Outlook 2007 on Windows 7 causes reminder window to stay hidden

[BraamM]

Hi,

I run outlook 2007 (connected to exchange 2003) including latest updates of
office. When a new reminder is shown, the window stays hidden behind other
windows causing me to miss the reminder. Only the icon on the task bar is
highligthed. The reminder window does not pop-up to the front as it used to
in Windows Vista or XP.

Any one else having the problem? Is there a setting to somehow control this
behaviour or is it a bug?

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Any one else having the problem? Is there a setting to somehow control this
behaviour or is it a bug?

It's not a bug and it can't be controlled. The reminder window won't take
focus from the active window. Most people prefer it that way, not wanting the
reminder to interrupt, say, the Word document they're composing when the
reminder fires, possible causing them to accidentally dismiss the reminder
before they're ready or even notice that's what they've done.

 

[BraamM]

Should this not be a configurable setting per user, as I would like the
reminder to show!
My anti-virus manages to show messages in the pop-up area that alerts me,
but does not affect any documents im typing etc.

Who can this request be directed to for consideration?

Thanks!

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Should this not be a configurable setting per user, as I would like the
reminder to show!
My anti-virus manages to show messages in the pop-up area that alerts me,
but does not affect any documents im typing etc.

Who can this request be directed to for consideration?

You can always connect to http://support.microsoft.com/ and use the "Contact
Us" link there.

 

[jjardina]

Brian this is not the intended feature of reminders. Reminders are there to
pop-up and REMIND you that you are scheduled for something of importance!
Not having the functionality of a reminder to show above your other windows,
does not make sense and is not a feature but a BUG!

I am an early integrator of windows 7 in my enterprise and I am starting to
get calls from all my users about this BUG!

It needs an Outlook hotfix, because the intended use of REMINDERS is to pop
up, in your FACE and show you that you are scheduled for something important
enough for you to set a REMINDER for.

PLEASE FIX THIS BUG!

 

[Gordon]

Brian this is not the intended feature of reminders. Reminders are there
to
pop-up and REMIND you that you are scheduled for something of importance!
Not having the functionality of a reminder to show above your other
windows,
does not make sense and is not a feature but a BUG!

Works OK here with Outlook 2007 on Windows 7 RC.

 

[jjardina]

Well it doesn't work with Windows 7 Release!

Steps to reproduce. Have Windows 7 Release, not RC1, RC2 and not Beta, but
the actual release (MVLS users received the windows 7 release last month).

Create an appointment with reminder in Outlook 2007 SP2.
Open up some programs that take up the screen. Wait for reminder.
The reminder will be behind all other windows, never popping to the front to
remind you.

BUG!

 

[BraamM]

I also think its a BUG. But if they make it a configuration setting, both
needs will be addressed, people wanting the pop-up and people not wanting the
pop-up.

Why Microsoft wants to chose for people is beyond me. Let us make the
choice!!!!

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

PLEASE FIX THIS BUG!

None of us here works for Microsoft and can change one jot of the code. We're
just users like yourself.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

As Brian said we don't work for MS so nobody here can change anything in
Outlook.

The problem of the reminders window isn't new to Win7 or Outlook 2007 and
has a lot of possible causes. Display adapters, display drivers, what other
software is running, window threading and process issues all play a part.

The only way to actually ensure that a window pops up in all circumstances
is to make it topmost, which means it's over all other Windows desktop
windows and you can't set focus to any other window until you dismiss the
topmost window.

Unfortunately, that produces even more complaints than the current situation
of uncertainty

 

[jjardina]

Well then you MVP guys shouldn't be calling things "features" when everyone
else I've spoken to considers it a bug. When you MVP guys specify that
something is not a bug, but a feature, you give an aire of having some
control over the code.

Do us all a favor and if you know a solution or work around, then great,
help us, but dont dismiss an obvious bug as a new feature because you dont
know how to address it.

If you dont know a resolution, then please keep your fingers quiet and let
someone else who does know how to fix this BUG speak up.

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Bob I]

As was said before, THIS IS A USER GROUP, and the Contact link was
provided. The people that can fix bugs don't hang around here.

 

[jjardina]

Obviously.

As was said before, THIS IS A USER GROUP, and the Contact link was
provided. The people that can fix bugs don't hang around here.


.

