How does Find in Outlook retrieve messages?

[Jennifer Q]

I am using Outlook 2003 SP3 on WinXP SP2. In Outlook, when I use the Tools |
Find feature for a very basic search, I have noticed something odd. It seems
that Outlook finds the oldest messages first and the newest messages last.
This does not seem so helpful to me.

Can anyone shed some explanantion on how Outlook conducts this search, and
why the oldest messages are retrieved first? Also, is there a way to change
this behavior? I'd like Outlook to retrieve the newest messages first.

Thanks,
Jennifer

 

[Diane Poremsky]

unfortunately, that is how search works. additionally, if you import an
older pst, search may find them in a seemingly odd order.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

However, in support of the search function going from oldest to latest, if I am looking for something, it is most likely something very old since my most recent mails I can find easily by looking in the correct folder. Older stuff (order from an online purchase 8 months ago) is going to be harder to remember so having search go from oldest to newest works VERY well for me.

YMMV.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Jennifer Q asked:

| I am using Outlook 2003 SP3 on WinXP SP2. In Outlook, when I use the
| Tools | Find feature for a very basic search, I have noticed
| something odd. It seems that Outlook finds the oldest messages first
| and the newest messages last. This does not seem so helpful to me.
|
| Can anyone shed some explanantion on how Outlook conducts this
| search, and why the oldest messages are retrieved first? Also, is
| there a way to change this behavior? I'd like Outlook to retrieve the
| newest messages first.
|
| Thanks,
| Jennifer

 

[Jennifer Q]

Oh, you're one of those people who files, eh? JK
;-)

Thanks for the input, all of you!!!

Jennifer

However, in support of the search function going from oldest to latest, if I
am looking for something, it is most likely something very old since my most
recent mails I can find easily by looking in the correct folder. Older
stuff (order from an online purchase 8 months ago) is going to be harder to
remember so having search go from oldest to newest works VERY well for me.

YMMV.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Jennifer Q asked:

| I am using Outlook 2003 SP3 on WinXP SP2. In Outlook, when I use the
| Tools | Find feature for a very basic search, I have noticed
| something odd. It seems that Outlook finds the oldest messages first
| and the newest messages last. This does not seem so helpful to me.
|
| Can anyone shed some explanantion on how Outlook conducts this
| search, and why the oldest messages are retrieved first? Also, is
| there a way to change this behavior? I'd like Outlook to retrieve the
| newest messages first.
|
| Thanks,
| Jennifer

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

No, I don't file. I just don't remember rmail stuff from 6 months ago but can remember stuff from 6 days ago. Otherwise, I have an eidetic memory.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Jennifer Q asked:

| Oh, you're one of those people who files, eh? JK
| ;-)
|
| Thanks for the input, all of you!!!
|
| Jennifer
|
| | However, in support of the search function going from oldest to
| latest, if I am looking for something, it is most likely something
| very old since my most recent mails I can find easily by looking in
| the correct folder. Older stuff (order from an online purchase 8
| months ago) is going to be harder to remember so having search go
| from oldest to newest works VERY well for me.
|
| YMMV.
|
| --
| Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]
|
| Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
| unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
| reading.
|
| After furious head scratching, Jennifer Q asked:
|
|| I am using Outlook 2003 SP3 on WinXP SP2. In Outlook, when I use the
|| Tools | Find feature for a very basic search, I have noticed
|| something odd. It seems that Outlook finds the oldest messages first
|| and the newest messages last. This does not seem so helpful to me.
||
|| Can anyone shed some explanantion on how Outlook conducts this
|| search, and why the oldest messages are retrieved first? Also, is
|| there a way to change this behavior? I'd like Outlook to retrieve the
|| newest messages first.
||
|| Thanks,
|| Jennifer