Outlook 2003 - Reply Form disappears

[Matt Dwyer]

Using Outlook 2003 SP1 on xpp stations, with EE 2003 on a W2k3 server.

I have a custom form published to organizational forms directory that has a
custom reply form (hidden) associated with it.

SOMETIMES (argh), if a user is CC'd on a reply, the reply form is not
visible, just the standard message form. In that case, there are a couple
tricks that we can do to get it to show up (e.g., send the form to the user
directly, not cc'd).

Perhaps this is a cache issue, although the form has not changed at all, so
I guess that implies cache corruption (lovely). Any other thoughts?

Matt

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Where is the custom reply form published?

 

[Matt Dwyer]

Both are ONLY in the Organizational Forms Library. Here is the email I have
on this problem from one of my staff who picked up on it. Form is for
requests of printing and delivery of blueprints (hence P&D request):



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Donnie S
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 9:44 AM
To: Matt Dwyer
Subject: RE: P&D request- error (opening replies)

I tested this on mine and and Dan's station, if Outlook is closed and
reopened it loses the ability to open the replies. They open and look like a
typical email (only show the message area and not the form).



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Matt Dwyer
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 10:18 AM
To: Donnie S
Subject: RE: P&D request- error (opening replies)

Is this happening to everyone? Or just some workstations? This should
never happen more than once per station.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Donnie S
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2005 5:11 PM
To: Matt Dwyer
Cc: FIX
Subject: P&D request- error (opening replies)


When people reply to the P&D request forms, others cannot open the replies.
You get an error saying Outlook cannot open this form and it open as a
normal email but only shows the message area not the whole form.

I know how to fix the problem when it happens I am just not sure what causes
it in the first place. It happens when Outlook is closed for some reason (IE
rebooting).

How to fix: have someone send you a P&D request form (I assume you could
send it to yourself) open it and click on reply. Outlook installs something
at this point but does not tell you what. After that you will be able to
view replies until Outlook is closed again.


Where is the custom reply form published?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Unfortunately SP1 doesn't alleviate all forms cache problems, and we really don't have a good handle on what causes the ones that are remaining. It sounds like you might fall into that category. If your organization has a support contract with Microsoft, it might be a good idea to open an incident for this scenario, which I haven't encountered previously.

The only other thing I can think to try is the ForceFormReload registry entry. See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;839804#XSLTH3219121123120121120120

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers