Fax Console - Missing sent items

[Steve Mitchell]

I'm using The fax Console built into win XP and have a problem with the sent
items folder.

Although it lists 14 items in the status bar at the bottom, all are
invisible! If I hover the mouse in the right pane where they should be
listed a flag appears showing date and time sent. If I double click, the
item opens for viewing. But its just not listed. It's almost like white text
on a white background..... :-s

Inbox and Out box are fine, it's only the sent folder.

I've tried removing Fax via add/remove programmes twice now to no avail.
First time I removed, rebooted and then added back. Second time I left it
over night between. No joy.

I feel sure the problem is down to an errant registry key, if only I knew
where to look!



Steve

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I've seen a handful of similar reports but no one has been able to reproduce
this problem. Did the items in your Sent Items Folder ever display
correctly? If so, what changed before they stopped displaying? How many
items would you expect there to be in that Folder? Does 14 sound accurate to
you?

For starters, I'd suggest checking whether the setting for archiving your
sent Faxes refers to the correct folder, then opening that folder in Windows
Explorer to see what appears there.

 

[Steve Mitchell]

The sent folder is the default.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\MSFax\SentItems

Just wondering if the fact that it is the ''All Users'' folder is relevant?

Mine used to display properly until about 5-6 weeks ago. Not sure of exactly
when it stopped working as I only use the program about once a week. the
number of items and dates suggest that all are there, so we aren't losing
data, just unable to see.

The fact that hovering the mouse brings up the description flag and that you
can double click and open the item is most bizzarre. I've placed a
screenshot at
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/steve-mitchell/tutorial/fax-screenshot.jpg if
you want to see excactly what I mean.

I download the windows updates as soon as they are available so perhaps
there's a link there? Can't think of anything else I've added to my machine
recently.

I'm stumped as to why removing and re-installing doesn't solve the problem.

Steve

I've seen a handful of similar reports but no one has been able to reproduce
this problem. Did the items in your Sent Items Folder ever display
correctly? If so, what changed before they stopped displaying? How many
items would you expect there to be in that Folder? Does 14 sound accurate to
you?

For starters, I'd suggest checking whether the setting for archiving your
sent Faxes refers to the correct folder, then opening that folder in Windows
Explorer to see what appears there.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I'm using The fax Console built into win XP and have a problem with the sent
items folder.

Although it lists 14 items in the status bar at the bottom, all are
invisible! If I hover the mouse in the right pane where they should be
listed a flag appears showing date and time sent. If I double click, the
item opens for viewing. But its just not listed. It's almost like white text
on a white background..... :-s

Inbox and Out box are fine, it's only the sent folder.

I've tried removing Fax via add/remove programmes twice now to no avail.
First time I removed, rebooted and then added back. Second time I left it
over night between. No joy.

I feel sure the problem is down to an errant registry key, if only I knew
where to look!



Steve

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Removing and reinstalling rarely solves anything.
How many items are in your SentItems folder when you look in Windows
Explorer? Do they all appear as TIF files and can you open and view them
there? If so, what application launches?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

The sent folder is the default.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\MSFax\SentItems

Just wondering if the fact that it is the ''All Users'' folder is relevant?

Mine used to display properly until about 5-6 weeks ago. Not sure of exactly
when it stopped working as I only use the program about once a week. the
number of items and dates suggest that all are there, so we aren't losing
data, just unable to see.

The fact that hovering the mouse brings up the description flag and that you
can double click and open the item is most bizzarre. I've placed a
screenshot at
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/steve-mitchell/tutorial/fax-screenshot.jpg if
you want to see excactly what I mean.

I download the windows updates as soon as they are available so perhaps
there's a link there? Can't think of anything else I've added to my machine
recently.

I'm stumped as to why removing and re-installing doesn't solve the problem.

Steve

I've seen a handful of similar reports but no one has been able to reproduce
this problem. Did the items in your Sent Items Folder ever display
correctly? If so, what changed before they stopped displaying? How many
items would you expect there to be in that Folder? Does 14 sound

accurate

to
you?

For starters, I'd suggest checking whether the setting for archiving your
sent Faxes refers to the correct folder, then opening that folder in Windows
Explorer to see what appears there.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I'm using The fax Console built into win XP and have a problem with

the
sent

items folder.

Although it lists 14 items in the status bar at the bottom, all are
invisible! If I hover the mouse in the right pane where they should be
listed a flag appears showing date and time sent. If I double click, the
item opens for viewing. But its just not listed. It's almost like

white
text

on a white background..... :-s

Inbox and Out box are fine, it's only the sent folder.

I've tried removing Fax via add/remove programmes twice now to no avail.
First time I removed, rebooted and then added back. Second time I left it
over night between. No joy.

I feel sure the problem is down to an errant registry key, if only I knew
where to look!



Steve

 

[Steve Mitchell]

In windows explorer there are 15 items (one is the thumbs db file)

By default, double clicking there launches the windows picture and fax
viewer. Right clicking also allows me to use any of the other programs I
have.

Steve

Removing and reinstalling rarely solves anything.
How many items are in your SentItems folder when you look in Windows
Explorer? Do they all appear as TIF files and can you open and view them
there? If so, what application launches?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

The sent folder is the default.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\MSFax\SentItems

Just wondering if the fact that it is the ''All Users'' folder is relevant?

