Custom Form - Receiver replies and form is gone, message body is b

[Kozlik]

I've created a custom form. When I send the form to someone if they hit
reply they lose the form without data. If they hit forward then the form
will appear and they can enter in the data. Is there a way for me to change
the form so that it will do the same function as forward when the user hits
reply? Thanks for your help.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If you want the user to see a custom form when they reply, you need to set the Reply action on the (Actions) page to use the desired published custom form.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

I appreciate your quick response Sue. I've been on the action tab changing
settings but I have not been able to accomplish this for some reason. Here
are the settings I tried under the action tab:

Enabled - Yes
Action Name - Test
Creates form of type - (The name of form that I'm sending)
Address form like - Reply
When Responding - Include original message text
Prefix- Re:

I do not see the form when I send this. Please let me know if you can
provide further assistance. Thank-you.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Where is the form published? It must be in the Organizational Forms library or in each replying user's Personal Forms library.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

Currently I have not posted the form in the Organizational Forms library. I
am testing the form and sending from my e-mail address to my e-mail address.
Although the form is stored in my Personal Forms Library I still see the same
behavior. Does it have to be in the Organizations Forms Library for the
"reply" option to include the form. I think it is strange the the "forward"
option does work. Thanks again for your assistance.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

The form simply needs to be in one of the locations from which Outlook can load a message form -- Org Forms or Personal Forms.

Did you increment the version number and republish the form after you changed the Reply action setting?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

I had it stored in personal forms so that isn't the problem. I hadn't
incremented the version number. I didn't even know what that was until I
looked it up. I did that and checked to make sure the settings I made were
in the form that I was using. The were. I'm pretty sure that everything is
working fine. Do you see the same results when you make a custom form? if
you send it to someone and they hit reply do you still see the form or is the
body of the e-mail blank? It acts like an attachment. If you reply to a
message with an attachment it is not there. If you forward an e-mail with an
attachment then it gets sent along. I'm stuck.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What the user sees depends on what the published reply form looks like and what settings are on the Reply action. Assuming you've now incremented the version number on the reply form, if you send yourself a new message using your custom form and then reply, does the Help | About Microsoft Outlook show the version number of the published reply form?

Forwarding behaves differently because it embeds a copy of the original item's form definition in the forward item (BAD!!) unless you set the Forward action to use the published custom form.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

Hi Sue,

Thanks for all of your great ideas and leading me through this problem. I
was finally able to figure out what I was doing wrong. I didn't realize that
when I was on the actions menu I was creating my own buttons. I was actually
hitting the standard "reply" button. Not the "test" button that I created.
I was hoping there was a way for the users to use the "reply" button but I
guess that is not possible.

THanks again for your help!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Go back to the Actions page and edit the properties for the Reply action to use your custom form, just as you did the Test action.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

The only action that is on the Actions tab is the action I created. I didn't
delete any other actions that are there. Is there a way for me to create an
action for the reply button?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Your form may be seriously messed up if it has no other actions. I've never seen a form without the Reply, Reply to All, Forward and Reply to Folder actions. You can certainly add an action named Reply, but I have no idea whether it will be invoked when the user clicks the built-in Reply button.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

Hi Sue,

You still around helping people out on Friday? I'm not sure why I'm missing
those actions. I'm pretty new to forms. I hope I didn't just delete them.
I decided to just create a new form and that shows the four standard actions
that I've been looking for.

So I've cut and pasted all the fields and controls over into a new file for
both the Compose and read page. I've ended up running into a new problem
when I did that however. The good news, is that the reply button works.
That problem is solved! Having the right actions available made that
possible. I'm glad we got that worked out.

When I open the form I can enter the data and send it to the user. The user
receives an e-mail that is blank. But when they hit reply the form suddenly
appears. Does this make any sense to you? It doesn't make any sense to me
at all.

I hope you're still around today because I'm determined to figure this out!
Thanks again!

John

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Did you remember click the Edit Read Layout button and create a matching UI for the recipient to see?
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

Yes, it is there.

Did you remember click the Edit Read Layout button and create a matching UI for the recipient to see?
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

In your published form, are you checking the "send form definition with item" box on the (Properties) page? If so, clear it, increment the version number, republish and test again.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Kozlik]

You're my hero. I thinkI'm fixed. You are a great resource and I truely
appreciate your patience and assistance with these problems. Take care Sue!