-// used to store the format string from --outformatstr when "custom" format is used
-// default value overriden in export_file()
-extern char *parsed_custom_format;
-extern enum field_types *custom_format_fields;
+// stores the format string generated from --outformatstr {custom_format}
+// (when "custom" output format is requested)
+// overrides default value of custom_format set by from abook.c
+extern char custom_format[FORMAT_STRING_LEN];
+char parsed_custom_format[FORMAT_STRING_LEN];
+enum field_types *custom_format_fields = 0;