Outlook 2003 Forms Behaviour

[john.phelan]

I have a form with an embedded word document that worked great until
Outlook 2003 came along....

Here is the scenario:

1) I setup Outlook Options to make sure Word is NOT my email editor.

2) I create a MS-Word Document with a header and footer (the footer
contains an approval line for a printed form). I then did Edit Select
All / Edit Copy.

3) I went into Outlook an created a new message and pasted the Word
Document into the message.

4) Then , from this message in Outlook, I select Tools / Forms / Design
this form.

5) I save the form as an OFT file and publish the form to the
Organizational Forms Library.

6) I setup Outlook Options to make sure Word IS my email editor.


Now - when I double click on the OFT file in my File System, Outlook
launches Word as the editor and I see the header and footer and when I
print everything is perfect.

When I select the form from the Organizational Forms library using
Outlook 2003 (tools / forms / choose form), the document is launched in
"Rich Text" mode and the Header / Footer do not display or print.

When I select the form from the Organizational Forms library using ANY
VERSION OF OUTLOOK PRIOR TO OUTLOOK 2003 tools / forms / choose form),
the document launches in Word and the header and footer display and
print PERFECTLY.

What changed in Outlook 2003 and how do I get around it?

PS - I tried checking and unchecking the option (Use Microsoft Word
2003 to read rich text email messages) ... no luck

 

[Hollis D. Paul]

PS - I tried checking and unchecking the option (Use Microsoft Word
2003 to read rich text email messages) ... no luck

Have you tried setting Outlook to use HTML format AND Word as the
editor, and then pasting your word document into a new Outlook message
item?

Sadly, it appears the document form has disappeared from the Outlook
standard forms in OL2K3.

If that doesn't work, you can add code to the item open event that
would load a template of your choice.

Hollis D. Paul [MVP - Outlook]
(e-mail address removed)
Using Virtual Access 4.52 build 277 (32-bit), Windows 2000 build 2600
http://search.support.microsoft.com/kb/c.asp?FR=0&SD=TECH&LN=EN-US

Mukilteo, WA USA

 

[john.phelan]

PS - I tried checking and unchecking the option (Use Microsoft Word
2003 to read rich text email messages) ... no luck

Have you tried setting Outlook to use HTML format AND Word as the
editor, and then pasting your word document into a new Outlook message
item?

Sadly, it appears the document form has disappeared from the Outlook
standard forms in OL2K3.

If that doesn't work, you can add code to the item open event that
would load a template of your choice.

Hollis D. Paul [MVP - Outlook]
(e-mail address removed)
Using Virtual Access 4.52 build 277 (32-bit), Windows 2000 build 2600
http://search.support.microsoft.com/kb/c.asp?FR=0&SD=TECH&LN=EN-US

Mukilteo, WA USA

Yes....I tried setting Outlook 2003 to use HTML format and I still
could not edit the message and print headers / footers. I also tried
creating a new message with a default format of HTML in both Outlook
2000 and 2003 and the Forms / Design a form is not an available option.

It looks like Microsoft simply removed this functionality from Outlook
2003.

 

[Hollis D. Paul]

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<[email protected]>
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I also tried
creating a new message with a default format of HTML in both Outlook
2000 and 2003 and the Forms / Design a form is not an available option.

Slow down, John. With a product as complicated as Outlook, only a member
of the design team, looking at the source code, cam make a statement like
that. You and I have to preface all such pronouncements with "I
Think..." Or "It is my theory that..." And in this case, you are wrong.
As was explained to me just recently, when I was trying to do the same as
you on my first custom form in years, you do not have Forms/Design this
form on a new, or blank, message form. (This window is called an Outlook
Inspector window, because you are inspecting a message.) It is there if
the message is presented in a custom form.

To get to the design this form with a new message, you have to go back to
the Outlook Explorer window-the one that shows the Outlook folders. Here
you use the Tools menu: Tools -> Design a form -> Message and you are in
a blank message in design mode. Now try your trick.

