Lost Functionality When Accepting Meeting Requests

[pmaia]

I have Outlook 2003/SP3, Corporate Exchange Server environment, Windows XP SP2

I've been having this problem for some time (a year or more):

A meeting request with a configured 30 minute reminder in my inbox. I accept
the meeting.
- The popup that asks about 'Edit response, send resonse, don't send
response' is not displayed.
- The meeting requestor does not get an 'Accept' (or decline, if I decline
it) confirmation email.
- The reminder is turned off in the calendar. I can go in and activate the
reminder, but I must remember to do so.

Here's the weird thing... I have at least one sub-folder where all of the
above happens/works correctly. The other folders at the same level do not
work. There is not much in folder properties, but what is there is the same
between the folder that works correctly and the other folders.

I have tried several things (most do not come to mind right now), but I even
created a whole new user profile and relinked to my existing PST files. Nada.
several years of saved data, so I must keep my existing PST files.

I hesitate to try some of the documented switches to Outlook.Exe, as some of
the side-effects of the ones I have tried have been pretty hard to recover
from: /CleanViews,

Any ideas, well, err... good ideas, anyways?

 

[Nikki Peterson]

Outlook uses what is called System or Default Folders. The one Calendar
folder
that is firing the automated stuff is your designated "Default or System
Folder" for
the Calendar.

Having said that, I have a question. Do you use Exchange for your ISP
or something like Cox?

You can take a look at the following link and perhaps you will find a
suitable solution: http://www.outlook-tips.net/archives/2003/20031022.htm

Another link that may help is about merging calendars:
http://www.outlook-tips.net/archives/2003/20031013.htm

If you use Exchange, write back and let me know. The are other
solutions that may fit better.

Nikki Peterson

 

[pmaia]

Thanks for the reply, Yes, it is a massive corporate Exchange server farm
that we are connected to.

 

[Nikki Peterson]

My first question is:
- Why do you have so many Sub folder of a calendar type?
- Is it necessary?
- If so, which one do you want to be the system/default folder?
- Else, merge them into the top folder (prior to running the switch
that I am about to have you run).
- If you merge them, then make a pst of them. (just for good
measure).
- Once you have made the pst, use the ".../resetfolders" switch
See http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HP010031101033.aspx
to open Outlook. This will reset your System folders.
- If all goes well, you will not need the pst with your copies of
Calendar history and you will be done.
The goal here is to have your chosen Calendar folder be the one
system/default folder that fires the reminders and things. If you want
other folders to stay, but you also wish them to fire reminders, then use
the solution for "Reminder Manager". This is a program written by a very
clever programmer and it works spendidly. See below for link:
http://www.outlook-tips.net/archives/2003/20031022.htm

The procedure below is how I do it. However, I use a machine that has
Outlook 2000. I believe the Ffolder utility does not work with Outlook
2003.

If you have a client mailbox that has a corrupt system folder or not your
chosen system folder:

1.. Copy all data from the system (calendar) folder to a pst or another
folder of the same type
2.. Use the Ffolder Utility to delete the System Folder (All calendar
folders)
3.. Then use the "/ResetFolders" command-line switch to rebuild the
Exchange system folder.
Ffolder Utility: Utility to rename or delete "special" Outlook folders such
as the Calendar, Tasks, Inbox, and Contacts. Available in the following
public
folder:http://www.slipstick.com/addins/gallery/index.htm#ffolderUtility
(May not work for OLK2003...)

Nikki Peterson

Thanks for the reply, Yes, it is a massive corporate Exchange server farm
that we are connected to.

 

[pmaia]

Nikki,

Due to a mis-speak on my part, this line of assistance has deviated from the
actual issue... so let me try again:
I receive an email. It is a meeting request.

Issue: If I accept it, it will clear the reminder (that came with the
request) and will not send a response to the meeting organizer.

Issue: If I decline it, it will not send a response to the meeting organizer.

Oddity: Also, I have rules that shuffle email to certain mail folders. If
the meeting request is in a single/specific folder (moved there, due to
rule), the reminder is left as it was intended and a response will be sent to
the organizer of the meeting... but only in this folder. In some cases the
same meeting request is sent to me, multiple times (usually 3), because I am
a member of several news groups. Only the one that is moved to this
particular folder will work correctly.

I have tried to recreate the user, twice, and the issue persists... but I am
still using my original PST files. I cannot lose them.
I have tried to install over the top of the current install, and it did not
help. I am afraid to uninstall/reinstall, for fear it will mess something
else up.