 

[Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]]

Well then you MVP guys shouldn't be calling things "features" when everyone
else I've spoken to considers it a bug. When you MVP guys specify that
something is not a bug, but a feature, you give an aire of having some
control over the code.

Do us all a favor and if you know a solution or work around, then great,
help us, but dont dismiss an obvious bug as a new feature because you dont
know how to address it.

If you dont know a resolution, then please keep your fingers quiet and let
someone else who does know how to fix this BUG speak up.

The day you can give an objective definition of "bug" (not just something that
doesn't work as YOU think it should), then perhaps I will.

 

[LuisG]

Dear Brian,
We can try making an analogy. Imagine you are trying to print in your brand
new laser printer. You send your document and you don’t see it in the tray.
You start looking for it and noticed that now you have to open a cover for
getting your paper. The printer is working as expected (this is the point
you are making). However, the behavior has changed from what an average
printer does. Yes, it still works, but the convenience of this new feature
can be questioned. And many users will complain since this is not the way
laser printers usually behave (jjardina’s point).
Bottom-line, Microsoft has to either:
1. Notify all community this is the way Outlook 2007 behaves and they have
to adapt to it
2. Do whatever is needed to bring the typical behavior back on Windows 7
Have a good one
Luis

 

[HK Junkie]

If the currently experienced Outlook Reminder + Windows 7 behavior is not a bug, it is at least a very poorly designed software combination.

The way Outlook reminders work in Win7 is about as useful as having an alarm clock on your night stand that signals its time to wake up by having an LED in the corner begin blinking.

Its quite adequate if you are staring at the alarm clock, but totally useless if you are looking away. The instances of folks missing appointments and meetings has gone up since Win7.. because they don't see the reminders.

To be clear, we don't all sit with a single monitor and speakers hooked up to our computers either. Some of us work in cubical worlds where computers don't have speakers on them (for obvious reasons) so the acoustic reminder may not work. Likewise, with dual monitor systems, I may be staring at code on the second screen when the small blink happens in the tool bar of the 1st monitor... again, not that useful.

I had no issues with WinXP... the reminder dialog showed up nice and big in the task bar and/or on the screen.

Ideally the reminder window will pop front and center if outlook is running at all, even if not the focus. That is how a reminder should work.. be in your face. Just don't allow dismissal of the reminder box with common keystrokes (ie don't have <enter> be the keystroke for [dismiss] or [dismiss all] as a start).

Yeah, this is a user forum, but if someone from the product teams is not monitoring the places where their users go to seek help with problems, then Microsoft is dumber than I thought. What sort of successful company doesn't keep tabs on what does and doesn't resonate with its customers about the products they make?

Hi,

I run outlook 2007 (connected to exchange 2003) including latest updates of
office. When a new reminder is shown, the window stays hidden behind other
windows causing me to miss the reminder. Only the icon on the task bar is
highligthed. The reminder window does not pop-up to the front as it used to
in Windows Vista or XP.

Any one else having the problem? Is there a setting to somehow control this
behaviour or is it a bug?

On Thursday, August 20, 2009 8:47 AM Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook] wrote:
it is not a bug and it cannot be controlled. The reminder window will not take
focus from the active window. Most people prefer it that way, not wanting the
reminder to interrupt, say, the Word document they are composing when the
reminder fires, possible causing them to accidentally dismiss the reminder
before they are ready or even notice that is what they have done.

On Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:06 AM BraamM wrote:
Should this not be a configurable setting per user, as I would like the
reminder to show!
My anti-virus manages to show messages in the pop-up area that alerts me,
but does not affect any documents im typing etc.

Who can this request be directed to for consideration?

Thanks!

"Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

//support.microsoft.com/[/url] and use the "Contact
Us" link there.

On Wednesday, October 07, 2009 3:03 PM jjardina wrote:
Brian this is not the intended feature of reminders. Reminders are there to
pop-up and REMIND you that you are scheduled for something of importance!
Not having the functionality of a reminder to show above your other windows,
does not make sense and is not a feature but a BUG!

I am an early integrator of windows 7 in my enterprise and I am starting to
get calls from all my users about this BUG!

It needs an Outlook hotfix, because the intended use of REMINDERS is to pop
up, in your FACE and show you that you are scheduled for something important
enough for you to set a REMINDER for.

