OL2003 - Temp files redirection?

[JeffG]

Office Outlook 2003 (SP1), Exchange 2003 (SP1), upgraded some time ago
from Office 97. We are not using Word as the email editor, FYI.

One of the things mentioned and discussed in this group is the
location of temporary files and saved documents when an attachment is
opened within Outlook. These files, when opened by a double-click in
Outlook, are opened and saved to a seemingly randomly-named subfolder
in the "Temporary Internet Files" subset of the Local Settings folder
in the users' local profile. This much we know, from users losing
saved documents (by not noticing where they saved it and not having
access to browse to the folder if they do notice it) or from our own
observations when we click "Save".

I've got three questions about this operation, and I'll post them
mostly seperately so as not to confuse myself if the group cares to
answer:

Question 3:

Is there a way to change the default "SAVE" location from this
temporary folder to their My Documents folders?

Answers, pointers, documentations, even rude comments welcome.

"What's with all these damned questions?"
JeffG

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Office Outlook 2003 (SP1), Exchange 2003 (SP1), upgraded some time ago
from Office 97. We are not using Word as the email editor, FYI.

One of the things mentioned and discussed in this group is the
location of temporary files and saved documents when an attachment is
opened within Outlook. These files, when opened by a double-click in
Outlook, are opened and saved to a seemingly randomly-named subfolder
in the "Temporary Internet Files" subset of the Local Settings folder
in the users' local profile. This much we know, from users losing
saved documents (by not noticing where they saved it and not having
access to browse to the folder if they do notice it) or from our own
observations when we click "Save".

I've got three questions about this operation, and I'll post them
mostly seperately so as not to confuse myself if the group cares to
answer:

Question 3:

Is there a way to change the default "SAVE" location from this
temporary folder to their My Documents folders?

Answers, pointers, documentations, even rude comments welcome.

"What's with all these damned questions?"
JeffG

I don't know how to do this, but the way I get around it is to train users
to save attachments to My Documents or wherever they want, then open them
directly, if they need to edit them. The temp copy isn't what should be used
anyway.

 

[JeffG]

I don't know how to do this, but the way I get around it is to train users
to save attachments to My Documents or wherever they want, then open them
directly, if they need to edit them. The temp copy isn't what should be used
anyway.

Yes, I'll agree with that, and I'm slowly working on that part now.
It would be easier to just change the software behaviour, since they
spent 3-5 years training themselves on Office 97 - and it wasn't a
"problem" until the upgrade.

You know what a pain it is to explain to people set in their ways that
they have to change now because they got "newer better software". And
let's not forget that they outnumber me by over 200 to 1 ;-)

But thanks for the reply!
J

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

No, because you're saving the file where it currently lives. In the *temp
files* folder.

Yes, I'll agree with that, and I'm slowly working on that part now.
It would be easier to just change the software behaviour, since they
spent 3-5 years training themselves on Office 97 - and it wasn't a
"problem" until the upgrade.

I haven't used Office 97 in a million years, so I'll have to take your word
on that. It's never been good practice to edit attachments you opened
directly from an email, if you ask me...

You know what a pain it is to explain to people set in their ways that
they have to change now because they got "newer better software". And
let's not forget that they outnumber me by over 200 to 1 ;-)

Yep. Here's a way to handle it, if your management lets you get away with
it:

"Jane, I'm sorry you lost your document, but I can't help you, because you
didn't follow the procedures I emailed to everyone in the company. If you
had, the file would probably still be available <via backup, volume shadow
copy/network undelete or whatever we use>" Or variant thereof.

I don't know how you can do anything like what you're asking, as even if you
did, it's still in a *temp file* folder. And not to be treated differently.
Even Jane can learn how to open an attachment, and then choose "save as"!

 

[Brian Tillman]

Is there a way to change the default "SAVE" location from this
temporary folder to their My Documents folders?

Yes. Modify the Registry key

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security\OutlookSecureTempFolder

However, since it it Outlook's practice to consider the path indicated by
that key a temporary folder, it will delete items it saves there when it
closes, if it can. So, modifying it to "My Documents", for example, still
may not get you what you want.

 

[JeffG]

Yes. Modify the Registry key

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Security\OutlookSecureTempFolder

However, since it it Outlook's practice to consider the path indicated by
that key a temporary folder, it will delete items it saves there when it
closes, if it can. So, modifying it to "My Documents", for example, still
may not get you what you want.

Thanks Brian - you're right about that, from the links you sent in the
previous post. But, I'm used to not getting what I want anyway ;-)

J