Sorry for the confusion. Hope this is more clear.

--
Paul Maia

My first question is:
- Why do you have so many Sub folder of a calendar type?
- Is it necessary?

~snip~

 

[Nikki Peterson]

I think it is still the same issue. You only have 1 (one) Calendar folder
that is the System folder.

As I mentioned before, if you want the other folders to stay,
but you also wish them to fire reminders, then use the solution for
"Reminder Manager". This is a program written by a very
clever programmer and it works quite well. See below for link:
http://www.slovaktech.com/remindermanager.htm

Nikki Peterson

 

[pmaia]

Ok, so I have only one calender folder that is the system folder. I think I
know what that means. Is there a way to reset Outlook, so that my
one-and-only Calendar works correctly with meeting requests that come into my
one-and-only Inbox?

This is a corporate/company box. I am hesitant to install third-party
software on it to fix a problem that 'just started happening'.

 

[Nikki Peterson]

Where are the "extra" folders that are acting as system folders?
Are they in a PST somewhere or still in your mailbox as sub-
folders?
Do you open your profile on more than one machine?
Are you set up for a "Roaming Profile"?

I ask because it is possible that you have somehow configured
your Outlook to "Deliver" your messages to a pst. This will cause
your Outlook to see the Delivery folders as your System folders.
You can check this in your Exchange Properties in your profile.

- Tools
- Email Accounts
- View or Change existing e-mail accounts
- Hi-Lite your Exchange Mailbox account and look below on the
same window. Do you see where it says "Deliver new e-mail to the
following location"?

It should say something about your mailbox, but it may say something
about a PST (Outlook Data File).

Nikki

 

[pmaia]

Nikki,
Thanks for sticking with me on this... It has got to be frustrating for you.
I'll answer as best I can.
- Where are the "extra" folders that are acting as system folders? Are they
in a PST somewhere or still in your mailbox as sub-folders?... Not sure what
this means or how to tell extra folders from system folders. I have rules
that process my inbox/mailbox and copies/moves email to folders in a PST. The
one folder, where the meeting notice seems to work as expected, is about 4
folders deep in D:\OutLook\Archive Folders.pst. But other meeting notices
that are moved (via rules) to another folder, at the same folder level, in
the same PST, do not work as expected.

I TRIED THIS: I took a meeting request that works correctly from the PST and
'moved' it to my inbox (Exchange MailBox) and it also worked correctly (I
haven't seen a meeting request work from my inbox for a year). I took a
meeting request that does not work from the PST and 'moved' it to my inbox,
and it did not work. Not sure what this tells you...

- Roaming... Not sure if it is set up for roaming or not, don't know how to
tell.

- Open Profile on more than one machine... I occasionally use Outlook Web
Access, to access my email from home. No other access of Outlook, though.

- somehow configured your Outlook to "Deliver" your messages... It says
'MailBox - Maia,Paul'

I also use Windows Messenger (seems like it was/is tied into the Exchange
Server somehow) over SIPS

--
Paul

Where are the "extra" folders that are acting as system folders?
Are they in a PST somewhere or still in your mailbox as sub-
folders?
Do you open your profile on more than one machine?
Are you set up for a "Roaming Profile"?

I ask because it is possible that you have somehow configured
your Outlook to "Deliver" your messages to a pst. This will cause
your Outlook to see the Delivery folders as your System folders.
You can check this in your Exchange Properties in your profile.

- Tools
- Email Accounts
- View or Change existing e-mail accounts
- Hi-Lite your Exchange Mailbox account and look below on the
same window. Do you see where it says "Deliver new e-mail to the
following location"?

It should say something about your mailbox, but it may say something
about a PST (Outlook Data File).

Nikki

~snip~

 

[Nikki Peterson]

Wow, you have alot goin on and it sounds like your rules are
causing you some pain.

You may want to see if the meetings that are not processing
correctly are being moved by a rule that is set for something
like "Move all messages from Frank into my pst".

If Frank sends you a meeting request, it will probably not
process correctly because the rule does not see Meetings as
something special. They just see Frank. (Does this make any
sense?)

You may have also played with your OPTIONS a bit and it
could be that you have set your options to do something like
"Save all messages with their original message" or similar.

I would almost suggest that you just delete your rules, and
reset your options, and start fresh.

To clear up the auto processing of messages to save them with
their original email try doing the following:

Open Outlook and select from the menu:

- TOOLS
- OPTIONS
- E-MAIL OPTIONS... Button
- Turn on the check mark next to "Save copies of messages in Sent
Items folder".

