OL2007 and Outlook URL [ outlook:\\public%20folders\.. ]

[David H. Lipman]

I have ownership of a calendar in a Public Folder on our Exchange Server.

In the past, and for users through Outlook 2003, I could provide them with an Outlook URL
such as...
outlook:\\public%20folders\Our%20System\Region%20East\Billing%20Calendar

Then the user can click on the abouve URL and go straight to the Puublic Folder.

I could also create a XNK file by right-clicking on the Public Folder and drag and drop to
the Desktop and create a XNK shortcut.

That was until I gave Authorship, Editorship and Reviewer rights to personnel in another
state using Outlook 2007.
I sent those personnel an email that contained a URL such as...
outlook:\\public%20folders\Our%20System\Region%20East\Billing%20Calendar

I received an email reply indicating the Outlook URL failed.

I have ONE user in my office who has Outlook 2007 and and I tried to create a XNK file on
the Desktop and it did get created BUT, it wouldn't work. It acted like there was no
association of XNK to Outlook 2007.

I enabled the Web Toolbar and went to the desired Public Folder. It showed the path with
the Oulook URI; outlook:\\.. (albeit with spaces but this is the same as in; Outlook 2000,
Outlook XP and Outlook 2003)
As usual I would substitute '%20' for each space ' ' But, as reported, the URL failed to
work in Outlook 2007 as it has repeatedly worked in previous Outlook versions.

In short I want to send my Outlook 2007 users a URL in email such that...
1. They can create a shortcut on the desktop that will go straight to the Public Folder
2. They can Double-Click on the URL in the email body that will go straight to the
Public Folder

It seems to me that that this loss of capability is a step backward and is NOT an
improvement but a shear loss. Therefore there *MUST* be a way to do this in Outlook 2007.

 

[Hal Hostetler [MVP-P/I]]

The Outlook protocol no longer works outside Outlook. This protocol will
only work when you use it in Outlook. You can use this protocol on a folder
home page, on the Web toolbar, or in the body of an Outlook item. Having
said that, see if the /select startup switch will do as a workaround:

http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/commandlines.htm
Using Command lines

/select foldername

Starts Outlook and opens the specified folder in a new window.

Usage:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /select
outlook:calendar

outlook /select "outlook:Inbox\Old Messages"

Hal
--
Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Hal Hostetler [MVP-P/I]" <[email protected]>

| The Outlook protocol no longer works outside Outlook. This protocol will
| only work when you use it in Outlook. You can use this protocol on a folder
| home page, on the Web toolbar, or in the body of an Outlook item. Having
| said that, see if the /select startup switch will do as a workaround:

| http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/commandlines.htm
| Using Command lines

| /select foldername

| Starts Outlook and opens the specified folder in a new window.

| Usage:

| "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /select
| outlook:calendar

| outlook /select "outlook:Inbox\Old Messages"

| Hal
| --
| Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
| Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
| http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
| KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
| Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com

Thank you...

You said... "The Outlook protocol no longer works outside Outlook."

Well if the Outlook URL is in the body of an email received in MS Outlook connected to a
MS Exchange Server then I put it to you, that you are IN the Outlook environment not
"outside Outlook". I must also ask why then when I load the Web toolbar and go to the
Public Folder is the Outlook URL prominently displayed ?
Ex; outlook:\\public folders\Our System\Region East\Billing Calendar

I did see...
/x xnkfilename

The problem there is that XNK (link files) are banned by policies so I can send a XNK file
as an attachment and suggest creating a desktop shortcut such as; outlook.exe /x
xnkfilename
Nor can I send a LNK file that contains the above commandline.

So..
How can I send an email message to my remote region that uses Outlook 2007 that will
contain a clickable URL such that then can easily get to the calendar ?

Sending the path (below) just is NOT enough.

public folders\
Our System\
Region East\
Billing Calendar

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Links attachment are not supported.

The outlook protocol only works within outlook - it won't hyperlink in
outlook automatically but if you use the hyperlink button and paste the path
from the web toolbar, it will open the folder in a new outlook 2007 window
when you click the link in an email in outlook.

To do this, copy the path from the web toolbar. Go to the Insert tab on the
ribbon, click Hyperlink and paste the path into the hyperlink field.



