Restoring a Custom Form

[Rod Plastow]

Due to a melt-down of my hard disk I am in the middle of the tedious process
of restoring my backed-up data. Restoring my Outlook email and contact data
from a .pst file went without a hitch but I also need to restore a custom
form associated with my contact data. I have a back-up of the sub folder in
the ......\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\FORMS folder but every
attempt to restore this has failed.

I have tried moving the sub folder into the target folder (both with and
without the FRMCACHE.DAT file) but Outlook fails find the custom form and
after I close Outlook I find the custom form sub folder has been removed.

I have also tried creating a 'dummy' form of the same name to get a
persistent sub folder and then replacing that sub folder with my backed-up
version. In this case Outlook finds the 'dummy' form! (from where?).

The original backed-up version and the target version of Outlook are both
2003 SP2 under XP Pro SP2.

I would appreciate any suggestions of other things to try.

Regards,

Rod

PS If this is a duplicate post then I apologise. I created a post yesterday
but I cannot find it in this forum.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Pick a Forms subfolder and make a copy of the .tmp file you find there. Rename the .tmp file to .msg and then double-click it to open it in Outlook. What you should see is your complete form, the cached copy, which you can then save as an .oft file for backup and republish.

You didn't say what you did to "restore" your data. The correct procedure would be to use the original .pst file that you were using before as your default information store on the fixed machine.

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

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

 

[Rod Plastow]

Hi Sue,

Thanks for the response, I'd almost given up on this one and the only reason
I have not recreated the form from first principles is lack of time and
lethargy, probably more of the latter if the truth be told. I'm away from my
back up at the moment and out tonight but I will try your suggestion asap and
let you know the results.

How did I restore? No I didn't mention it and I now have that sneaking
feeling of what's wrong. I reloaded Outlook v2003 Sp2 then imported folders
from my backed up .pst. I have that feeling I should have replaced the
virgin .pst with my backed up file - lock, stock and barrel.

I now have two things to try. Thanks again.

Rod

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Yes, that's exactly what you should have done. If you had, all forms, views, etc. would be intact. Importing can only bring in individual data items, not all those hidden items and settings.

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

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

 

[Rod Plastow]

Magic Sue, it took me all of 3 minutes to resolve the issue.

For the sake of anyone following all this and to close this thread, this is
what I did.
Copy current .pst because it's moved on a bit since restoration; replace
current .pst with backed-up copy; import new folder items from copy of
current .pst. All now restored as it should be and up-to-date.

Thanks, Rod