Now Click the ADVANCED E-MAIL OPTIONS... Button
- Turn OFF the check mark next to "In folders other than the Inbox, save
replies with original message"

After you do this, see if the problem seems better or if it made no
difference at all. If no difference was made, then I would start looking
very closely at the rules you have built and really think about what they
are doing. Also, rules run in the order they show, this means that the
first rule will fire first, then the second (if you have not said to stop
after
processing).

Let me know if this makes sense or if you need more clarification.

Nikki Peterson

 

[pmaia]

Well, both Outlook settings were already as you suggest in your instructions.

Ouch... Kill all of my rules. That would hurt. I have about 30 of them. Are
you suggesting deleting them and reentering/importing them, or just removing
them completely?
I guess that I could export them and run Outlook like that for a while to
see if it works better.

I used to use 'stop after processing' on most of them, but there were
problems. Basically I have a bunch of rules that do some move messages
around. Then, there is a final rulle, that makes a backup copy of all mail
that a previous rule did not already process. Even messages that were 'moved'
were still being backed up at the end. So, I set a category of 'NoBackup' is
each rule and backup all messages except those with the NoBackup category.
Works well, but, if you are correct, may be my problem.

 

[Nikki Peterson]

I would start test them by turning them off, then turn them on
one-by-one and see if you can find the culprit that way.
Look for the logic also, when this rule runs, what ALL is
effected.

Nikki Peterson

 

[pmaia]

So, Nikki, it looks like you may be onto something. I disabled all but 2 of
my rules (makes backup copies of sent/received email) and my meeting notices
appear to be working again. Not a big sampling, yet, so I will reserve final
status for a later date, but it does appear that the meeting notices are
working as expected (even the reminders). Thanks for your help (and patience).

I will update this thread when I figure out what the 'actual' rule culprit is.
--
Paul Maia

I would start test them by turning them off, then turn them on
one-by-one and see if you can find the culprit that way.
Look for the logic also, when this rule runs, what ALL is
effected.

Nikki Peterson

~snip~

 

[Nikki Peterson]

Good to hear! Please keep me updated. I will continue to monitor
this thread.

Nikki Peterson

 

[pmaia]

Solution... Well, err, at least a Work-Around.

So, the problem returned as soon as I turned on the first rule (outside of
my 2 rules to do message backups). The only thing I can figure is that it is
something in the rule:
Apply this rule when the message arrives
with <ul>search-text</ul> in the message header
assigned it to the <ul>No Backup</ul> category
and move it to the <ul>target folder</ul> folder
I even added an exception for meeting notices to the rule, but that didn't
help.

While Googling, I did see some references to 'flagging' messages w/ rules
causing probs with meeting reminders... not sure if they were using
categories or not.

Over the years of making extensive use of rules, I have run into several
flaky scenarios. Generally I just change things around or exchange one way of
doing something for another (that's why I now use the 'No Backup' category),
and the problem usually goes away.

So, what I did was to add a new first rule that stops processing additional
rules if the recieved message is a meeting notice. Then I turned on all of my
rules and all seems to be working now.

The rules system in Outlook 2003 seems very fragile...

--
Paul Maia

Good to hear! Please keep me updated. I will continue to monitor
this thread.

Nikki Peterson

~snip~

 

[Nikki Peterson]

Wow! Great Troubleshooting.

Nikki

Solution... Well, err, at least a Work-Around.

So, the problem returned as soon as I turned on the first rule (outside of
my 2 rules to do message backups). The only thing I can figure is that it
is
something in the rule:
Apply this rule when the message arrives
with <ul>search-text</ul> in the message header
assigned it to the <ul>No Backup</ul> category
and move it to the <ul>target folder</ul> folder
I even added an exception for meeting notices to the rule, but that didn't
help.

While Googling, I did see some references to 'flagging' messages w/ rules
causing probs with meeting reminders... not sure if they were using
categories or not.

Over the years of making extensive use of rules, I have run into several
flaky scenarios. Generally I just change things around or exchange one way
of
doing something for another (that's why I now use the 'No Backup'
category),
and the problem usually goes away.

So, what I did was to add a new first rule that stops processing
additional
rules if the recieved message is a meeting notice. Then I turned on all of
my
rules and all seems to be working now.

The rules system in Outlook 2003 seems very fragile...

--
Paul Maia




~snip~