Blank Email in Reading Pane for Custom Form

[NV]

I have developed and published a Custom message type Outlook Form, there is
no issue with the form data retention, but when the Outlook form is sent and
reaches the inbox of the recipient, in the Reading Pane (Preview) of Outlook,
the form elements are not visible (i.e. looks blank) and when double clicked
the form and its data appears in a new window.

Is there a parameter setting that I am missing here to make the form and
data elements visible in the Reading Pane (Preview) area of Outlook.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Are you sending the form definition with the item? That would one-off the
item and because it's a custom form item prevent it from being displayed in
the preview pane.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

That's completely normal. Creating a custom form doesn't affect the look of
the reading pane. Modifying the reading pane is done in Outlook 2007 with a
form region, which is a completely different form technology implemented
with an add-in, not a published form.

 

[NV]

The Send Form Definition option has not been checked. The issue is that the
form and its contents are not displayed in the readint pane (preview) of the
recipient.

They are only visible if the recipient double clicks on the email and opens
it in a separate window.

 

[NV]

The form has been developed on MS Outlook 2003

That's completely normal. Creating a custom form doesn't affect the look of
the reading pane. Modifying the reading pane is done in Outlook 2007 with a
form region, which is a completely different form technology implemented
with an add-in, not a published form.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

It's still completely normal behavior. Outlook 2003 has no means for
displaying custom form content in the reading pane. Outlook 2007 is the
first version with the form region feature.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

If this is a custom form that's normal and expected behavior. No custom form
can display in the preview pane, although Outlook 2007 can display form
regions in the preview.

 

[NV]

One more question...
The functionality about the reading pane is OK, but when a recipient hits
Reply or Reply All, the form and its data is again not visible, but is when
the recipient hits Forward...
Is it a similar functionality / limitation as to how attachments work in
Reply / Reply All as compared to Forward.

 

[NV]

Thanks Ken

If this is a custom form that's normal and expected behavior. No custom form
can display in the preview pane, although Outlook 2007 can display form
regions in the preview.

 

[NV]

Thanks Sue

It's still completely normal behavior. Outlook 2003 has no means for
displaying custom form content in the reading pane. Outlook 2007 is the
first version with the form region feature.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

In the Actions tab of the form when in design mode is the forward action set
to use the custom form, and are the other actions set to use standard forms?

 

[NV]

Under the Actions tab...
The Enabled = YES
Action Names = Reply, Reply To All, Forward, Reply to Folder
Creates form of type = Message, Message, Message, Post
Address form like = Reply, Reply to All, Forward, Reply to Folder
When responding = Respect user's default
Prefix = RE, RE, FW
Is there any setting that needs to change.... i am thinking...
Address form like.... should be Forward for Reply, Reply to All and Forward

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

The Forward action must be set to use the published custom form unless you
want to risk getting one-offs whose data can't be read.

The Reply* actions can also be set to use the published form, but you may
also need to add code to the Reply and ReplyAll actions to copy data between
the custom fields on the original item and the reply.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54