No Organizational Forms Library?

[Bridget]

We have Outlook 2003 but do not have Exchange. I have created a custom
contact form but it is only available on MY computer and not the 3 others we
need it on. I published it as a Personal Folder for the time being, and also
published it under the Group folder that we use for our Contacts (that is on
the server). I went to Properties and selected the new form for being posted
to under the Group folder.
Where do I need to publish in order for everyone to utilize this new form?
The options I have to publish to are:
Standard Forms Library, Personal Forms Library, Outlook folders, Standard
Templates, User Templates in File System... I do not have an Organizational
Forms Library, maybe as we do not have Exchange?
Please help on where to publish this custom form in order for all 4 of us to
see. Thank you!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

There's a contradiction here. If you don't have Exchange, what are you using to get a "Group folder ... on the server."

The Organizational Forms library is a feature of Exchange. In your scenario, each person will need to publish the form to their Personal Forms library or to the library for the folder that contains the contacts.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

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

 

[Bridget]

Sue, we do not have Exchange but I believe we have SQL. If that makes sense,
I am not up to date on everything with using servers.
I have saved the custom form as an oft file and tried emailing it to the
other users. Is this the correct route to go? They are going to try
publishing the form once opened on their end into their Personal Forms and
also our Group folder which is on WorkGroupShare on the server. We're not
sure if it is going to work or if it is the correct way to go about getting
them the form in order to save to their own computers.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

So, you are using the third-party WorkGroupShare application to share this data in Outlook. You will have to ask them if that folder supports custom forms and if so, to what extent.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

I have managed to email the custom form to another user as an oft file, and
the custom form opens on their computer. I am now wondering where the form
needs to be Saved on the computer in order to utilize it in the Forms
Library.

 

[Bridget]

I emailed the same oft file to a 2nd user, but upon opening, it is just the
Default Contact form. Any ideas on why it works on one user's computer and
not another?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Probably because they have different Outlook versions. In all versions through Outlook 2003, the correct procedure is to open the .oft file with the Tools | FOrms | Choose Form command, then publish it to the Personal Forms library with the Tools | Forms | Publish Form command.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

Sue, all 4 of our users have the same version, Outlook 2003. We tried
sending as an oft. file to the other 2 users who cannot pull up the Custom
Form, but they still get the Default Contact form. We tried opening the same
way- with Tools l Forms l Choose Form command l and Publishing to Personal
Forms Library via Tools l Forms l Publish command with no luck. We can't
figure out why it works for one user who we emailed the form to, and not the
other two.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Same version = same version number with same hotfixes/SPs, not just the same major release.

Don't .oft form template files unless you also include instructions on how to same the attachment as a file and open with the Tools | Forms | Choose Form dialog.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

Would it be better, or even recommended, to "programmatically install a
custom form by using the CreateItemFromTemplate method in the Outlook objext
library, open the .oft file, and then publish by using the Publish Form
method"? (I have not looked into how to do this, but came across this
suggestion online.) Or would we run into the same trouble with opening the
form on the users' computers that we were unable to open from the .oft file
sent in emails?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Only published forms -- not .oft form templates -- can do what you want to do. Whether you have users publish them manually or write an application that users can run to perform the publication steps is up to you. The end result is the same.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

I have checked each user's version of Outlook, including any additions to it,
which we all have identical.

I think we may be saving the oft file to the hard drive to the wrong place
upon receipt of the email containing the oft file, as it does not show up as
an option under User Templates in File System.

Upon receipt of the email with the oft file, We will click on Save, and then
Where should we Save this File to in order for us to find it in the User
Templates??

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

You can save the .oft file in any system folder and then use the Browse button in the Choose Form dialog to locate it. However, the default location that User Templats in File System displays first is the %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates folder.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

I am having trouble locating the correct section to save the oft file
(Appdata\Microsoft\Templates folder). Would it be the most direct place to
save the oft file after emailing or should I try saving this file to the
Microsoft SQL Serverand seeing if each user is able to save to their own
computer from the server?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Not Appdata\Microsoft\Templates, but %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates -- to use the environment variable.

SQL Server is a database. You can't save files to it from Outlook.

Again, you can save an .oft file wherever you want. There is no "wrong place." Users just have to know where to find it if you put it somewhere other than the use's default location.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

As far as I get for the path to saving the oft file is:
C:/Documents and Settings/Bridget/... I do not have an option for
Application Data at this point, which appears to be the path I need to take.

Upon opening the User Templates in File Systems, I see that the path I need
is:
C:\Documents and Settings\Bridget\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates\*.oft


(My options at the point of needing App Data are:
Cookies, Desktop, Favorites, My Documents, and User Data. (Am I missing
something here?)

I am having trouble locating the correct section to save the oft file
(Appdata\Microsoft\Templates folder). Would it be the most direct place to
save the oft file after emailing or should I try saving this file to the
Microsoft SQL Serverand seeing if each user is able to save to their own
computer from the server?

"

 

[Bridget]

Sorry for posting so much. I think i just figured out one step so you can
ignore my previous posting. I went through and saved the oft file under
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\MesNewFileItems\*oft and it now
shows up under my User TEmplates in File System. I hope its okay that I
changed the default path.

I'm going to try this on the other computers and see if it works. Thanks
for ALL of your tremendous help Sue.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sounds like it's under control. Let us know if you need any further help.

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

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

 

[Bridget]

We're all set. Thanks for your help Sue!

Not Appdata\Microsoft\Templates, but %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates -- to use the environment variable.

SQL Server is a database. You can't save files to it from Outlook.

Again, you can save an .oft file wherever you want. There is no "wrong place." Users just have to know where to find it if you put it somewhere other than the use's default location.

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

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