HTML to OFT?

[IWantXPBack]

I am working for a company that needs OFT files created from HTML files on a
daily basis. They are all using Outlook 2003.

I need to create OFT files from HTML files that will be compatible with
their Outlook 2003 system.

Is this possible?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Why? This doesn't make any obvious sense. An .oft file is a custom form template file.

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

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

 

[IWantXPBack]

In Outlook 2003, you take an HTML file, copy it to the Stationery folder,
make sure that you are not using Microsoft Word to edit new messages, and
then select your HTML file as the stationery. Then when you create a new
message, the HTML file is the mail message, and you can save it as an OFT
file.

In Outlook 2007, the entire OFT process is based on using Microsoft Word
2007. You cannot use HTML as a seed file for creating the OFT file. This
means that Outlook 2007 is worthless to me in terms of doing work for this
global company which happens to be my client. For them, I convert HTML to
OFT, then send them the OFT to use as stationery for sending out messages to
their 7000+ employees who all use Outlook 2003.

Unless of course, there's some sort of workaround. Because, you know, you
can't return software once you've opened the packaging and installed it, only
to discover that the developers have radically changed some aspect of the
software so that it is not longer compatible with the previous version.

As it is, I've had to reinstall Office 2003 Professional, making my purchase
of Office 2007 a complete waste of time and money...Again, unless their is
some workaround that would allow me to use Outlook 2007 to convert HTML to
OFT, and end up with an OFT that can be sent to people using Outlook 2003
with Microsoft Words support disabled.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Let me see if I understand: You want to do is create an .oft file that users can double-click to create a new message, and you want to base this .oft file on an existing HTML file? (.oft files are not the same thing as stationery, BTW.)

If that's the goal, you have several possible solutions for getting the HTML into the message:

-- Display the .htm page in IE, then choose File | Send As Email.
-- Create a new HTML message in Outlook, click the Insert command and select As Text as the option at lower right.
-- more ideas at http://slipstick.com/mail1/html.htm

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

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

 

[IWantXPBack]

Those are great tips. In fact I'll probably use the IE7 > File > Send > As
email in the future.

Unfortunately, it doesn't get around the fact that when you are using
Outlook 2007, it does not convert the HTML file to something that can be
saved as an OFT, it converts the HTML file to a WORD rendering of the HTML,
which can then be saved as an OFT file.

The problem is that the HTML files we are dealing with are very complicated,
with elements positioned via CSS to 1-pixel tolerances.

Since Outlook 2007 bases everything on Word, the document created when a
complex HTML file is sent to Outlook 2007 is a very messed up Word-based
file.

In other words, this solution doesn't work in this case, because the
original HTML file is not being reproduced correctly by Outlook 2007 (and
Word).

It looks like the solution is to not buy Outlook 2007 if you are working on
very niche concepts with an organization using Outlook 2003. Lesson learned.

 

[IWantXPBack]

Those are great tips. In fact I'll probably use the IE7 > File > Send > As
email in the future.

Unfortunately, it doesn't get around the fact that when you are using
Outlook 2007, it does not convert the HTML file to something that can be
saved as an OFT, it converts the HTML file to a WORD rendering of the HTML,
which can then be saved as an OFT file.

The problem is that the HTML files we are dealing with are very complicated,
with elements positioned via CSS to 1-pixel tolerances.

Since Outlook 2007 bases everything on Word, the document created when a
complex HTML file is sent to Outlook 2007 is a very messed up, Word-based
file.

In other words, this solution doesn't work in this case, because the
original HTML file is not being reproduced correctly by Outlook 2007 (and
Word).

Unfortunately, I learned about this problem only after the software was
bought and installed. Which means I paid Microsoft for a product that doesn't
do the one thing I need it to do.

 

[Jocelyn Fiorello [MVP - Outlook]]

I know hindsight is 20/20, but usually there is a trial version of a new
Office product that could help you to determine whether or not the new
version is right for you before you buy it. Then all you have to do is make
sure anything you create in the new version is backwards-compatible, or
convertible, before the trial period expires and/or you uninstall the trial.

--
Jocelyn Fiorello
MVP - Outlook

*** Messages sent to my e-mail address will NOT be answered -- please reply
only to the newsgroup to preserve the message thread. ***

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Also, the lesson I'd emphasize is that, if you're developing anything for use with a particular version of Outlook, you ought to be developing it on that version. Virtual machines are your friend.

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

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