The spacebar, next message, and conditional html

[MezzCowles]

Sorry for the question, but after a fair amount of searching I was
unable to come up with an answer.

We're sending out html forms internally. Of course, we come across the
'spacebar as next message' issue when many of our users are filling out
their forms. I understand that we can't override this functionality
through javascript alone.

I suppose I have two questions.

1) Is it possible to, through javascript, use browser detection to
determine if the message has been opened using Outlook or Outlook
express? That way, we would be able to at least warn the user to open
the message in a new pane, rather than filling out the form in a
preview pane.

2) For a more comprehensive solution, has anyone created a plugin that
disables the 'space as next message' functionality for messages from
certain domains? Does this type of solution make sense? Has anyone
come up with something better? (I know it's probably not hard)

Thanks a bunch,
-Mezzrow Cowles

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

1) No. Outlook doesn't run script in HTML messages, by default (for good security reasons).

2) I don't think that would be possible, since it's a global setting governed by a registry value and probably not something you can change without restarting Outlook.

Have you considered using custom Outlook message forms or, better yet, InfoPath forms instead?

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

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

 

[MezzCowles]

Thanks, Sue,
I'll look into the outlook forms.
-Mezzrow.