Outlook 2007 .PRF Installation

[Mr Freyman]

Now that 2007 no longer allows for direct execution (clicking on prf for
installation) of .prf files for setting up new profiles...I'm thinking the
easiest way for a programmer and user to automatically setup new profiles for
'07 is to just have the user download a file to change the registry settings.
I hate to mess with the registry at all but now I dont have an simple tool
for my users to use for automated email configuration. Suggestions??

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

And that file would be a .prf file, which should still be usable with the /importprf switch and the other methods documented in the excellent white paper "Configuring Outlook Profiles by Using a PRF File" at http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?assetid=HA011403051033&QueryID=pHm7c_60I&respos=3

I think the docs available at http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/beta/deploy.mspx will also go into how to deploy updates with the new Office Customization Tool.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

If I deploy now I have to also deploy a script along with the prf....and
since you can't determine the download location (I'm deploying via download)
you never know exactly where the prf location is going to be for the
\importPRF switch. See my problem?
PS--I recently purchased your book Microsoft Outlook Programming (and your
website has been extremely helpful). Why didnt you include prf techniques in
your book?....or did I miss them in the index?

Thank you,
Robert

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What would this script do? Are you using the new Office Configuration Tool to configure your deployment, including the .prf file?

Configuration script examples are in my latest book (see signature), including a couple for modifying PRF files. There are also some WMI scripts at http://www.outlookcode.com .

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

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

In the past from my website I could create a prf file from a template
depending on their outlook version and push it to the user via download. All
the user had to do is execute the prf file to install their mail profile.
With 2007, now I would need a script to use the wscript.shell to run the
outlook switch (or run it from the browser after download) and I wont have
the path for the switch anyway since theyre downloading the prf. Its my
understanding you cant dictate the download destination of anything....I
could zip the prf but thats too many steps for the user....between the
download and executing the zip and the wscript prompt.

Thanks,
Robert

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I'm still confused. You're deploying Outlook 2007 by download? Just a PRF by download? Something in between? To people in your own organization? Something else?

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

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

Sorry, just deploying the prf via download to subscribers of our service.
We're not within the same network. Its just a tool to help them configure
theyre imap/pop email client. I'm certain some of them will be using outlook
2007 in the near future and I need to be ready to assist them in its
configuration with this prf tool.

Robert

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Service? You're a mail host provider?

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

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

Yes. Do you have any suggestions of a user friendly way to handle my
problem? Basically I'd like this to be as transparent or user friendly as
possible.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

The scenario Microsoft envisions is that POP/IMAP users won't need a PRF at all. All they'll need to do is type in their email address and Outlook 2007 will automatically determine the server settings. Have you tried that with your service yet?

Unfortunately, there's no documentation on this autodiscovery process yet.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

Yes, but it will only automatically determine that a pop connection is
available, not imap..which probably has something to do with our host
software.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Stay tuned. I'm hoping that Microsoft will provide more information on this soon.

FWIW, what my mail provider does for their Exchange customers -- but it would work as well for POP3/IMAP4 -- is provide a small .exe to perform the profile configuration. I presume that it uses Extended MAPI, but don't know the details.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

Also, any idea why Outlook will only recognize profiles the first time theyre
insterted into the registry if theyre inserted via a reg file?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Sorry, but I don't know what you mean by "recognize profiles"

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

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

 

[Mr Freyman]

What I mean is that even though there is a profile entry in the registry,
outlook will not show that profile. This occurs the 2nd time a profile is
created via the registry vs creating the profile via outlook. The first
time a profile is created via the registry outlook will recognize it....just
not the second time or anytime after.

Robert

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Show it where? In the profile selection dialog?

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

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