Can't save changes to groups

I’ve got a Contacts/address book db with about 900 contacts and 46 groups in it. It is based on the standard 8.5.1 “StdR4PersonalAddressBook” template, and it is saved on a Domino 8.5.1 server.

On my workstation I have a replica of this db that replicates on the usual schedule, also on startup and shutdown. Same thing for another computer, my laptop.

Replication works fine and the dbs all appear in sync.

Problem is that periodically I lose the ability to edit the groups. I’ll open a group on a replica, click edit, change the ‘members’ list, click ‘Save and Close’, and an error message pops up:


Field contains Incorrect Value

This group name already exists. Please enter a different name.


The group name does NOT exist elsewhere. I’m simply editing the contents of an existing group.

The error occurs for all groups in the replicas on both of the computers. I can work around it only by renaming the group. But then I cannot name it back to the original name without receiving the error, which is doubly weird.

Deleting and recreating the replica cures the problem until, at some undetermined point, it happens again. I don’t always need to edit the groups, so I may not catch the exact moment this error is being triggered.

Any ideas?

Subject: editing groups

We had a similar problem back in 8.0, which was fixed in 8.0.1. Is it possible that one of the replicas is on an 8.0 server, and that server is governing the design of the contacts db? (e.g., automatically refreshing the design with the template on the 8.0 server)?

If you have Designer, it would help if you could paste (here) the Input Validation Formula from the ListName field on the Group form. In the 8.5.1 template, the error you are describing will only occur if you are creating a new group (which in your case, you are not).

Subject: editing groups

Sorry for the lengthy delay in my response. To answer your question, no, there is no ver 8 server involved, only 8.5.1.