Searching middle names on Outlook 2007

[Andre]

I have a problem that has been bothering me since I began using Outlook 2007.
When I am searching for e-mails in the compose window (that's when you press
the "To..." button) I don't get results for middle names. I tried searching
both with the "name only" and "more columns" options, none of them return me
the middle name. Not even the "Advanced Search".

For example, I have a contact named John Doe Smith and in the contact
properties I set:
name: John
middle: Doe
last: Smith
If I type "doe" in the search field Outlook returns me "The search returned
no results". Neither with name only nor more columns options. I can't search
using his nickname either (using "more columns" options), but his nickname is
set in the Contact details.

Now, when I search for his middle name in the "Contacts" panel, Outlook
returns me the middle name alright, but no nickname.

Is this a feature or a bug? I sincerely hope it is not a feature. I use
searching nicknames and middle names a lot, even Windows Mail (Outlook
Express on Vista) used to return me these fields.

Thank you very much,
André

 

[Brian Tillman]

I have a problem that has been bothering me since I began using
Outlook 2007. When I am searching for e-mails in the compose window
(that's when you press the "To..." button) I don't get results for
middle names. I tried searching both with the "name only" and "more
columns" options, none of them return me the middle name. Not even
the "Advanced Search".

The Address Book Find interface has no access to either the middle name
field or the nickname field, so there's no way for its search function to
access them. If you must find contacts with those attributes, use
Tools>Find>Advanced Find from the main Outlook menu.

 

[Andre]

Nope, it doesn't do it for me. I want to find contacts to send e-mail to. The
advanced find doesn't give me that option. And neither does the "Contacts"
panel.

It is somehow unbelievable that a program as complete as this doesn't search
all the fields (or the ones you want) in the contacts information. It could
at least look in the "display name" field, so I could add as much info I can
there. But it doesn't either.

Andre

 

[Brian Tillman]

Nope, it doesn't do it for me. I want to find contacts to send e-mail
to. The advanced find doesn't give me that option. And neither does
the "Contacts" panel.

It does because I tested it before suggesting it.

 

[Andre]

The options I have with Advanced Find results are:
Open (which opens the contact details)
Print
Foward (that sends the contact information as an attachment)
Mark as unread
Delete
Move to folder

New E-mail will give me the editor window, but whithout the search results
in the "To..." field.

I have been using Windows Vista contacts folder (Windows Mail contacts),
that is the best contact system I have ever seen! Windows Explorer searches
all the fields I need ligtning fast. Too bad it doesn't allow me to add
several recipients, like Outlook. It would be nice to have something like it
in Outlook as well.

Andre

 

[Brian Tillman]

The options I have with Advanced Find results are:
Open (which opens the contact details)
Print
Foward (that sends the contact information as an attachment)
Mark as unread
Delete
Move to folder

I checked this out over the weekend and Advanced Find on Outlook 2007 is
identical to Advanced Find in OL 2003. Click Tools>Instant Search>Advanced
Find. Select the Advanced tab. Click Field, select Name Fields, then Full
Name. Add "Doe" the the string field after the drop-down showing "contains"
and click Add to List. Click Find Now. You should see the contacts
containing the string "Doe" in the name. I did.

 

[Andre]

OK, I did it, it works. But I still can't send an e-mail to the contacts in
the search result. I can only edit its properties. That is my problem. I
don't want to simply find a contact. I want to look for contacts to send
e-mail to. For me, the middle name and the nickname are two other important
fields to search. I have a few friends I know by their middle names, and
others by their nicknames (that would be much easier to type too, think of
Robert and Bob).

The advanced search does find them, but it doesn't give me an option to send
an e-mail to these guys. Not to mention that is a big path to follow
everytime I send an e-mail.

Too bad the normal search doesn't look in the "Display Name" field either.
If it did, I could save my contacts as John "Nick" Doe and I would be happy
with it. Instead, I need to save them with their fields wrong, that is, name
and last name are whatever I call these guys and I put their real names in
the commentary field. I just think it is undesirable for such a great
software like this.

Andre

 

[Brian Tillman]

OK, I did it, it works. But I still can't send an e-mail to the
contacts in the search result.

Sure you can. Select all the items in the search result and drag the
selection to the Inbox. That will create a new message window with all of
the contacts' addrersses in the To field.