User-defined fields in this item vs. folder

[tjsmags]

When in a contact, I added some additional fields under the All Fields tab.
I've added fields under User-defined fields in this item and also under
User-defined fields in folder (not knowing which one I should always use).

Our school got a new server. All the contacts are there, but all the fields
I added under the 'folder' option are gone (along with the data I'm
assuming?). I still see the fields I added under 'item,' though. Is there a
way to retrieve the lost data, or is it lost? And, what is the difference
between adding a field under 'item' vs. 'folder?' Which one should I always
use?

I create a contact for each student in our school. That is what I'm using
this for. I added fields such as Mother/Guardian, Father/Guardian,
Allergies, Medications, Referred By, Exit Date, Graduating Class of, etc.
Now I only see the Mother and Father fields, which were under 'item.' All
the rest are gone...yikes! Help!

 

[Karl Timmermans]

When adding a user-defined field to an item in Outlook - it automatically
gets added to the <folder list> but only actually gets added to an
individual item when data is entered for a given field (going under the
assumption that you are referring to a scenario where no custom form is in
use and referencing user-defined fields for a standard contact item
(MessageClass = IPM.Contact)

You can also delete a user-defined field name from the <Folder List> but any
data added to that field for a given contact remains with the item. It
doesn't get deleted. However, once a field is deleted from the <Folder
List> - you can't see any data for it in a view regardless of what the
individual contacts contain. To correct that, you simply need to re-add the
field to the Folder's list again making sure to use the exact same <name>
and <field type> otherwise you're going to end up with a mis-match between
the field type defined in the Folder List versus the field actually
associated with an individual contact.


Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

 

[tjsmags]

How come I still don't see the new categories I added back when I choose
'folder?' You are right, the data does appear back, but when I add a new
student/contact, none of the categories I added show up when I click on the
ALL FIELDS tab and select from the 'folder.' I want the categories to show
here like they used to.
--
Thank you.

When adding a user-defined field to an item in Outlook - it automatically
gets added to the <folder list> but only actually gets added to an
individual item when data is entered for a given field (going under the
assumption that you are referring to a scenario where no custom form is in
use and referencing user-defined fields for a standard contact item
(MessageClass = IPM.Contact)

You can also delete a user-defined field name from the <Folder List> but any
data added to that field for a given contact remains with the item. It
doesn't get deleted. However, once a field is deleted from the <Folder
List> - you can't see any data for it in a view regardless of what the
individual contacts contain. To correct that, you simply need to re-add the
field to the Folder's list again making sure to use the exact same <name>
and <field type> otherwise you're going to end up with a mis-match between
the field type defined in the Folder List versus the field actually
associated with an individual contact.


Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

 

[Karl Timmermans]

Categories and user-defined fields are two completely separate and unrelated
topics/issues.

Don't understand what you mean by "categories I added........when
click....ALL Fields .....select from folder". Hopefully someone else has a
better idea of what you're referring to but sounds like your Master
Categories list has disappeared (nothing to do with the All Fields tab>. In
any event - would suggest you provide some additional details - not the
least of which is Outlook version (before and after if there was a change)
and exactly was all changed in terms of "a new server".

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

How come I still don't see the new categories I added back when I choose
'folder?' You are right, the data does appear back, but when I add a new
student/contact, none of the categories I added show up when I click on
the
ALL FIELDS tab and select from the 'folder.' I want the categories to
show
here like they used to.

 

[tjsmags]

Go through the process of adding a new Contact. You'll see there is a tab
called ALL FIELDS. Right underneath there is a SELECT FROM field that has a
drop down. This is where the fields I created myself were in USER-DEFINED
FIELDS IN THIS ITEM and also in USER-DEFINED FILEDS IN FOLDER.

Now do you see what I mean? What is the difference between above two listed
drop down options?

 

[Karl Timmermans]

Please refer to my original response regarding to the "user-defined
fields" - answers to your original question are specifically addressed there
so not sure what exactly you're asking about (sentence one of the response
indicates when a field gets added to the Folder and Items list). Your second
post/question asked about "Categories" and "User-defined fields" which are
not the same thing. "Categories" is a standard Outlook field.

To restateand summarize the original answer another way:

#1 - Via the Outlook UI - you cannot add a user-defined field to an <Item>
without it also being added to the <Folders> List
#2 - Adding a user-defined field via the <Items> group but NOT adding any
data to the field does not add the field to the <Item> but will add it to
the <Folders> group
#3 - You can add a user-defined field via the <Folder> but if no data is
added - nothing gets added to the item (same as item #2)
#4 - You can delete a user-defined field from the <Folders> group but it
does not delete the field from any contact that may already have data in
that field (what I refer to as <orphan> user-defined fields since there is
no way to know of their existance without interrogating the User-Properties
collection of every contact within the folder or in Outlook UI parlance -
open every contact individually and see what user-defined fields exist for
that item)

And just to be clear - the above refers specifically to contacts that do not
have (were not created with) a custom form assigned - (current/standard
message class = "IPM.Contact")

Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com