Import PRF(s) into Outlook 2003 Silently

[Cal]

I've been bashing my head against the wall trying to figure out a way
to handle a unique setup for Outlook 2003. Essentially I need to setup
numerous MAPI profiles under each user account on the network, such
that if someone has to access another user's profile, they need only
open Outlook 2003 and choose to login to that specific profile from the
list of all user profiles. Obviously PRF files (whether or their own,
or as part of the Office CIW or CMW) are the key to automating setup of
profiles under Outlook 2003. However, for each profile that is
created, Outlook 2003 opens and prompts to logon to that profile. If I
can silence/hide this prompt, then presumably I should be able run a
script to import numerous PRFs on logon. Does anyone know how to
achieve this behavior, or, if necessary, if there are any other better
methods or tools out there to achieve my goals? Thanks for the help.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I don't think it's going to be possible to do what you want. Outlook is designed to process just one .prf file at a time, as part of Outlook startup. Thus, for each .prf you want to process, Outlook will have to start.

Maybe "walk-up profiles" are what you really need -- see http://www.slipstick.com/exs/olroam.htm for tools to help with that.

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

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

 

[Cal]

Hi Sue,

First let me thank you for your incredibly timely and helpful feedback
here and elsewhere within the Outlook community.

I am kind of disappointed that Microsoft has seemingly made it more
difficult, or impossible, to do what I'm looking for with Outlook 2003
vs. older versions. As for your advice, I appreciate you pointing me
towards Walk-Up Profiles (though DesktopStandard's products seem to be
the only ones I've come across that even refer to this possibility, and
it seems to be largely in reference to older versions of their
ProfileMaker software).

I do have a couple of follow-up questions if you don't mind:

1) When MAPI profiles are imported, are they recreated within the
registry? If not, do you know where that configuration information is
stored? (I'm wondering if there's a much uglier hack for working
directly on the registry to create one or more of the needed MAPI
accounts without Outlook opening)

2) With regards to walk-up profiles, do you know of any other software
packages besides DesktopStandard that might do what I'm looking for?

Thanks again for all of your help.

PS: You know, all of this would much easier if Microsoft had added one
more parameter to Outlook's importPRF function to allow running Outlook
minimized or in the background. Ah well, such is life.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

1) When MAPI profiles are imported, are they recreated within the

registry?

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem

I'm wondering if there's a much uglier hack for working
directly on the registry to create one or more of the needed MAPI
accounts without Outlook opening

Manipulating the registry directly is potentially much, much uglier because many of the settings aren't in fixed registry keys.

Copying an entire profile key hierarchy from one user's Windows profile into another certainly could be done, but I don't know of anyone who has done any serious research into potential consequences. It's not a supported technique.

2) With regards to walk-up profiles, do you know of any other software
packages besides DesktopStandard that might do what I'm looking for?

I don't track that product area. I do know that the DesktopStandard product does a lot more than just mail profiles and might be able to assist you with other Windows configuration and policy issues.

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

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