Folder expansion when new mail arrives is failing

[Colin M. McGroarty]

Client: Outlook 2003 SP2 running on Windows XP Pro SP2
Server: Exchange 2003 SP1 running on Windows 2003 SP1

This is certainly a minor issue but it is one that has had me scratching my
head in wonder for some time now...

I have rules in place which route arriving email to subfolders of my inbox.
For example, mail from VendorA would go to an email folder named VendorA.
These folders are typically collapsed. In most Outlook installations I've
used the folders will automatically expand to show any folder that has
received a new message. I have, however, encountered a couple sites where
this is not the case. In other words, the folder tree never expands to show
mail folders that have received new messages. Does anyone have any idea how
to turn this functionality on?

I know that a similar issue existed with Outlook XP which was addressed in a
SP, but I have not found any documentation to indicate that this issue
should exist with Outlook 2003. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Kind Regards,

 

[Brian Tillman]

I have rules in place which route arriving email to subfolders of my
inbox. For example, mail from VendorA would go to an email folder
named VendorA. These folders are typically collapsed. In most
Outlook installations I've used the folders will automatically expand
to show any folder that has received a new message. I have, however,
encountered a couple sites where this is not the case.

I don't recall seening an Outlook installation where subfolders expand
automatically.

 

[Colin M. McGroarty]

Brian,

I can assure you that the collapsed folder tree can indeed expand when new
mail is delivered to a buried folder when using the Outlook client. This is
also possible when using the referenced versions of both Exchange and
Outlook.

All,

Any help with regard to the original question in this thread would be very
much appreciated.

Original Post...

Client: Outlook 2003 SP2 running on Windows XP Pro SP2
Server: Exchange 2003 SP1 running on Windows 2003 SP1

This is certainly a minor issue but it is one that has had me scratching my
head in wonder for some time now...

I have rules in place which route arriving email to subfolders of my inbox.
For example, mail from VendorA would go to an email folder named VendorA.
These folders are typically collapsed. In most Outlook installations I've
used the folders will automatically expand to show any folder that has
received a new message. I have, however, encountered a couple sites where
this is not the case. In other words, the folder tree never expands to show
mail folders that have received new messages. Does anyone have any idea how
to turn this functionality on?

I know that a similar issue existed with Outlook XP which was addressed in a
SP, but I have not found any documentation to indicate that this issue
should exist with Outlook 2003. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Kind Regards,

 

[Colin M. McGroarty]

All,

I've done some troubleshooting with MS on this issue and this is what we've
discovered. If the Outlook client is pulling the mail via a POP connection
the folders will expand. If the Outlook client is pulling the mail via a
direct Exchange connection or via RPC over HTTPS the folders will not
expand. In other words, the behavior is dependant on how the mail is being
pulled from the mail server. A bug report is currently being filed and a
change request will most likely follow.

Kind Regards,