Running rules on two PCs where Oulook shares the PST

[Tom Conlon]

I have 2 PCs on a home network, each runs outlook. I have pointed both
Outlook copies at the same PST file for storing mail (inbox). This is
working fine (as long as i don't use them at the same time of course!).

On the first machine i had a set of rules that operated on incoming
messages, and the rules are working fine; they move incoming messages to
particular folders. When i added the second machine, second copy of
Outlook, and pointed it at the same PST file, I cannot run the rules on the
second machine. On the second machine, when i go to Tools | Rules and
Alerts, i see all the rules, and they are all checked. But, in the rule
name field, adfter each rule, the following appears in parenthesis "(For
other machine)". On that second machine, when i go to the "run rules now"
button, none of the rules show up, although they do show up in the main
rules dialog. If i choose a rule, and go thru the rule Wizard (but don't
change anything) and at the last screen, i select to "run the rule now", the
rule appears to run; it takes 60 seconds or so and teh icon shows progress,
but it does not move any messages out of the inbox (as the rules normally
should).

So, what do i need to do so that the rules are active for both copies of
Outlook, and whichever one i happen to be using, if a new message comes in,
it is processed by the rule.

Thank you.
Tom Conlon

 

[Roady [MVP]]

Well to begin with; pst-files were not made to be shared. The rules you
defined on the first machine do not work on the other machine because they
were marked to run on another machine and in fact the folder location is
different as well. Going through the Rules Wizard and unchecking the "on
other machine" condition and reassigning the "move to folder" action will
restore the rule.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

 

[Tom Conlon]

Thanks for the tip; that seems to do it! But I am interested in your
comment about PST files. Is what i am doing not supposed to be done? It
seems quite natural to me; point each PCs outlook at the same file, and
since you are not reading mail on two machines at the same time, it seems to
work like a charm. But, what then is the way Outlook would allow you to use
two different computers at your home to access your mail (no exchange server
at home of course)? Surely it cannot be --by design-- that you can only
access your mail from one computer. That would be qutie an onerous
constraint if you were to tell me Outlook only wants me to use the same one
computer all the time to see my mail. Not even remotely practical. Why
would i have two computers, then?

If there is a better way to do it than i am doing, i would be happy to use
it, though.

Thanks,
tom

Well to begin with; pst-files were not made to be shared. The rules you
defined on the first machine do not work on the other machine because they
were marked to run on another machine and in fact the folder location is
different as well. Going through the Rules Wizard and unchecking the "on
other machine" condition and reassigning the "move to folder" action will
restore the rule.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

-----

I have 2 PCs on a home network, each runs outlook. I have pointed both
Outlook copies at the same PST file for storing mail (inbox). This is
working fine (as long as i don't use them at the same time of course!).

On the first machine i had a set of rules that operated on incoming
messages, and the rules are working fine; they move incoming messages to
particular folders. When i added the second machine, second copy of
Outlook, and pointed it at the same PST file, I cannot run the rules on
the
second machine. On the second machine, when i go to Tools | Rules and
Alerts, i see all the rules, and they are all checked. But, in the rule
name field, adfter each rule, the following appears in parenthesis "(For
other machine)". On that second machine, when i go to the "run rules now"
button, none of the rules show up, although they do show up in the main
rules dialog. If i choose a rule, and go thru the rule Wizard (but don't
change anything) and at the last screen, i select to "run the rule now",
the
rule appears to run; it takes 60 seconds or so and teh icon shows
progress,
but it does not move any messages out of the inbox (as the rules normally
should).

So, what do i need to do so that the rules are active for both copies of
Outlook, and whichever one i happen to be using, if a new message comes
in,
it is processed by the rule.

Thank you.
Tom Conlon

 

[Roady [MVP]]

It is by design; pst-files were designed to be stored on the local disk and
not on networkshares. Making a connection to a pst-file on a network works
in most cases but it is still unsupported practise and your issue is one of
the examples why this is.
Except from an Exchange server there are lots of other third party tools
that allow you to synch/share your Outlook data.

http://www.howto-outlook.com/addins.htm#4Team
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/sync.htm

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

-----

Thanks for the tip; that seems to do it! But I am interested in your
comment about PST files. Is what i am doing not supposed to be done? It
seems quite natural to me; point each PCs outlook at the same file, and
since you are not reading mail on two machines at the same time, it seems
to
work like a charm. But, what then is the way Outlook would allow you to
use
two different computers at your home to access your mail (no exchange
server
at home of course)? Surely it cannot be --by design-- that you can only
access your mail from one computer. That would be qutie an onerous
constraint if you were to tell me Outlook only wants me to use the same
one
computer all the time to see my mail. Not even remotely practical. Why
would i have two computers, then?

If there is a better way to do it than i am doing, i would be happy to use
it, though.

Thanks,
tom

in
message news:%[email protected]...

Well to begin with; pst-files were not made to be shared. The rules you
defined on the first machine do not work on the other machine because
they
were marked to run on another machine and in fact the folder location is
different as well. Going through the Rules Wizard and unchecking the "on
other machine" condition and reassigning the "move to folder" action will
restore the rule.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-What do the Outlook Icons Mean?
-Create an Office 2003 CD slipstreamed with Service Pack 1

-----

I have 2 PCs on a home network, each runs outlook. I have pointed both
Outlook copies at the same PST file for storing mail (inbox). This is
working fine (as long as i don't use them at the same time of course!).

On the first machine i had a set of rules that operated on incoming
messages, and the rules are working fine; they move incoming messages
to
particular folders. When i added the second machine, second copy of
Outlook, and pointed it at the same PST file, I cannot run the rules on
the
second machine. On the second machine, when i go to Tools | Rules and
Alerts, i see all the rules, and they are all checked. But, in the
rule
name field, adfter each rule, the following appears in parenthesis
"(For
other machine)". On that second machine, when i go to the "run rules now"
button, none of the rules show up, although they do show up in the main
rules dialog. If i choose a rule, and go thru the rule Wizard (but don't
change anything) and at the last screen, i select to "run the rule
now",
the
rule appears to run; it takes 60 seconds or so and teh icon shows
progress,
but it does not move any messages out of the inbox (as the rules normally
should).

So, what do i need to do so that the rules are active for both copies
of
Outlook, and whichever one i happen to be using, if a new message comes
in,
it is processed by the rule.

Thank you.
Tom Conlon

 

[Brian Tillman]

If there is a better way to do it than i am doing, i would be happy
to use it, though.

Like Robert said, what you're doing is unsupported by usually works. You
should be able to have your rules work on both computers by defining two
sets of identical rules, one set on one machine and the other set on the
other machine.