 specification, other media types known to have been used previously are now deprecated, including:[1]
text/x-vcardtext/directory;profile=vCardtext/directory
[edit] Example vCard files
The following is an example of a VCard file containing information for one person:
[edit] vCard 2.1
BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2.1 N:Gump;Forrest FN:Forrest Gump ORG:Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. TITLE:Shrimp Man TEL;WORK;VOICE:(111) 555-1212 TEL;HOME;VOICE:(404) 555-1212 ADR;WORK:;;100 Waters Edge;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America LABEL;WORK;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:100 Waters Edge=0D=0ABaytown, LA 30314=0D=0AUnited States of America ADR;HOME:;;42 Plantation St.;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America LABEL;HOME;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:42 Plantation St.=0D=0ABaytown, LA 30314=0D=0AUnited States of America EMAIL;PREF;INTERNET:forrestgump@example.com REV:20080424T195243Z END:VCARD
[edit] vCard 3.0
BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Gump;Forrest FN:Forrest Gump ORG:Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. TITLE:Shrimp Man PHOTO;VALUE=URL;TYPE=GIF:http://www.example.com/dir_photos/my_photo.gif TEL;TYPE=WORK,VOICE:(111) 555-1212 TEL;TYPE=HOME,VOICE:(404) 555-1212 ADR;TYPE=WORK:;;100 Waters Edge;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America LABEL;TYPE=WORK:100 Waters Edge\nBaytown, LA 30314\nUnited States of America ADR;TYPE=HOME:;;42 Plantation St.;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America LABEL;TYPE=HOME:42 Plantation St.\nBaytown, LA 30314\nUnited States of America EMAIL;TYPE=PREF,INTERNET:forrestgump@example.com REV:2008-04-24T19:52:43Z END:VCARD
[edit] vCard 4.0
BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:4.0 N:Gump;Forrest;;; FN: Forrest Gump ORG:Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. TITLE:Shrimp Man PHOTO:http://www.example.com/dir_photos/my_photo.gif TEL;TYPE="work,voice";VALUE=uri:tel:+1-111-555-1212 TEL;TYPE="home,voice";VALUE=uri:tel:+1-404-555-1212 ADR;TYPE=work;LABEL="42 Plantation St.\nBaytown, LA 30314\nUnited States of America" :;;42 Plantation St.;Baytown;LA;30314;United States of America EMAIL:forrestgump@example.com REV:20080424T195243Z END:VCARD
[edit] xCard
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<vcards xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:vcard-4.0">
<vcard>
<n>
<surname>Gump</surname>
<given>Forrest</given>
<additional/>
<prefix/>
<suffix/>
</n>
<fn><text>Forrest Gump</text></fn>
<org><text>Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.</text></org>
<title><text>Shrimp Man</text></title>
<photo><uri>http://www.example.com/dir_photos/my_photo.gif</uri></photo>
<tel>
<parameters>
<type>work</type>
<type>voice</type>
</parameters>
<uri>tel:+1-111-555-1212</uri>
</tel>
<tel>
<parameters>
<type>home</type>
<type>voice</type>
</parameters>
<uri>tel:+1-404-555-1212</uri>
</tel>
<adr>
<parameters>
<type>work</type>
<label>42 Plantation St.
Baytown, LA 30314
United States of America
</label>
</parameters>
<pobox/>
<ext/>
<street>42 Plantation St.</street>
<locality>Baytown</locality>
<region>LA</region>
<code>30314</code>
<country>United States of America</country>
</adr>
<email><text>forrestgump@example.com</text></email>
<rev><timestamp>20080424T195243Z</timestamp></rev>
</vcard>
</vcards>
[edit] Properties
vCard defines the following property types. According to the current (4.0) specification, vCards must contain the VERSION and FN properties between the BEGIN:VCARD and END:VCARD entities.
| Name | Description | Semantic |
|---|---|---|
| N | Name | A structured representation of the name of the person, place or thing associated with the vCard object. |
| FN | Formatted Name | The formatted name string associated with the vCard object |
| NICKNAME | Nickname | A descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to a person, place, or thing. |
| PHOTO | Photograph | An image or photograph of the individual associated with the vCard. It may point to an external URL or may be embedded in the vCard as a Base64 encoded block of text. |
| BDAY | Birthday | Date of birth of the individual associated with the vCard |
| ADR | Delivery Address | A structured representation of the physical delivery address for the vCard object |
| LABEL | Label Address | Addressing label for physical delivery to the person/object associated with the vCard |
| TEL | Telephone | The canonical number string for a telephone number for telephony communication with the vCard object |
| The address for electronic mail communication with the vCard object | ||
| MAILER | Email Program (Optional) | Type of email program used |
| TZ | Time Zone | Information related to the standard time zone of the vCard object |
| GEO | Global Positioning | The property specifies a latitude and longitude |
| TITLE | Title | Specifies the job title, functional position or function of the individual associated with the vCard object within an organization (V. P. Research and Development) |
| ROLE | Role or occupation | The role, occupation, or business category of the vCard object within an organization (e.g. Executive) |
| LOGO | Logo | An image or graphic of the logo of the organization that is associated with the individual to which the vCard belongs |
| AGENT | Agent | Information about another person who will act on behalf of the vCard object. Typically this would be an area administrator, assistant, or secretary for the individual |
| ORG | Organization Name or Organizational unit | The name and optionally the unit(s) of the organization associated with the vCard object. This property is based on the X.520 Organization Name attribute and the X.520 Organization Unit attribute |
| NOTE | Note | Specifies supplemental information or a comment that is associated with the vCard |
| REV | Last Revision | Combination of the calendar date and time of day of the last update to the vCard object |
| SOUND | Sound | By default, if this property is not grouped with other properties it specifies the pronunciation of the Formatted Name property of the vCard object. |
| URL | URL | A URL is a representation of an Internet location that can be used to obtain real-time information about the object to which the vCard refers. For example, a personal website or the company's web portal. |
| UID | Unique Identifier | Specifies a value that represents a persistent, globally unique identifier associated with the object |
| VERSION | Version | Version of the vCard Specification |
| KEY | Public Key | The public encryption key associated with the vCard object |
In addition, because vCard augments RFC-2425, a standard for directory information, the following property types are also supported: SOURCE, NAME, PROFILE, BEGIN, END.
