This tab contains all of the options needed to control the way ContactsEx deals with Area Codes in your country. Note that if you change any of these parameters, then you will barred from changing the Home Area Code on the  Formats Tab until you have applied these changes. This lockout is enforced to ensure that you don't do serious damage to the format of your phone numbers when the database is updated. The available options are as follows:

Use Area Code: This option is either Active or Disabled. When disabled, there will be no other options visible in this tab. Once you set this field to active however, all of the other options will appear.

Whenever this field is changed you'll be asked if you want to update affected phone numbers. It is strongly recommended that you agree to this, even though it can take a substantial amount of time to make the necessary alterations. Changing from one local area code to another requires that all phone numbers presently stored in the phone are updated to include the old area code. You can elect to say no IF you are making the initial change (after installation of ContactsEx), or you have made a habit of always storing numbers with the area code and/or country code.

Home Code: This is the area code that you live in. If your phone system requires a common digit appear at the beginning of the area code (but dropped if the country code is appended) then you MUST include that digit in this number. For example, in Australia, where all area codes begin with 0 and you live in area code 04, then you must enter 04 at this field.

Home Area Length: Use this field if the distinction between a phone number with an area code and a phone number without is determined solely by the number of digits (such as is the case in North America). This value should reflect the length of a phone number WITHOUT an area code (which in North America would be 7).

Common Beginning: Use this field if the distinction between a phone number with an area code and a phone number without is determined by what digit (or digits) it begins with. Enter the digits that will make this distinction (in Australia that would be 0).

With Country Code: You need only concern yourself with this field if you have entered a Common Beginning in the above field. This parameter affects whether or not the common digit (or digits) is included in a full phone number with country code. In Australia for example, the common digit 0 be must EXCLUDED from a number containing a country code. In this case you would select Suppress Common. If your country requires the inclusion of the common digit at all times, then you would choose Include Common.

Display Area Code: This parameter determines whether or not ContactsEx includes the area code whenever it is the same as your local area code. Say for example your local area code was 905 and the number being displayed was 905-555-1212. If you ask to suppress the area code, then this number would display as 555-1212. Note that if you chose to display the country code (see the Formats Tab) this parameter will have no effect. When country code is displayed, area code must ALWAYS be displayed.

Dial Area Code: This parameter is similar to the above, but it determines whether of not the area code is dialed if matches your home area code. As with the above, if you have select to always dial the country code, then this parameter has no effect.

Store Area Code: This parameter is similar to the two above, but it determines if the area code is stored in the phonebook database if it matches your home area code. If you have selected to always store the country code, then this parameter has no effect.

Whenever this field is changed you'll be asked if you want to update affected phone numbers. It isn't necessary to say yes at this point, but going ahead with the scan ensures that all of the existing numbers (in your country code) are updated to reflect your new storage preference. You can also say no if you've changed this field, but have set ContactsEx to always store the country code.