Custom Outlook Forms and Word Toolbars?

[Jimmy Mac]

Hi All,

I have created and am testing a custom form for new email. All the basics
are working great however, we only have the Menu Bar, Standard and
Formatting Toolbars available. It's as though Outlook is not allowing us to
use Word as the default email editor with any forms. Is this by design or
did I miss something?

We really like and need to be able use Word as the editor but would benefit
greatly from using custom forms in Outlook.

Please post any reply here - email to this account will bounce.

TIA!

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

A custom form would not use Word and vice versa.

 

[Jimmy Mac]

Thanks Ken,

Do you happen to know of a way to modify the default form and still allow
for users to use Word as their email editor in Outlook?

Basically, we have a need to add a second but renamed Bcc field but users
must be able to still use Word within Outlook.

J..

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

You can force a custom form to use Word as the email editor:

1) In Tools | Options | Mail Format, change the default message format to RTF.

2) Open or create the form in design mode.

3) On the (Properties) page, check the box for "Always use Microsoft Word as the e-mail editor."

4) Publish the form.

You can then change default message format back to HTML or plain text. Messages created with the custom form, however, will always use RTF.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

A custom form would not use Word and vice versa.

--
Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm

Hi All,

I have created and am testing a custom form for new email. All the basics
are working great however, we only have the Menu Bar, Standard and
Formatting Toolbars available. It's as though Outlook is not allowing us
to use Word as the default email editor with any forms. Is this by design
or did I miss something?

We really like and need to be able use Word as the editor but would
benefit greatly from using custom forms in Outlook.

Please post any reply here - email to this account will bounce.

TIA!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Two problems with this:

1) You can't create a new recipient "type." All recipients are in the Recipients collection and have Type = olTo, olCC, or olBcc.

2) Substituting a custom form for the default form is a very, very bad idea that will result in attachments not being available to recipients who aren't using Outlook.

I think you need to go back to the drawing board and reconsider what functionality your scenario needs, in light of what Outlook can actually support.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Jimmy Mac]

Thanks Sue,

What we were trying to do is add a second renamed Bcc... field. It's for
some internal tracking of certain emails. I'd rather not blow anything up.

J..


Two problems with this:

1) You can't create a new recipient "type." All recipients are in the
Recipients collection and have Type = olTo, olCC, or olBcc.

2) Substituting a custom form for the default form is a very, very bad idea
that will result in attachments not being available to recipients who aren't
using Outlook.

I think you need to go back to the drawing board and reconsider what
functionality your scenario needs, in light of what Outlook can actually
support.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Jimmy Mac]

That may be exactly what I'm looking for!

Thanks!


You can force a custom form to use Word as the email editor:

1) In Tools | Options | Mail Format, change the default message format
to RTF.

2) Open or create the form in design mode.

3) On the (Properties) page, check the box for "Always use Microsoft
Word as the e-mail editor."

4) Publish the form.

You can then change default message format back to HTML or plain text.
Messages created with the custom form, however, will always use RTF.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Jimmy Mac]

Sue! Thank you! It worked...

And.. after redirecting the default to this form in the registry, I can
still send attachments to non-outlook clients - at least those I've tested
so far.

Jim..


You can force a custom form to use Word as the email editor:

1) In Tools | Options | Mail Format, change the default message format
to RTF.

2) Open or create the form in design mode.

3) On the (Properties) page, check the box for "Always use Microsoft
Word as the e-mail editor."

4) Publish the form.

You can then change default message format back to HTML or plain text.
Messages created with the custom form, however, will always use RTF.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

There are a few problems though with that approach, as Sue noted. Any
recipient not using Outlook will get a plain text message with the TNEF for
the RTF in a winmail.dat attachment. Attachments for the recipient can be a
problem, as Sue noted. Also, Outlook custom forms are not the most robust
beasts and can fail without warning at almost any time. And you cannot add a
new recipient type. Why not just use a usually unused field such as Mileage
for storing what you want?