[edit] vCard extensions
vCard supports private extensions, with an "X-" prefix, a number of which are in common usage.
Some of these include:
| Extension | Used As | Data | Semantic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions supported by several different programs. | |||
| X-ABUID | property | string | Apple Address Book UUID for that entry |
| X-ANNIVERSARY | property | YYYY-MM-DD | arbitrary anniversary, in addition to BDAY = birthday |
| X-ASSISTANT | property | string | assistant name (instead of Agent) |
| X-MANAGER | property | string | manager name |
| X-SPOUSE | property | string | spouse name |
| X-GENDER | property | string | value "Male" or "Female" |
| X-AIM | property | string | Instant Messaging (IM) contact information; TYPE parameter as for TEL (I.e. WORK/HOME/OTHER) |
| X-ICQ | property | string | " |
| X-JABBER | property | string | " |
| X-MSN | property | string | " |
| X-YAHOO | property | string | " |
| X-TWITTER | property | string | " |
| X-SKYPE, X-SKYPE-USERNAME | property | string | " |
| X-GADUGADU | property | string | " |
| X-GROUPWISE | property | string | " |
| X-MS-IMADDRESS | property | string | " (IM address in VCF attachment from Outlook (right click Contact, Send Full Contact, Internet Format.) |
| X-MS-CARDPICTURE | property | string | Works as PHOTO or LOGO. Contains an image of the Card in Outlook. |
| X-PHONETIC-FIRST-NAME, X-PHONETIC-LAST-NAME | property | string | alternative spelling of name, used for Japanese names |
| introduced and used by Mozilla, also used by Evolution (software) | |||
| X-MOZILLA-HTML | property | TRUE/FALSE | mail recipient prefers HTML-formatted email |
| X-MOZILLA-PROPERTY | property | string | Thunderbird specific settings |
| introduced and used by Evolution (software) | |||
| X-EVOLUTION-ANNIVERSARY | property | YYYY-MM-DD | arbitrary anniversary, in addition to BDAY = birthday |
| X-EVOLUTION-ASSISTANT | property | string | assistant name (instead of Agent) |
| X-EVOLUTION-BLOG-URL | property | string/URL | blog URL |
| X-EVOLUTION-FILE-AS | property | string | file under different name (in addition to N = name components and FN = full name |
| X-EVOLUTION-MANAGER | property | string | manager name |
| X-EVOLUTION-SPOUSE | property | string | spouse name |
| X-EVOLUTION-VIDEO-URL | property | string/URL | video chat address |
| X-EVOLUTION-CALLBACK | TEL TYPE parameter value | - | callback phone number |
| X-EVOLUTION-RADIO | TEL TYPE parameter value | - | radio contact information |
| X-EVOLUTION-TELEX | TEL TYPE parameter value | - | Telex contact information |
| X-EVOLUTION-TTYTDD | TEL TYPE parameter value | - | TTY TDD contact information |
| introduced and used by Kontact and KAddressBook | |||
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-BlogFeed | property | string/URL | blog URL |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-Anniversary | property | ISO date | arbitrary anniversary, in addition to BDAY = birthday |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-AssistantsName | property | string | assistant name (instead of Agent) |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-IMAddress | property | string | im address |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-ManagersName | property | string | manager name |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-Office | property | string | office description |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-Profession | property | string | profession |
| X-KADDRESSBOOK-X-SpouseName | property | string | spouse name |
Note: The Internet media type text/vcard was used (incorrectly) in some SyncML Documentation to refer to vCard 3.0, and the example was followed in various implementations.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Internet mail Consortium - Personal Data Interchange
- vCard: The Electronic Business Card (Version 2.1) vCard 2.1 specification (Sept-18-1996)
- Representing vCard Objects in RDF, W3C Member Submission 20 January 2010
- vCard implementations notes and bug reports
- vCard proposed errata
- RFC 2425 - A MIME Content-Type for Directory Information
- RFC 2426 - vCard MIME Directory Profile
- RFC 2739 - Calendar Attributes for vCard and LDAP
- RFC 4122 - UUID URN namespace (could be used for UID type)
- RFC 4770 - vCard Extensions for Instant Messaging
- RFC 6350 - vCard Format Specification
- RFC 6473 - vCard KIND:application
- RFC 6474 - vCard Format Extensions: Place of Birth, Place and Date of Death
- IETF vCardDAV working group