PLEASE FIX THIS BUG!

"Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

On Thursday, October 08, 2009 8:55 AM Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook] wrote:
None of us here works for Microsoft and can change one jot of the code. We're
just users like yourself.

On Thursday, October 08, 2009 9:22 AM Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook] wrote:
As Brian said we do not work for MS so nobody here can change anything in
Outlook.

The problem of the reminders window is not new to Win7 or Outlook 2007 and
has a lot of possible causes. Display adapters, display drivers, what other
software is running, window threading and process issues all play a part.

The only way to actually ensure that a window pops up in all circumstances
is to make it topmost, which means it is over all other Windows desktop
windows and you cannot set focus to any other window until you dismiss the
topmost window.

Unfortunately, that produces even more complaints than the current situation
of uncertainty

On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 12:21 PM jjardina wrote:
Well then you MVP guys should not be calling things "features" when everyone
else I have spoken to considers it a bug. When you MVP guys specify that
something is not a bug, but a feature, you give an aire of having some
control over the code.

Do us all a favor and if you know a solution or work around, then great,
help us, but dont dismiss an obvious bug as a new feature because you dont
know how to address it.

If you dont know a resolution, then please keep your fingers quiet and let
someone else who does know how to fix this BUG speak up.

Thanks,
Jason

"Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 2:04 PM Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook] wrote:
The day you can give an objective definition of "bug" (not just something that
does not work as YOU think it should), then perhaps I will.

On Thursday, November 19, 2009 9:05 PM LuisG wrote:
Dear Brian,
We can try making an analogy. Imagine you are trying to print in your brand
new laser printer. You send your document and you don???t see it in the tray.
You start looking for it and noticed that now you have to open a cover for
getting your paper. The printer is working as expected (this is the point
you are making). However, the behavior has changed from what an average
printer does. Yes, it still works, but the convenience of this new feature
can be questioned. And many users will complain since this is not the way
laser printers usually behave (jjardina???s point).
Bottom-line, Microsoft has to either:
1. Notify all community this is the way Outlook 2007 behaves and they have
to adapt to it
2. Do whatever is needed to bring the typical behavior back on Windows 7
Have a good one
Luis

"Brian Tillman [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

 

[jackamason]

Afew of us in our office have just upgraded to Win 7 and realised this issue, i did a quick google search and found out how to restore the "Pop up in your face" thing.

http://www.darthandy.com/2011/02/how-to-get-outlook-appointment.html

I haven't tried it yet but i thought i would inform you guys about it.

 

[draeburn]

"jjardina" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> PLEASE FIX THIS BUG!

None of us here works for Microsoft and can change one jot of the code. We're
just users like yourself.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

Brian...

I think most of us are cognizant of the fact that you don't work for Microsoft and can't change the code yourself. The request is actually "help us get it working as so many of us would like by letting Microsoft know of our extreme dissatisfaction with this short-sighted design". A friend of mine is an MVP for Windows Mobile/Windows Phone and he can at least convey feedback from MS customers about issues such as this. Since the squeaky wheel gets the grease, it's bound to have some influence.

Now, because of this mind bogglingly clueless design decision, I have to apologize to my boss for missing his staff meeting. I was working in another app when the reminder came up behind other windows and I missed it. I'm fine with an option to force reminders to the front of the screen so that others who prefer it as it currently works can have it their way. However, I can't imagine why anyone would find it desirable that something that's clearly intended to break through everything else to alert you to something that may be important would for all practical purposes work in some kind of absurd stealth mode. Yes, we prefer that it pops up in front of another window that you may be working in. Isn't that the very reason for alarms and reminders? To grab your attention so that you're aware of something important? I got rid of my silent smoke alarms and my basenji guard dog when I realized that a local alarm is useless if it's silent.

This sounds to me like the consequences of a decision to use generalized functionality to fulfill a more purpose built requirement. Yes, I wouldn't want an Excel window to arbitrarily pop up over the Word doc in which I'm working with some kind of non-critical notification. It seems that MS decided to use the same functionality that governs windows in general to implement a window that by all reasonable standards should take priority over others. Perhaps if they added a priority property for the windows... if it's not set for priority, an alert won't appear on top of other windows. If it is set for priority, it jumps to the top.

Sorry for ranting, but I'm really frustrated by this.