Portable Address Book

System crash *.pabu restore

Portable Address Book create a temporary back-up of ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook, ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.AddressBook.plist and ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.AddressBook (named *.pabu) that are restored when application is closed. If a system crash occurred Portable Address Book will not restore local Address Book preferences and temporary back-up still exist.
Note that a crash of Address Book application will allow Portable Address Book to restore local preferences.

To fix this, a temporary hidden app that restore *.pabu file and folders is copied on local home directory (~/.Portable_AddressBook_scr.app) and is opened at login by launchd agent after a system crash. This temporary application is deleted when restore process end with success.
If some *.pabu still exist, when you reopen Portable Address Book you can Restore or Copy temporary back-up.

Backup not restored alert window

Restore

This restore local Address Book preferences back-up, if newer Address Book preferences exist, this will overwrite existing one.

Backup restore window screenshot

OK

Restore is performed, a window confirm that local Address Book preferences are restored with success.

Backup restore done window screenshot

Or quit if restore error.

Backup restore error window screenshot

Cancel

This cancel local Address Book preferences restore.

Copy

This copy local Address Book preferences back-up to Address Book Pref BackUp folder in your Home directory. You can restore manually later.

Backup copy window screenshot

OK

Copy is performed, a window confirm that local Address Book preferences are copied with success.

Backup copy done window screenshot

Or quit if copy error.

Backup copy error window screenshot

Cancel

This cancel local Address Book preferences copy.