More deliberate action than "leave it at that"? Leave it at that, and
what? What is this specific action you're looking for Russ? Other than
"how" to leave it at that, what is it that you think was missing? I even
said "Alternatively, just put in kr, and then send". That works every
time, no matter whether you're keyboard or mouse centric.
And if you're trying to give me a lesson in clear posting, how exactly
does "Not quite. You are describing autoresolution. The original poster
was asking about autocompletion. The two features are completely
different." help anybody? If, as you say, your point was that there was
clearly additional deliberate action required, why didn't you simply say
"by the way, do remember to xyz to make this work"? You obviously saw a
huge gap in the advise I offered, so rather than picking holes in my
attempts to help, why not add your clarification to the thread? What was
"Not quite" about my suggestion? Not quite correct? Not quite complete?
Not quite getting the point of the question? What? You made a far bigger
assumption of knowledge than I ever did, in assuming that non-MS people
would have a clue what "Autoresolution" means.
As I said, if the OP wasn't clear about HOW to leave it at that, he'd
undoubtedly post back, just as he would if he was unclear about anything
else that's assumed knowledge. These are conversations, not text books.
Mark
Feel free to consider it just semantics if you want. My only point was
and remains that switching from autocompletion to autoresolution
requires more deliberate action than you posted. Few users would have
managed to do so. Usage studies show that for most users creating email
is a keyboard activity.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Well it's semantics then - "leave it at that" means "leave it at
that", not "allow it to be autocompleted". My crime was not explaining
HOW to leave it at that it appears?
I don't accept that "most" tab from field to field. I rarely do,
because it takes too long to get to the next field I actually want.
Instead I click where I want to be. I've not specifically watched to
see how people do it, but don't remember seeing anyone tab from field
to field.
Mark
It wouldn't have worked because the autocompletion list is invoked
after typing only one letter. If he had typed 2 letters and "left it
at that" nothing would have happened (note: he said he still had 2
autocompletion suggestions left after typing in 2 letters). If he had
then tabbed out of the field (which is the way most people exit the
To: field), the topmost autocompletion suggestion would have been
selected. Autoresolution would never have been invoked. He would have
had to hit "Esc" or have clicked out of the field to invoke
autoresolution--something very few users do.
Suggesting a user try autoresolution instead of autocompletion to
accomplish what they want is exactly the right solution. But doing so
is a lot trickier and confusing than it should be.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
The thing is though Russ, I can't see why it wouldn't work as
originally written? I admit I assumed that the user knew how to
"type kr and leave it at that", but then I also assumed he knows how
to do lots of things in Outlook. I relied on him to come back and
ask if he doesn't know how to do one of the steps. But given that
assumption, it works fine exactly as written doesn't it?
I only thought you were being a little picky because what I wrote
was correct. Lacking in detail for an absolute beginner maybe, but
the OP didn't sound like one of those to me, and at the end of the
day we all have to assume a certain level of knowledge or we'd be
constantly saying "take the mouse in your right hand........etc"
All I missed out really was how to not accept an auto complete
suggestion.
However, I do accept that you may have some experience that tells
you that most users would have found my post incomplete, when I
don't.
I think we may have to agree to disagree on this, as in the end
we're both just trying to help
Mark
I wasn't being picky. I was pointing out that your suggestion to use
autoresolution (aka Automatic Name checking) instead of
autocompletion, while a good one, would not have worked as written
because autoresolution would not have been invoked. I wasn't trying
to post a comprehensive clarification of the difference for the
original poster because I knew you were perfectly capable of doing
that, and have.
I quite agree that it is not necessary for most users to know which
feature they are using or why. But because of the way Microsoft
implemented its newer autocompletion feature (which does not use
Contacts data) as the front door to its older autoresolution
feature (which does), most users are now hopelessly confused by
this whole area of automatic address selection. Users who prefer
the older autoresolution feature (Microsoft calls it that, not I)
are often unable to invoke it until they turn off autocompletion,
even though that is not necessary.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Point taken, though I think it's a tiny bit picky, especially as
your "Not quite" comment didn't offer any clarification for the OP
at all, and as there's nowhere in the interface that calls
automatic name checking "auto resolution". Telling him to turn off
auto completion and use auto resolution instead would have left
him totally confused (and me)
I don't see that it matters
whether or not he sees my solution as a separate feature, so long
as it works for him.
Users don't tend to think "which feature shall I use and what's it
called?". They think "what steps do I need to follow to get this
damn thing working as I expect".
I wouldn't suggest turning auto complete off anyway, as it's a
very useful feature in it's own right, and doesn't stop you from
using auto resolution (I still prefer to call it automatic name
checking).
Edited version of my original post below for the benefit of the
OP:
AUTO COMPLETE IS more of a recently used list than a look-up list.
INSTEAD, if you type "kr" and leave it at that BY CLICKING IN THE
BODY OF THE MESSAGE OR IN ANOTHER NAME FIELD, RATHER THAN ON ANY
OF THE SUGGESTIONS, the letters should get a red underline after a
while, and you can then right click and get a full list.
Alternatively, just put in kr, and then CLICK send WITHOUT
CLICKING ON ANY OF THE AUTO COMPLETE SUGGESTIONS. So long as you
have "Automatic
name checking" enabled in Tools>Options>E-mail Options>Advanced
E-mail
Options you should be prompted with a full list when you hit send.
Mark
message I agree. You asked what is more helpful. I suspect that what is
more helpful is to provide complete information that you are
suggesting he use a different feature and how to invoke it. Most
users do not know that both features exist and get the two
confused all the time. He will likely not even discover
autoresolution unless he turns autocompletion off since
autocompletion kicks in immediately and is hard to override unless
you know how.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Exactly - auto completion doesn't do what he wants, so I
described the alternatives.
Q - "I can't get my car to do more than 40mph in second gear.
It's really frustrating, I need to go faster; please help".
Two possible answers:
"You won't get it to go faster as 2nd gear doesn't support that"
or
"Second gear won't do it, but try 3rd and then 4th, that should
do what you want".
Which is the most helpful?
Mark
message Not quite. You are describing autoresolution.
The original poster was asking about autocompletion.
The two features are completely different.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
It's more of a recently used list than a look-up list.
If you type "kr" and leave it at that, the letters should get
a red underline after a while, and you can then right click
and get a full list.
Alternatively, just put in kr, and then send. So long as you
have "Automatic name checking" enabled in Tools>Options>E-mail
Options>Advanced E-mail Options you should be prompted with a
full list when you hit send.
Mark
Why don't the names of all relevant contacts for which I have
email addresses appear in the suggestion list as I type the
first letters of an address.
Example: I have four contacts whose names and email addresses
begin with kr [kris] but only two of those show up on the
autocomplete list if I type "kr" [or simply "k"].
TIA