--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]





EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

From: "Hal Hostetler [MVP-P/I]" <[email protected]>

| The Outlook protocol no longer works outside Outlook. This protocol
will
| only work when you use it in Outlook. You can use this protocol on a
folder
| home page, on the Web toolbar, or in the body of an Outlook item.
Having
| said that, see if the /select startup switch will do as a workaround:

| http://www.outlook-tips.net/howto/commandlines.htm
| Using Command lines

| /select foldername

| Starts Outlook and opens the specified folder in a new window.

| Usage:

| "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\Outlook.exe" /select
| outlook:calendar

| outlook /select "outlook:Inbox\Old Messages"

| Hal
| --
| Hal Hostetler, CPBE -- (e-mail address removed)
| Senior Engineer/MIS -- MS MVP-Print/Imaging -- WA7BGX
| http://www.kvoa.com -- "When News breaks, we fix it!"
| KVOA Television, Tucson, AZ. NBC Channel 4
| Still Cadillacin' - www.badnewsbluesband.com

Thank you...

You said... "The Outlook protocol no longer works outside Outlook."

Well if the Outlook URL is in the body of an email received in MS Outlook
connected to a
MS Exchange Server then I put it to you, that you are IN the Outlook
environment not
"outside Outlook". I must also ask why then when I load the Web toolbar
and go to the
Public Folder is the Outlook URL prominently displayed ?
Ex; outlook:\\public folders\Our System\Region East\Billing Calendar

I did see...
/x xnkfilename

The problem there is that XNK (link files) are banned by policies so I can
send a XNK file
as an attachment and suggest creating a desktop shortcut such as;
outlook.exe /x
xnkfilename
Nor can I send a LNK file that contains the above commandline.

So..
How can I send an email message to my remote region that uses Outlook 2007
that will
contain a clickable URL such that then can easily get to the calendar ?

Sending the path (below) just is NOT enough.

public folders\
Our System\
Region East\
Billing Calendar

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Diane Poremsky [MVP]" <[email protected]>

| Links attachment are not supported.

| The outlook protocol only works within outlook - it won't hyperlink in
| outlook automatically but if you use the hyperlink button and paste the path
| from the web toolbar, it will open the folder in a new outlook 2007 window
| when you click the link in an email in outlook.

| To do this, copy the path from the web toolbar. Go to the Insert tab on the
| ribbon, click Hyperlink and paste the path into the hyperlink field.



| --
| Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
|
|

Thank you.

Remember, the objective is for REMOTE users. Not me.

The replacement (for something that was a benefit and was idiotically removed in OL2007)
must be something I can send to my personnel via email that they can do quickly, easily,
and without what may be perceived as complex instructions.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

You can send it as a text link- as long as they are connected to exchange
using Outlook anywhere, it will work. (I'm currently working remotely and
tested the link I sent one from my gmail account, the other from within
outlook. Both worked - it opened a new outlook window, rather than opening
it in place.)

If you send it from outlook, you need to use this method so its clickable:
Copy the path from the web toolbar - it will look something like
outlook:\\Public Folders\All Public Folders\Mailing lists\Outlookusers
Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon, click Hyperlink and paste the path into
the hyperlink field.

You can't use a lnk or xnk file. They can add the folder to their public
folder favorites and then to the favorite folders. They can also make
hyperlinked toolbars with the path. Yes, your users will need ot do this
themselves, but it's a good skill to teach them.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]





EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Diane Poremsky [MVP]" <[email protected]>

| You can send it as a text link- as long as they are connected to exchange
| using Outlook anywhere, it will work. (I'm currently working remotely and
| tested the link I sent one from my gmail account, the other from within
| outlook. Both worked - it opened a new outlook window, rather than opening
| it in place.)

| If you send it from outlook, you need to use this method so its clickable:
| Copy the path from the web toolbar - it will look something like
| outlook:\\Public Folders\All Public Folders\Mailing lists\Outlookusers
| Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon, click Hyperlink and paste the path into
| the hyperlink field.

| You can't use a lnk or xnk file. They can add the folder to their public
| folder favorites and then to the favorite folders. They can also make
| hyperlinked toolbars with the path. Yes, your users will need ot do this
| themselves, but it's a good skill to teach them.

| --
| Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
|
|

Well I'll play with this Tomorrow AM. However in my site I have only one node using MS
Office 2007.

PS: I shouldn't have to teach a user a new skill when Microsoft has dropped something has
worked through multiple, previous, versions. To me, OL2007 just sent us back two steps
instead of moving us forward. It is bad enough I have to teach them how to setup RoH to
access the Public Folder in the first place.