Mine used to display properly until about 5-6 weeks ago. Not sure of exactly
when it stopped working as I only use the program about once a week. the
number of items and dates suggest that all are there, so we aren't losing
data, just unable to see.

The fact that hovering the mouse brings up the description flag and that you
can double click and open the item is most bizzarre. I've placed a
screenshot at
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/steve-mitchell/tutorial/fax-screenshot.jpg if
you want to see excactly what I mean.

I download the windows updates as soon as they are available so perhaps
there's a link there? Can't think of anything else I've added to my machine
recently.

I'm stumped as to why removing and re-installing doesn't solve the problem.

Steve

I've seen a handful of similar reports but no one has been able to reproduce
this problem. Did the items in your Sent Items Folder ever display
correctly? If so, what changed before they stopped displaying? How many
items would you expect there to be in that Folder? Does 14 sound

accurate

to
you?

For starters, I'd suggest checking whether the setting for archiving your
sent Faxes refers to the correct folder, then opening that folder in Windows
Explorer to see what appears there.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I'm using The fax Console built into win XP and have a problem with the
sent
items folder.

Although it lists 14 items in the status bar at the bottom, all are
invisible! If I hover the mouse in the right pane where they should be
listed a flag appears showing date and time sent. If I double click, the
item opens for viewing. But its just not listed. It's almost like white
text
on a white background..... :-s

Inbox and Out box are fine, it's only the sent folder.

I've tried removing Fax via add/remove programmes twice now to no avail.
First time I removed, rebooted and then added back. Second time I

left
it

over night between. No joy.

I feel sure the problem is down to an errant registry key, if only I knew
where to look!



Steve

 

[Steve Mitchell]

This afternoon I needed to send a fax.

Before doing so I changed the archive folder to point to a different
location. Hey Presto! After sending the fax it was now visible in the sent
folder.

I copied the files over from the old folder and they immediately became
invisible again.

By trial and error I eventually established that just one file was causing
the problem. Presumably it had become corrupt in such a way that it was
still a valid Tiff file, but Fax Console no longer liked it.

Anyway problem solved.

Perhaps if the above makes any sense to you Russ you can offer an
explanation, otherwise might be useful for anyone else suffering the same
symptoms.

Steve

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

How did you establish that "just one file was causing the problem?"

 

[Steve Mitchell]

By changing the file before sending the new fax I ended up with just one
file in the sent folder which appeared perfectly.

As soon as I copied over the other saved files from the other folder the
problem re-appeared. So I then tried them one at a time, starting with the
newest thinking it was a particular date point causing the problem. When the
problem re-occurred I removed the file and the problem corrected itself
after I'd closed and re-started fax console. Adding files after the 'corrupt
one' worked ok to. Hence isolating it down to just one file.

Closing and re-starting Fax Console after each change is necessary to.
Presumably that list is built at start up, so no changes are visible until
after you close and re-open it.

Steve

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

So there was nothing that indicated the file as corrupt, like an invalid
extension? Could you open this corrupt file from the SentItems folder?
This will be a rather laborious solution, but it's nice to know what caused
it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

By changing the file before sending the new fax I ended up with just one
file in the sent folder which appeared perfectly.

As soon as I copied over the other saved files from the other folder the
problem re-appeared. So I then tried them one at a time, starting with the
newest thinking it was a particular date point causing the problem. When the
problem re-occurred I removed the file and the problem corrected itself
after I'd closed and re-started fax console. Adding files after the 'corrupt
one' worked ok to. Hence isolating it down to just one file.

Closing and re-starting Fax Console after each change is necessary to.
Presumably that list is built at start up, so no changes are visible until
after you close and re-open it.

Steve

 

[Steve Mitchell]

As far as I can see the file looks entirely normal.

It previews in the 'windows picture and fax viewer' in exactly the same way
as the other files.

However, I'm totally certain this file is the cause as the symptoms reappear
ever time it's added back to the folder and disappear as soon as it's
removed.

If it would help I can send you the file and a few of the others as they
don't contain anything confidential.

Steve

So there was nothing that indicated the file as corrupt, like an invalid
extension? Could you open this corrupt file from the SentItems folder?
This will be a rather laborious solution, but it's nice to know what caused
it.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Please do. This is the closest we've come to nailing this down. And thanks
for the good troubleshooting.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

As far as I can see the file looks entirely normal.

It previews in the 'windows picture and fax viewer' in exactly the same way
as the other files.

However, I'm totally certain this file is the cause as the symptoms reappear
ever time it's added back to the folder and disappear as soon as it's
removed.

If it would help I can send you the file and a few of the others as they
don't contain anything confidential.

Steve

So there was nothing that indicated the file as corrupt, like an invalid
extension? Could you open this corrupt file from the SentItems folder?
This will be a rather laborious solution, but it's nice to know what caused
it.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

By changing the file before sending the new fax I ended up with just one
file in the sent folder which appeared perfectly.

As soon as I copied over the other saved files from the other folder the
problem re-appeared. So I then tried them one at a time, starting with the
newest thinking it was a particular date point causing the problem.

When
the

problem re-occurred I removed the file and the problem corrected itself
after I'd closed and re-started fax console. Adding files after the 'corrupt
one' worked ok to. Hence isolating it down to just one file.

Closing and re-starting Fax Console after each change is necessary to.
Presumably that list is built at start up, so no changes are visible until
after you close and re-open it.

Steve

How did you establish that "just one file was causing the problem?"