Playing an embedded wave object (OLE)

Hi--

I've searched diligently for an answer to this, and experimented at some
length, so forgive me if this topic is asked and answered already...

All Office 2003 applications seem to offer the possibility of inserting an
object, like a wave object. (This is OLE, right? It's not the same as
attaching a file.) In virtually every case, embedding an object works
great--it's quick and easy to retrieve the contents of the embedded object.

Yet in Outlook, if I embed a wave object in a Task Item for example, when I
go to retrieve the contents of that embedded wave object, the Play context
menu (right mouse button) is grayed out. Why is that??? Certainly I can
play an *attached* wave FILE from a Task Item, so why can't I play an
*embedded* wave OBJECT from a Task Item?

Curiously, I can copy that embedded wave object from the Task Item to MS
Word, for example, and MS Word can play the same wave object perfectly. But
when I paste that wave object back into the Task Item--again, no luck--the
Play context menu is grayed out.

A somewhat different (and perhaps worse) phenomenon occurs when embedding a
wave object in an e-mail message. In draft form, the wave object plays just
fine from the e-mail message; however, once that e-mail message is sent, the
embedded wave object appears to have lost itself entirely. Now, in every
way, it appears to be nothing more than an image of a small speaker
(including the ability to copy and paste that image). This "lost character"
for the embedded wav object is true both for the received e-mail message and
for the retained copy in Sent Items.

Of course *attaching* a wave FILE to an e-mail message works in every
regard. I just think that *embedding* a wav OBJECT could be quicker and
easier, especially for the e-mail recipient.

Thank you very much for your guidance.

Chris

P.S. In the big picture, I am trying to understand the best (quickest,
easiest, etc) way to create "recorded voice" Task Items and "recorded voice"
Mail Items.

Well, I got a bit closer on my own...

The problem with loosing an embedded wave object in an e-mail message seems
to be caused by the message getting converted from RTF to HTML. I'm halfway
there on fixing this issue. If the message can stay in RTF, then it seems
as though it will hang on to the embedded wave object and allow the
recipient to play it.

The Task Item phenomenon also may be related to HTML format in the Task Item
body, but it's not clear to me. I find it confusing that the embedded wave
object still appears with all of the correct wave properties. I just can't
play the darn thing...

I'm still hoping for some expert help! Thanks!!!

Chris

"Chris McConnell" <Chris.McConnell@adondo.net> wrote in message
news:%23k5oziFXEHA.1656@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Hi--
>
> I've searched diligently for an answer to this, and experimented at some
> length, so forgive me if this topic is asked and answered already...
>
> All Office 2003 applications seem to offer the possibility of inserting an
> object, like a wave object. (This is OLE, right? It's not the same as
> attaching a file.) In virtually every case, embedding an object works
> great--it's quick and easy to retrieve the contents of the embedded
object.
>
> Yet in Outlook, if I embed a wave object in a Task Item for example, when
I
> go to retrieve the contents of that embedded wave object, the Play context
> menu (right mouse button) is grayed out. Why is that??? Certainly I can
> play an *attached* wave FILE from a Task Item, so why can't I play an
> *embedded* wave OBJECT from a Task Item?
>
> Curiously, I can copy that embedded wave object from the Task Item to MS
> Word, for example, and MS Word can play the same wave object perfectly.
But
> when I paste that wave object back into the Task Item--again, no luck--the
> Play context menu is grayed out.
>
> A somewhat different (and perhaps worse) phenomenon occurs when embedding
a
> wave object in an e-mail message. In draft form, the wave object plays
just
> fine from the e-mail message; however, once that e-mail message is sent,
the
> embedded wave object appears to have lost itself entirely. Now, in every
> way, it appears to be nothing more than an image of a small speaker
> (including the ability to copy and paste that image). This "lost
character"
> for the embedded wav object is true both for the received e-mail message
and
> for the retained copy in Sent Items.
>
> Of course *attaching* a wave FILE to an e-mail message works in every
> regard. I just think that *embedding* a wav OBJECT could be quicker and
> easier, especially for the e-mail recipient.
>
> Thank you very much for your guidance.
>
> Chris
>
> P.S. In the big picture, I am trying to understand the best (quickest,
> easiest, etc) way to create "recorded voice" Task Items and "recorded
voice"
> Mail Items.
>
>