Create new profile through PRF file

[Eric Livingston]

Is there any way to process a PRF file without starting Outlook? The older
versions of Outlook used NewProf.exe or ModProf.exe to make changes to a
profile using a PRF file. Is there some way to duplicate that functionality
so that I do not have to start Outlook for the changes to take effect?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Yes. The preferred method to accomplish that the use the Custom Maintenance
Wizard to create a .cmw file, then invoke that file from a login script or
whatever means you prefer.

If you create the .cmw file and then use the CMW File Viewer to look at it,
you'll see how it works by using the ImportPRF registry value to point to
the path for the .prf file that you want to install. When that value is
present and non-empty, Outlook imports and processes the .prf the next time
it starts.

FYI, microsoft.public.outlook.installation would have been a more
appropriate newsgroup for this question.

 

[Eric Livingston]

Is there any way to create the CMW file from command line? I'm trying to get
to a solution that required no user input once the PRF file is created.

Thanks!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No. The .cmw file is a binary format. Reread the part of my last post about
using the ImportPRF registry value.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Eric Livingston]

Okay, your first post states that the PRF file will not be processed until
Outlook is restarted. What I'm trying to find is a way to process that PRF
without starting Outlook. Is there no external tools that can do this
without brining up the Outlook GUI?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No, Outlook *is* the PRF processor. But as I said before, you can use
ImportPRF to make the PRF processing happen when Outlook starts, not when
the PRF runs.

 

[Jim Vierra]

otlook /importprf prffilename.prf

/importprf prffilename
Launches Outlook and opens/imports the defined MAPI profile (*.prf). If
Outlook is already open, queues the profile to be imported on the next clean
launch.



Can be remotely scripted - will not disturb the user and loads a new profile
with no user intervention. There is a warning that says a new profile is
going to be imported.

For silent profile changes that take place immediately use Group Policy.

Nearly all profile changes can be done through the registry either with GP
or by direct registry edits.

The old User Profile editor was convenient for making tweks to user
profiles. There are third perty tools that can do this with 2003 but will
cost you some money.

 

[BK Drake]

I am trying to appy an new profile using a prf file that I have edited with
the profile name, exchange server and user name. In my application I create a
process and start the process by calling the prf file. The process then
starts outlook and applies the profile. Is there a way to suppress outlook so
that the user does not see outlook start up when appying the profile? I have
tried using process.kill() but that gives me an message of "do you want to
start in safe mode do to outlook not being closed correctly..." when you try
to apply a new profile or the next time outlook is started.

Also if I wanted to use direct registry edits for the profile name, Exchange
server, and username setting where could I find out which registry keys I
would need to change?

Thanks,

 

[Jim Vierra]

It sounds like you are trying to do someting that can't be done. Why is it
that you don't want the user to see Outlook?

To change the registry use Groupd Policy. The connection settings are not
kept ther completely so you have to run outlook to build the correct OST
file and other support files. All of these files have to be in agreement
which is why Outlook does teh setting from a PRF. You can't set the
password for IMO Outlook by a registry edit either. The method being used
is runtime application of the PRF. The run string I posted will update
Outlook without disturbing the user but Outlook will do the update for you.
The change won't take effect until the next time the user starts Outlook.

If you are trying to do other than this then my guess is you shouldn't be
doing it.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Mail profiles are stored in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging Subsystem\Profiles. The individual keys
are not documented in detail.

Did you try using the ImportPRF registry key as I suggested? You know, it
might be helpful if you explained the full scenario in which you're changing
the profile.

 

[BK Drake]

Here is the full senerio.

I created a simple .prf file by exporting the prf from the Custom
Installation Wizard. In the prf file I am setting up 1 service in the prf.
The service is an Exchange Server. I am setting the Profile Name, Exchanger
server and Username in the prf. I am making a simple application which
allows an administrator to set those values and apply the prf. In appying
the prf I am just starting a new process to kick off the prf file and apply
the profile.

When the prf kicks off Outlook starts up and applies the Profile. I am
trying to suppress or hide outlook so that the admin does not have to see
Outlook fire off , wait for Outlook to load and then close Outlook. I
understand Outlook is the processor of the prf file. Is there a way to have
Outlook open minimized and then close out once it has finished starting up.

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Big picture please: What is the purpose of applying the prf through this
application rather than through some other means?

And I'm still waiting to hear whether you tried the ImportPRF registry key
method I suggested 2 or 3 posts ago. This is the method you need to use if
you don't want to start Outlook to load the PRF.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[BK Drake]

Big Picture:

Make a stand alone application that can dropped on multiple machines for a
administrator to be able to configure a profile and apply it. I can not use
the import prf becouse I need to make sure that the profile is applied
immediately. The system user may never start up Outlook to apply the profile.
The profile needs to be set so that a secondary application can use the
exchange profile to send emails which the actual outlook application may
never be started.

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

That's very helpful. To accomplish what you want to do without starting
Outlook, you could use Extended MAPI to build the profile. The KB article at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306962 has details
on the techniques involved. Another possible alternative would be to use the
ProfMan library from Redemption (http://www.dimastr.com/redemption/)
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Jim Vierra]

You can fully script the startup and shutdown of Outlook using the command
line switches. You can have all of theis done in a login script if you
want. There should be no need for an administrator to do any of this - let
the users do it as they login.

 

[Jim Vierra]

In the same way you can remotely script the change including forcing a user
login so that it is done in the context of the user. You could schedule
this script out-of-hours and have it all doen.

Now tell me it's only 5 users and I'll shoot myself.