Outlook forms and Exchange 2007

[JT]

We are currently using an Outlook form that was originally configured with
Exchange 5.5. We have since upgraded to Exchange 2003 and the form is still
functional (client is Outlook 2000). The form does not work with Outlook
2003.

We are now upgading to Exchange 2007 and will be using Outlook 2003
exclusively - - meaning our seriously outdated form will not work.

My question - are Outlook forms going to be fully supported in future
versions of Outlook and Exchange? One option is to simply recreate the form
using Outlook 2003. We would only want to do this if the form is compatible
with Outlook 2007.

What would the Exchange / Outlook gurus suggest for an Oulook form:
Create a new one with Outook 2003 and move forward?
Use some other MS technology?

Thanks for any advice on this.

JT

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If you were moving to Outlook 2007, I would suggest migrating the form to an
add-in that uses a form region. However, for Outlook 2003, only the
traditional custom forms technology is available.

If I were you, I would be focusing my attention on *why* the form doesn't
work with Outlook 2003. There is a newsgroup specifically for Outlook forms
issues "down the hall" at microsoft.public.outlook.program_forms or, via web
interface, at
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...spx?dg=microsoft.public.outlook.program_forms

Also note that Exchange 2007 does not require the use of a Public Folders
hierarchy. If Public Folders are not installed, that means there also is no
Organizational Forms library to which you can publish message forms for
enterprise-wide use. You may want to discuss this with your administrators.

 

[JT]

Sue,

Thank you for your response. I will take the details of the forms issue to
the other forum. I was assuming that Exchange 5.5 forms were not compatible
with Outlook 2003. Can you clarify?

When trying to open the form I get error 'cannot find vb40016.dll" and
following error 'can't run 16-bit program'.

thank you,

JT

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Thank you for provide that additional, clarifying information. That sounds
like an error message generated not by an Outlook form, but by a form built
with the obsolete Exchange Forms Designer application. Such forms are indeed
incompatible with current Outlook versions. There is no upgrade or conversion
story for such forms, which probably should have been retired years ago,
because the 16-bit version of VB that they use has some post-Y2K date
issues.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[JT]

Thanks for the clarification - appreciate the help.