When using a custom form, the user-defined fields need to be defined in the
form. User-defined fields defined for the "folder" when using the standard
IPM.Contact message class are not interchangable with those assigned/created
via a custom form and you should never be adding user-defined fields to a
contact with a custom form on an adhoc basis (causes a "one-off" item).
Think of user-defined fields in one of three contexts:
#1 - User-defined fields in folder (applicable when default message class
for the folder is IPM.Contact)
#2 - User-defined fields in item. A user-defined field created for an item
is first added to the folder's user-defined list automatically and by
default. It is <never> added to an individual item's user-defined fields
group until a value is entered for the field. Removing a field from the
<folder user-defined list> does not remove the field in any contact item to
which it has been added. It becomes an <orphan> user-defined field which
remains with the item so long as the message class for it is "IPM.Contact".
Once a UDF has been deleted from the <folder's> UDF list - there is no way
within Outlook to determine which contact(s) have that field without opening
each individual contact item.
#3 - User-defined fields created/used in custom form. All UDFs in this case
become part of the contact item whether the field has a value or not.
Changing the message class(custom form) for a contact item results in
user-defined fields for the original custom form no longer being accessible
when viewing a contact item. Usre-defined fields assigned to the <folder>
are no longer applicable when a contact is assigned a new message class
(custom form) nor are user-defined fields associated with a custom form
applicable if the contact's message class is changed back to the standard
messageclass/form (IPM.Contact).
Sidenote: should <not> create a UDF in a custom form that is assigned to one
of the <standard> Outlook fields even though nothing will prevent you from
doing that.
Karl
____________________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer/DataPorter/Exporter/Toolkit/Duplicate Contact Mgr
"Contact import/export/data management tools for Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com
"Thatch" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:A00EAFE8-A764-430F-A3B4-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Custom Contact Forms and User Defined Properties
>
> I have created a very simple Contact custom form (no user defined fields,
> no
> macros, etc.). I have made this form the default form for a contact
> folder.
> When I create a contact, the form appears and I enter data into the form.
> One
> things happens:
>
> - After I save the form and I view it using the View->Current View->Phone
> List, it comes up as a note icon with a pin through it and not as a
> contact
> icon. Why is that? If I look at the MessageClass field, it states that it
> is
> IPM.Contact.MyTestForm. Obviously there is an issue with that. Does anyone
> have any hints as to how the form can be saved properly?
>
> Consequently, if I edit the contact and add a user defined field, ALL the
> user defined fields that are being displayed disappear and I no longer
> have
> access to the user defined fields for that contact. It seems that using
> the
> default custom contact forms in Outlook corrupts the access to user
> defined
> fields for the Contacts OR the saving of the contact with the incorrect
> type
> causes it to break the link with User Defined Fields (since user defined
> fields are not supported for the Notes). I'd expect Custom Contact Forms
> to
> support user defined fields.
>
> Does anyone have any insight into this?
>
> T
>
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