Custom views... and Palm

[Laurent]

Sorry for newbie question.

I spent about an hour browsing from web site to web site trying to
understand the logic behind customs view. The most useful info up to now
comes from Sue Mosher.

Yet, I am not pretty sure if I understand well. Roughly, I understand that
in Outlook, data item are bound with a given custom form. When you move or
exchange a data, its form move with it.

Therefore, if I create a custom view based on contacts standard view to
display a more appropriate and cleaner forms for myself, all new data can
be simply created based on that form, but older data need to be "converted"
(that is to change their bounded form, the message ID classe. Is that it ?)
by mean of external utilities or VBA programming.

http://www.slipstick.com/dev/newdefaultform.htm

Does it means, as I believe, that I cannot easily have a "Lean" view of my
contact for daily and efficent operations, and switch at will to an
"extended" view of the same contacts without having to convert the contacts
item again ?

Moreover, as I also read on the slipstick web site, most import/export
feature will be disable with a custom views. Does it means that, for
instance, my Palm won't synchronize anymore with my contacts because I
decided to create a new form with an Message ID class not recognize with
it, or the Chapura conduct just access the data altogether without caring
for the form ?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

Sync utilities are probably OK, but check with the individual company. Features differ.

Views and forms are different. A form is the layout for a single item. Each item has a MessageClass property that tells it which form layout to use. If you want a different form layout, you have to change the MessageClass for that item.

A view is the layout for multiple items. You can have as many views as you want, showing whatever fields you need.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.slipstick.com/books/jumpstart.htm

 

[Laurent]

in
microsoft.public.outlook.contacts

Sync utilities are probably OK, but check with the individual company.
Features differ.

Ok. Thanks for info. I'll test myself. What I would like actually is a form
that mimics the one on the Palm, therefore having *less" fields than the
deafult Oultook contact form, and avoid having any additional data
typically visible not transfered to my palm because of the limitation of
the PalmOs. Example: addresses. Outlook can have many, palmOS only one. I
prefer to have one Contact, one address, and want therefore to avoid an
Outlook form to allow more than address.

Views and forms are different. A form is the layout for a single item.
Each item has a MessageClass property that tells it which form layout
to use. If you want a different form layout, you have to change the
MessageClass for that item.

A view is the layout for multiple items. You can have as many views as
you want, showing whatever fields you need.

Ok, sorry for confusion in vocabulary! You're right to point that. I knew
that the difference.

I used the "view" word in the general meaning, that is "how I see my data"
(not precising one or many items), and not in the stricter Outlook or
database meaning. My Outlook being in French, I am sometime mixed-up with
corresponding word in English. But I was careless not to respect the
appropriate meaning. I meant of course switching between forms at will for
the same item.

Meanwhile, I precisely and successfully created a form and convert existing
items to it, then back to original form.


Note that from you web page, I tried

1. "O2000 Existing Items Converter" = not direct link to download page and
never worked. It crashed my Outlook XP multiple times.

2. "Update Message Class Form (code28.zip) = was launched ok but didn't
seem to work for me. It did nothing when I click "Proceed" (yes, I followed
instructions, but I might have missed something. Perhaps my Outlook being
in French ?)

3. "Helen Feddema's VB Script method" = did not download as I thought it
was exactly the same as above (same code28.zip), so I thought it was just a
duplicate

4. Word 97 Document to Change Outlook Folder Message Class = knowledge base
article is unavailable

5. How to Update Existing Items to Use a New Custom Form = Ok, but I was
fearful to download it as I use O2002 and it was specified to be used only
with O97. From there I linked to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;201089, but the
page didn't display ok on my browser (Opera), so I couldn't see it.
Finally, I found:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290659


I found out it is as a matter of fact the same omgsclass tool used for 097,
so your first link was okay, the only thing it was just mentionning to O97.
(Newbies like me don't know when differences between versions are important
and when the aren't, so we tend to stick only with tools) specifically
design and display as compatible with our current version.

You might like to update your web page with these info for other visitors.


The omsgclass worked pretty fine.


I was also able to create a view grouping items based on MessageClasse
(pretty useful), but was disappointed to see that a custom form doesn't
display in the preview view which result in having a custom form almost
pointless.


In my testing, I conclude that if I delete a form component on a custom
form and change existing items having information in that form component,
information is not lost (meaning that the *item* is bounded to a form, but
not *data* in the item which can be held (or even modified with VBA?)
without having a form component to display it ?). Anyway, when I switch
back to original form, the data is displayed again. Is there situations
where changing a form might result in loosing data ?


As for custom fields, I succesfully created one in my custom form, then
delete it in both the form design and the view. However, I understand the
only way to get really ride of a custom field in an item that once had the
info in it is to open *each* item one by one and remove the custom field by
hand, or learn VBA and make up a small for..if delete routine. It would
make sense afterall of having a item that carry its data whatever the form
or the view used.


Am I in the right direct up to now ?


Thanks for all the info.


Note that the first page of your presentation "Developing Applications with
Microsoft Outlook" was the most enlightening for me as a newbie to
understand how Outlook handle data internally. Once you get the kick of it,
other information get sense.

 

[Laurent]

The script involved has nothing to do with design or display and
applies to any version. If you take a look, you'll see that it just
loops through the items, changes the MessageClass property, then saves
each item.

I discovered it know. But my point was that you really have to go under the
hood to know that. Many power users like me have little or no clue of VBA
logics and less of Outlook internal structure. That's the whole impediment.

Not to my knowledge.

Okay. This is very good.

http://www.slipstick.com/dev/fields.htm useful.

I read it also.


Thanks a lot for your answer and your web site.

I spent a hard time and few hours yesterday trying to understand the whole
Outlook gizmo and tried many things, but I think I finnaly understand. This
is not hard afterall, but there are many assumptions that are taken for
granted on most documentation and not always described. This is just my
experience in jumping in the Oulook custom design bandwagon. For a
single power user like me with Office XP, IMO setting, there are just few
things to know:


-Outlook items carry many data fields but only one form
-Outlook items have a handful of predesign fields but custom fields can be
added
-Once created and added to an item, a Custom field lives with the item even
if the custom field is deleted in the form or in the view.
-The form is embedded in the Outlook item, and travels with the item

-Thus, an Outlook item is like a self-contained luggage. When you add
or remove something from one luggage, the other luggage beside isn't
affected at all. Isn't it ? A outlook folder is a collection of luggages,
like in a railway station deposit or an airport underground. Different
contents, but many luggages are the same model, and most people put similar
things in their luggage.

-The form can be changed. It's like changing the suitcase model but keeping
the same content.
-Therefore, a a form can be applied on any item without loosing any data.
If the custom form doesn't display a field for which the item has data, it
doesn't mean the data is lost: it's still there
-To change the form on existing items, one need a script (the MS script is
good enough). You can go back to original form any time.

-A custom form is saved in the pst file (root folder or subfolder). No fear
of loosing its definition in some obscure subdir when doing a backup
-To create by default new items based on a custom form, just go in the
properties folder once the form is created.
- To get ride of of a custom form, first change the form on existing items
to something else or defauly, then options | Advanced Option | Forms.

and a few other things....

These are the assumptions I had to summarize from reading lot of different
web pages and doc. I think I might write a single instruction sheet for
friends.

Again, thanks a lot !


Regards