Outlook nickname list question

[Joe]

I would like to know how the sort order is determined when
populating the nickname list that Outlook uses when you
start typing names in the To: field. I will try to
explain why we want to know. Here's the situation:
Machine#1 - When you type in the first couple of letters
of a name and get your nickname drop down list, the names
listed appear to be sorted in alphabetical order. Machine
#2 - When you type in the first couple of letters of a
name and get your nickname drop down list, the names do
not appear to be sorted in any order. Does anyone know
how Outlook decides to sort these items when populating
its list? Thanks in advance for any help/info you can
provide.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Most recently used.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the post but do you mind letting me know where
you found your info? That's what we thought too at
first. The nickname list of machine #2 below is not
in "most recently used" order. The name at the top of the
list was definitely not the one that was most recently
used by that user so that cannot be the case. Any other
ideas or thoughts? Thanks in advance for any and all
help. Joe

-----Original Message-----
Most recently used.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I would like to know how the sort order is determined when
populating the nickname list that Outlook uses when you
start typing names in the To: field. I will try to
explain why we want to know. Here's the situation:
Machine#1 - When you type in the first couple of letters
of a name and get your nickname drop down list, the names
listed appear to be sorted in alphabetical order. Machine
#2 - When you type in the first couple of letters of a
name and get your nickname drop down list, the names do
not appear to be sorted in any order. Does anyone know
how Outlook decides to sort these items when populating
its list? Thanks in advance for any help/info you can
provide.

.

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Sorry, no.
Mine followed a most recently used or most recently created hierarchy when I
posted the response, but I was starting with a brand new NK2 file. As more
entries have accumulated it no longer follows that pattern. Nor has
Microsoft ever documented the process that is used to my knowledge, and the
process changes from one version to the next. All of the following fields
are searched for potential matches: Title, FN, LN, email address and
probably others as well. Also the NK2 entries are stored in many different
formats since email addresses are received in many different formats.
Accordingly, the number of permutations quickly mounts and a simple display
hierarchy most likely does not exist.

No one has ever asked the question before. It appears not to be too big a
concern for most users, especially since typing 1 or 2 more letter restricts
the list dramatically.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Thanks for the post but do you mind letting me know where
you found your info? That's what we thought too at
first. The nickname list of machine #2 below is not
in "most recently used" order. The name at the top of the
list was definitely not the one that was most recently
used by that user so that cannot be the case. Any other
ideas or thoughts? Thanks in advance for any and all
help. Joe

-----Original Message-----
Most recently used.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I would like to know how the sort order is determined when
populating the nickname list that Outlook uses when you
start typing names in the To: field. I will try to
explain why we want to know. Here's the situation:
Machine#1 - When you type in the first couple of letters
of a name and get your nickname drop down list, the names
listed appear to be sorted in alphabetical order. Machine
#2 - When you type in the first couple of letters of a
name and get your nickname drop down list, the names do
not appear to be sorted in any order. Does anyone know
how Outlook decides to sort these items when populating
its list? Thanks in advance for any help/info you can
provide.

.

 

[Randy]

Joe,

The names are actually put into the database in LIFO fashion. How they are
displayed depends on how they appear in the Name part of the database entry.

Go to: www.dcs-imaging.com/products.htm and download the demo version of a
utility called Owtlook. It will load your Outlook autocomplete file and you
can see what I'm talking about.

Make certain that you close Outlook before trying this utility as it will
not load the file if it is in use by Outlook.

Good luck.