Hollis D. Paul [MVP - Outlook]
(e-mail address removed)
Using Virtual Access 4.52 build 277 (32-bit), Windows 2000 build 2600
http://search.support.microsoft.com/kb/c.asp?FR=0&SD=TECH&LN=EN-US

Mukilteo, WA USA

 

[john.phelan]

Hollis:

First, thank you for your assistance so far....

Second, I repeat my statement IT LOOKS LIKE MICROSOFT simply removed
this functionality from Outlook 2003. I tried your latest suggestion -
creating a blank message in design mode. Now, there is no way to paste
the Word Document into the message. The facts remain:

1) Form displays and prints properly when I double click on the OFT
file in a File System from Outlook 2000, XP, 2003.
2) Form displays and prints properly when I publish and choose from
the Organizational Forms Library in Outlook 2000, and XP.
3) Form DOES NOT display or print properly when I publish and choose
from the Organizational Forms Library in Outlook 2003.

What has changed? not the form, but the Outlook version
Who changed it? I don't have the source code ;-)

Any other ideas?
If you want I can send you the OFT file and you can try it yourself.

Thanks
John Phelan

 

[Hollis D. Paul]

<[email protected]>
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Second, I repeat my statement IT LOOKS LIKE MICROSOFT simply removed
this functionality from Outlook 2003.

I tested the paste problem, and you are correct. But, it turns out,
you just aren't being devious enough. The answer lies in the
unstressed part of my previous message. To whit: "It is there if
the message is presented in a custom form."

So, try this second-order trick. From the Outlook Explorer, click
Tools -> Forms -> Design a Form -> Standard Forms Library -> Message.
Immediately publish it as BlankWordHTMLmsg in the Org Forms Library.
Again from the Outlook Explorer, click Tools -> Forms -> Design a From
-> Org Forms Library -> BlankWordHTMLmsg. Immediately paste your the
contents of your dot file into it and publish it as
MyHeaderFooterMsg_V1. I did that with just a text message and was able
to get it back. I don't know if the header/footer business would pass
into the message. Give it a try.

Hollis D. Paul [ Outlook MVP]

 

[Hollis D. Paul]

<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
<[email protected]>
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.outlook.program_forms
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Lines: 1
Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com microsoft.public.outlook.program_forms:71563

So, try this second-order trick. From the Outlook Explorer, click
Tools -> Forms -> Design a Form -> Standard Forms Library -> Message.
Immediately publish it as BlankWordHTMLmsg in the Org Forms Library.
Again from the Outlook Explorer, click Tools -> Forms -> Design a From
-> Org Forms Library -> BlankWordHTMLmsg. Immediately paste your the
contents of your dot file into it and publish it as
MyHeaderFooterMsg_V1. I did that with just a text message and was able
to get it back. I don't know if the header/footer business would pass
into the message. Give it a try.

Sue Mosher said she tested this and could not get the header/footer to
show. She says that she still uses the Outlook 2000 standard forms when
the new standard forms will not work for her. They are located on her web
site at the following URL:

"Select all in the Word .dot file, then paste? Doesn't work here.
Neither does setting the .dot file on the Properties page of the form.
No header or footer in either case.

I can get it to work, though, on an Office document form based on the
Outlook 2000 Office doc form." -- Sue

How come there isn't an Office Document form in OfSysOL2K3? Seems like it
should have been included in our carping to the Outlook team." -- Hollis

"The ability to create a new Office document form went away in Office XP,
not Office 2003, when the "Office envelope" feature was overhauled so that
it actually works pretty well. I keep copies of the Outlook 2000 forms
stashed at http://www.outlookcode.com/files/ODforms.zip, and they still
work quite nicely in the later versions." -- Sue

Hollis D. Paul [MVP - Outlook]
(e-mail address removed)
Mukilteo, WA USA