Address book

[Julia]

Hi

Can I set my Outlook address book as default so if I use Outlook Express and the contact is added via OE, it will just update one address being the address book in Outlook itself. At the moment I have 2 address books, being WAB and PST, and I would like to manage just one address book.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks
Julia

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

Under OL98 & OL2000 you could have OE & Outlook share an address book
(Outlook's contacts) but that feature isn't in an later versions

Hi

Can I set my Outlook address book as default so if I use Outlook Express and
the contact is added via OE, it will just update one address being the
address book in Outlook itself. At the moment I have 2 address books, being
WAB and PST, and I would like to manage just one address book.

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Julia]

Oh dear, I thought I had shared my address book in the past but now I'm
using Outlook 2002 and I was wondering what was going on.

I'm stuck now and not sure what to do next. So please can you confirm, from
what you've said, I will not be able to 'merge' the address books and use
Outlook's address book? I really like using Outlook because there are more
fields in the Contact file and when this is viewed in OE, you cannot see all
the fields. The problem is I use OE, to send emails and then the Contact is
stored into the WAB and not to my PST file..... Is there a way of overcoming
the problem at all?

Thanks again for your reply.

Julia

 

[Alan Smith]

upgrade back to the earlier version you used?

Oh dear, I thought I had shared my address book in the past but now I'm
using Outlook 2002 and I was wondering what was going on.

I'm stuck now and not sure what to do next. So please can you confirm,
from what you've said, I will not be able to 'merge' the address books
and use Outlook's address book? I really like using Outlook because there
are more fields in the Contact file and when this is viewed in OE, you
cannot see all the fields. The problem is I use OE, to send emails and
then the Contact is stored into the WAB and not to my PST file..... Is
there a way of overcoming the problem at all?

Thanks again for your reply.

Julia

 

[Brian Tillman]

Oh dear, I thought I had shared my address book in the past but now
I'm using Outlook 2002 and I was wondering what was going on.

I'm stuck now and not sure what to do next.

There's a registry hack that may allow it. With both Outlook and Outlook
Express closed, click Start>Run. Enter "regedit" in the OPen field and
click OK. Locate the key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4. Click Edit>New>DWORD Value.
Enter "UseOutlook" as the new key name and press Enter. Double-click
UseOutlook and enter 1 as the Value data. Click OK and exit regedit. Start
Outlook Express and its address book should reference your Contacts folder.

 

[Julia]

How would I upgrade back to an earlier verions of Outlook? I've not done
that before and didn't think it was possible. Would that mean I have use
the full earlier version of M Office.

Do you know why share contacts is no longer available?

Thanks again for your help and comments.
Regards

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Indeed, that is terrible advice. Ignore it.
Use the workaround Brian posted.

 

[Alan Smith]

It is only given as an option available to you, ignore Russ Valentine who
has not given you any real advice.

You would need to backup your data files then uninstall your current
version. Install the earlier version and then import your data. The registry
hack is worth trying but back your data up first, and if you have XP make
sure you create a restore point.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

There's no reason to import data. Just keep using the same .pst file as the default store.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Did you want to post the rest of the things she would need to do if she
tried to revert to an earlier version and how to correct the corrupt profile
she would have?
Did you want to tell her what data she would lose by importing her PST file?
Please only post if you can provide accurate information that would not be
harmful.

 

[Julia]

I am slightly concerned because I did try to move my WAB a while ago via a
registry change and it did not work and I had to restore my XP system to an
earlier date. But anyway I am willing to give it another try but I would
like to confirm one or two things beforehand with you.

To ensure that it is referencing my Outlook Contacts after the change, will
it confirm that for me if I run Address book and goto Help>About where it
show the location of the file. Or should I say enter a fictious Contract in
Outlook, knowing it's not in the WAB and then make the registry change and
that would confirm it for me.

Also in the registry under Wab File Name, what happens to that registry
setting? Can I therefore delete my WAB from that location and ignore that
setting?

Thanks again for your assistance.
Julia

 

[Bob Burns]

Why not just use Outlook for email? What advantage do you get from using
OE?

 

[Brian Tillman]

I am slightly concerned because I did try to move my WAB a while ago
via a registry change and it did not work and I had to restore my XP
system to an earlier date. But anyway I am willing to give it
another try but I would like to confirm one or two things beforehand
with you.

I've tried to share a WAB using the path key in the registry and it simply
resets itself. It certainly had no effect on the PC itself. I can't
imagine why you'd have to restore the entire PC.

To ensure that it is referencing my Outlook Contacts after the
change, will it confirm that for me if I run Address book and goto
Help>About where it show the location of the file.

I don't know, but probably not. I suspect that page simply displays the
registry value
....WAB4\Wab FIle Name. However, I'll give it a try myself and let you know
before you take the chance. My WAB and my Contacts folder are VERY
different.

Also in the registry under Wab File Name, what happens to that
registry setting? Can I therefore delete my WAB from that location
and ignore that setting?

