Calendar sharing in Outlook 2003 with vbf (without Exchange)

[Leb_jerry]

Hi, I started this thread in the genral section, but I realize it's more
appropriate here.

In order to share calendar information with collegues, I tried to implement
using .vbf files on a common file/server, being as we don't have Exchange.

The problem is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That is, everyone (7 of us) creates their vbf file successfully, but most of
us can't read (access) everyone's info. Sometimes one, two, five, but never
all seven.

I verified and all the information seems to be correctly entered in the
right fields (Internet free/busy field, and contact)

Anyone have any cues ??

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Are there specific users who the others can't see or is it random? It's
usually a permissions issue when they aren't accessible.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
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newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

 

[Leb_jerry]

Thanks for the reply Diane,

It's specific users, not random. Can I easily correct the permission issue?

Thanks again!

Are there specific users who the others can't see or is it random? It's
usually a permissions issue when they aren't accessible.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Hi, I started this thread in the genral section, but I realize it's more
appropriate here.

In order to share calendar information with collegues, I tried to
implement
using .vbf files on a common file/server, being as we don't have Exchange.

The problem is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That is, everyone (7 of us) creates their vbf file successfully, but most
of
us can't read (access) everyone's info. Sometimes one, two, five, but
never
all seven.

I verified and all the information seems to be correctly entered in the
right fields (Internet free/busy field, and contact)

Anyone have any cues ??

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

You should be able to. You need to check permissions on the publishing
location to verify all users have the same permission. If its an internal
location, you could give Everyone permission (on that folder only). I would
also double check the url they are publishing to to verify it is the correct
format.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Thanks for the reply Diane,

It's specific users, not random. Can I easily correct the permission
issue?

Thanks again!

Are there specific users who the others can't see or is it random? It's
usually a permissions issue when they aren't accessible.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Hi, I started this thread in the genral section, but I realize it's
more
appropriate here.

In order to share calendar information with collegues, I tried to
implement
using .vbf files on a common file/server, being as we don't have
Exchange.

The problem is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That is, everyone (7 of us) creates their vbf file successfully, but
most
of
us can't read (access) everyone's info. Sometimes one, two, five, but
never
all seven.

I verified and all the information seems to be correctly entered in the
right fields (Internet free/busy field, and contact)

Anyone have any cues ??

 

[Leb_jerry]

Yes, we all have read/write permission on the common folder. All seven of us
also publish successfully their free/busy file to this folder, so the url's
are ok.

It's funny though, although all the vbf files are all there, some I can
access and some I can't. It's the same thing with the other members of the
team.

Oh well, back to the drawing board... Thanks very much for your time, Diane.

You should be able to. You need to check permissions on the publishing
location to verify all users have the same permission. If its an internal
location, you could give Everyone permission (on that folder only). I would
also double check the url they are publishing to to verify it is the correct
format.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Thanks for the reply Diane,

It's specific users, not random. Can I easily correct the permission
issue?

Thanks again!

Are there specific users who the others can't see or is it random? It's
usually a permissions issue when they aren't accessible.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.


Hi, I started this thread in the genral section, but I realize it's
more
appropriate here.

In order to share calendar information with collegues, I tried to
implement
using .vbf files on a common file/server, being as we don't have
Exchange.

The problem is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That is, everyone (7 of us) creates their vbf file successfully, but
most
of
us can't read (access) everyone's info. Sometimes one, two, five, but
never
all seven.

I verified and all the information seems to be correctly entered in the
right fields (Internet free/busy field, and contact)

Anyone have any cues ??

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Do the contacts have first/last names identical to the other users accounts?
I.e., if the person's display name is Robert, the contact needs to use
Robert, not Bob.

From http://www.slipstick.com/calendar/freebusy.htm
To read the Free/Busy information, you need a contact record in your
Contacts folder for the people whose free/busy information you want to view.
The contact needs to have the person's first and last name entered. While
the free/busy file does not contain any name information, only the email
address, Outlook needs the first and last name in the contact form to
resolve the name to the address in the free/busy file.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Yes, we all have read/write permission on the common folder. All seven of
us
also publish successfully their free/busy file to this folder, so the
url's
are ok.

It's funny though, although all the vbf files are all there, some I can
access and some I can't. It's the same thing with the other members of the
team.

Oh well, back to the drawing board... Thanks very much for your time,
Diane.

You should be able to. You need to check permissions on the publishing
location to verify all users have the same permission. If its an internal
location, you could give Everyone permission (on that folder only). I
would
also double check the url they are publishing to to verify it is the
correct
format.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Thanks for the reply Diane,

It's specific users, not random. Can I easily correct the permission
issue?

Thanks again!

:

Are there specific users who the others can't see or is it random?
It's
usually a permissions issue when they aren't accessible.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.


Hi, I started this thread in the genral section, but I realize it's
more
appropriate here.

In order to share calendar information with collegues, I tried to
implement
using .vbf files on a common file/server, being as we don't have
Exchange.

The problem is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That is, everyone (7 of us) creates their vbf file successfully, but
most
of
us can't read (access) everyone's info. Sometimes one, two, five,
but
never
all seven.

I verified and all the information seems to be correctly entered in
the
right fields (Internet free/busy field, and contact)

Anyone have any cues ??

 

[Leb_jerry]

Thanks Diane, this just made my day! Problem solved.

It was the "display as" first/lame name in the Contact file that wasn't
identical for all users.

Thanks again!

Jerry

Do the contacts have first/last names identical to the other users accounts?
I.e., if the person's display name is Robert, the contact needs to use
Robert, not Bob.

From http://www.slipstick.com/calendar/freebusy.htm
To read the Free/Busy information, you need a contact record in your
Contacts folder for the people whose free/busy information you want to view.
The contact needs to have the person's first and last name entered. While
the free/busy file does not contain any name information, only the email
address, Outlook needs the first and last name in the contact form to
resolve the name to the address in the free/busy file.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Yes, we all have read/write permission on the common folder. All seven of
us
also publish successfully their free/busy file to this folder, so the
url's
are ok.

It's funny though, although all the vbf files are all there, some I can
access and some I can't. It's the same thing with the other members of the
team.

Oh well, back to the drawing board... Thanks very much for your time,
Diane.

You should be able to. You need to check permissions on the publishing
location to verify all users have the same permission. If its an internal
location, you could give Everyone permission (on that folder only). I
would
also double check the url they are publishing to to verify it is the
correct
format.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.



Thanks for the reply Diane,

It's specific users, not random. Can I easily correct the permission
issue?

Thanks again!

:

Are there specific users who the others can't see or is it random?
It's
usually a permissions issue when they aren't accessible.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
mailto:[email protected]

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
mailto:[email protected]

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point
your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.


Hi, I started this thread in the genral section, but I realize it's
more
appropriate here.

In order to share calendar information with collegues, I tried to
implement
using .vbf files on a common file/server, being as we don't have
Exchange.

The problem is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

That is, everyone (7 of us) creates their vbf file successfully, but
most
of
us can't read (access) everyone's info. Sometimes one, two, five,
but
never
all seven.

I verified and all the information seems to be correctly entered in
the
right fields (Internet free/busy field, and contact)

Anyone have any cues ??