Different versions of MS Outlook and Contacts form

[DisplacedIslandSoul]

Good afternoon. We have designed a custom form in a previous version of
Outlook. In Outlook 2003 SP3 (and beyond, I am sure), the Contact form
layout is now different (could be before 2003 too) - allowing for photos in
the Contact form, etc. Would I have to start from scratch in designing a
custom form based on this new template or would I be able to import design
items (like custom fields, form fields, etc.) from the previous custom form?
Thanks.

Chris

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Custom Outlook contact forms haven't changed in years, you still get the
same design surface and lose all the new stuff when you customize a contact
form.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Neither. There actually are no changes in the customizable layout for the first page, since the picture control is not available to form developers. Just use the same form you already have.

 

[DisplacedIslandSoul]

OK, let me explain a little more of what we're trying to do. We're trying to
use the Cisco Unified Messenger, but it won't pick up on the phone number
with the current form template used in the custom form. It does, however,
pick up the phone number from the custom form template (IPM.Contact) in
Outlook 2003 SP3. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What do you mean by "pick up on the phone number"?

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

 

[DisplacedIslandSoul]

The Unified Messenger program puts a toolbar within Outlook and when a
contact is selected, a button on the toolbar can be pressed and a list of all
the phone numbers pertaining to that contact are displayed. This process
works for the current default form within Outlook, but not for the custom
form that we've been using, which is probably based on a previous form.

The current Outlook contact form is the one with the photo capability,
right? What did the form look like before this one? Also, when did this
change occur? In which version of Office?

Lastly, with the version of the form before this current one, is customizing
the current form the only way to "upgrade" it (the version of the form before
this current one)?

Thanks...Chris

P.S. Is there somewhere I can post photos to show you what I mean about the
different versions of the form?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sounds like an issue with the UM program? I would suggest you ask Cisco.

The main page of the standard contact form prior to Outlook 2003 looked like the page you see when you put the contact form into design mode. The UI of the form, however, has no impact on toolbars, which are a completely separate part of the Outlook UI.

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