I suspect that nothing happens to that setting, that the Windows Address
Book simply ignores it. Personally, I'd not delete the file.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I don't know, but probably not. I suspect that page simply displays
the registry value
...WAB4\Wab FIle Name.

I tried it for you. It works just fine. I had to stop and restart Outlook
Express to see the change. The Help>About page says simply:

Address Book
6.00.2900.2527
© Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved

No WAB locaton information at all. Openening the Address Book shows
Contacts in the pane on the left and the contact records on the right.

I suspect that nothing happens to that setting, that the Windows
Address Book simply ignores it. Personally, I'd not delete the file.

I was correct. Nothing happens to that key. You can still access your OE
address book if you want as well, by simply double-clicking the WAB file.

 

[Julia]

Thanks for trying it out for me first.

I've just added the registry setting as described and the OE is still using
the WAB (it's not using MS Outlook contacts). When I run WAB, I get exactly
what you get. To double, check I launched Outlook and the contacts don't
match the address book in OE.

Have I perhaps left something out at all?

Regards
Julia

 

[Julia]

I prefer OE because I can download all my emails and newsgroup information
to one place. The reason why I want to share my address book is so that
when I send emails from OE, they update my WAB as well as Contacts and
therefore I have one contacts list for backup purposes, and I don't have
duplicates or non-synchonised address books.

I like Outlook contacts because you can add detailed information about your
contacts which you cannot view in OE, and it's also much easier to manage.


Regards.

 

[Alan Smith]

You bothered to post that without giving any information again. Aren't you
helpful? *If* you know anything that would actually help why not post it? Or
is it just bluster? Try being an adult. If you can?

Did you want to post the rest of the things she would need to do if she
tried to revert to an earlier version and how to correct the corrupt
profile she would have?
Did you want to tell her what data she would lose by importing her PST
file?
Please only post if you can provide accurate information that would not be
harmful.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

It is only given as an option available to you, ignore Russ Valentine who
has not given you any real advice.

You would need to backup your data files then uninstall your current
version. Install the earlier version and then import your data. The
registry hack is worth trying but back your data up first, and if you
have XP make sure you create a restore point.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

You misunderstand. I posted all the information that was necessary. She does
not need other information because hopefully she will not try what you
recommended.
The salient points remain:
1. Reverting to an older Outlook version just to share Contacts with the WAB
will create lose far more functionality than it gains. It will also corrupt
the Outlook profile beyond repair. Sharing with the WAB can be achieved with
a simple registry entry, as Brian suggested.
2. Importing a PST is not the correct way to transfer Outlook data. Copying
and reusing the file is.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

You bothered to post that without giving any information again. Aren't you
helpful? *If* you know anything that would actually help why not post it?
Or
is it just bluster? Try being an adult. If you can?

Did you want to post the rest of the things she would need to do if she
tried to revert to an earlier version and how to correct the corrupt
profile she would have?
Did you want to tell her what data she would lose by importing her PST
file?
Please only post if you can provide accurate information that would not
be
harmful.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

It is only given as an option available to you, ignore Russ Valentine
who
has not given you any real advice.

You would need to backup your data files then uninstall your current
version. Install the earlier version and then import your data. The
registry hack is worth trying but back your data up first, and if you
have XP make sure you create a restore point.

How would I upgrade back to an earlier verions of Outlook? I've not
done that before and didn't think it was possible. Would that mean I
have use the full earlier version of M Office.

Do you know why share contacts is no longer available?

Thanks again for your help and comments.
Regards




upgrade back to the earlier version you used?


Oh dear, I thought I had shared my address book in the past but now
I'm using Outlook 2002 and I was wondering what was going on.

I'm stuck now and not sure what to do next. So please can you
confirm, from what you've said, I will not be able to 'merge' the
address books and use Outlook's address book? I really like using
Outlook because there are more fields in the Contact file and when
this is viewed in OE, you cannot see all the fields. The problem is
I
use OE, to send emails and then the Contact is stored into the WAB
and
not to my PST file..... Is there a way of overcoming the problem at
all?

Thanks again for your reply.

Julia



Under OL98 & OL2000 you could have OE & Outlook share an address
book
(Outlook's contacts) but that feature isn't in an later versions

Hi

Can I set my Outlook address book as default so if I use Outlook
Express and the contact is added via OE, it will just update one
address being the address book in Outlook itself. At the moment I
have 2 address books, being WAB and PST, and I would like to manage
just one address book.

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[Guest]

Brian...this is Dennis...you helped me with an Outlook 2003 problem a few
days ago (outlook wouldn't start so created a new profile). My address book
in previous Outlook version would sort by last name first...Outlook 2003
lists everything by first name first, even though when I open the contacts
folder, it is displayed as last name first. How can I get my address book to
list last name first to make it easier to find a name when I want to send an
e-mail?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Go to Tools > E-mail accounts > View or change existing directories or
address books > Outlook Address Book > Change. > Set your sort order there