Controlling the contents of the To/Cc dropdown list cache

[Ken Wallewein]

When composing a new mail message, the To and Cc fields "guess" possible
addresses based on the partial name you enter. This behavior seems a bit
poorly documented and hard to control.

The guesses apparently start with the Address book, but clearly don't end
there. They frequently contain addresses that don't show up anywhere in
the address book or contacts list. All that seems to be necessary is that
they have been used at some time in the past.

At a guess, there's a rather large cache of previously used addresses
hidden away somewhere.

The problem is, that cache seems prone to being corrupted with mistakes,
and I don't see any way to remove them. This makes it far too easy to
repeat them. There are some addresses I don't ever want to have offered to
me.

Is there any way to clear that cache, or at least clear certain entries
from it? And what's it really called, anyway?

/kenw
Ken Wallewein
K&M Systems Integration
Phone (403)274-7848
Fax (403)275-4535
(e-mail address removed)
www.kmsi.net

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

It's actually quite well documented, even discussed in multiple posts every day in these newsgroups. The autocomplete cache is in an .nk2 file associated with the mail profile. It is constructed not from the "address book" but from the addresses that you have actually used on outgoing messages. You can delete the entire file to start over completely. To delete an individual entry when it pops up as a suggestion, use the up and down arrows to select then entry and then press Delete.

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

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

 

[Ken Wallewein]

It's actually quite well documented, even discussed in multiple posts
every day in these newsgroups.

Yes? Try finding it when you don't know what it's called. I _did_ look.

To delete an individual entry when it pops up as a suggestion, use
the up and down arrows to select then entry and then press Delete.

Brilliant!

Silly me, I expected a right-click on the list would give me options. Or
isn't that an interface standard any more?

Anyway, thanks!

/kenw

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

In case you hadn't noticed, there is nothing standard about the interface to
proprietary Outlook files. There never has been. That's why we post so many
solutions to interface problems with PST files and NK2 files every day.

 

[Ken Wallewein]

That would explain, but not excuse, my struggles. Thank you.

/kenw