User-defined fields in this item vs. folder

[tjsmags]

When in a contact, I added some additional fields under the All Fields tab.
I've added fields under User-defined fields in this item and also under
User-defined fields in folder (not knowing which one I should always use).

Our school got a new server. All the contacts are there, but all the fields
I added under the 'folder' option are gone (along with the data I'm
assuming?). I still see the fields I added under 'item,' though. Is there a
way to retrieve the lost data, or is it lost? And, what is the difference
between adding a field under 'item' vs. 'folder?' Which one should I always
use?

I create a contact for each student in our school. That is what I'm using
this for. I added fields such as Mother/Guardian, Father/Guardian,
Allergies, Medications, Referred By, Exit Date, Graduating Class of, etc.
Now I only see the Mother and Father fields, which were under 'item.' All
the rest are gone...yikes! Help!

 

[Karl Timmermans]

When adding a user-defined field to an item in Outlook - it automatically
gets added to the <folder list> but only actually gets added to an
individual item when data is entered for a given field (going under the
assumption that you are referring to a scenario where no custom form is in
use and referencing user-defined fields for a standard contact item
(MessageClass = IPM.Contact)

You can also delete a user-defined field name from the <Folder List> but any
data added to that field for a given contact remains with the item. It
doesn't get deleted. However, once a field is deleted from the <Folder
List> - you can't see any data for it in a view regardless of what the
individual contacts contain. To correct that, you simply need to re-add the
field to the Folder's list again making sure to use the exact same <name>
and <field type> otherwise you're going to end up with a mis-match between
the field type defined in the Folder List versus the field actually
associated with an individual contact.


Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

 

[tjsmags]

How come I still don't see the new categories I added back when I choose
'folder?' You are right, the data does appear back, but when I add a new
student/contact, none of the categories I added show up when I click on the
ALL FIELDS tab and select from the 'folder.' I want the categories to show
here like they used to.
--
Thank you.

When adding a user-defined field to an item in Outlook - it automatically
gets added to the <folder list> but only actually gets added to an
individual item when data is entered for a given field (going under the
assumption that you are referring to a scenario where no custom form is in
use and referencing user-defined fields for a standard contact item
(MessageClass = IPM.Contact)

You can also delete a user-defined field name from the <Folder List> but any
data added to that field for a given contact remains with the item. It
doesn't get deleted. However, once a field is deleted from the <Folder
List> - you can't see any data for it in a view regardless of what the
individual contacts contain. To correct that, you simply need to re-add the
field to the Folder's list again making sure to use the exact same <name>
and <field type> otherwise you're going to end up with a mis-match between
the field type defined in the Folder List versus the field actually
associated with an individual contact.


Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

 

[Karl Timmermans]

Categories and user-defined fields are two completely separate and unrelated
topics/issues.

Don't understand what you mean by "categories I added........when
click....ALL Fields .....select from folder". Hopefully someone else has a
better idea of what you're referring to but sounds like your Master
Categories list has disappeared (nothing to do with the All Fields tab>. In
any event - would suggest you provide some additional details - not the
least of which is Outlook version (before and after if there was a change)
and exactly was all changed in terms of "a new server".

Karl
___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

How come I still don't see the new categories I added back when I choose
'folder?' You are right, the data does appear back, but when I add a new
student/contact, none of the categories I added show up when I click on
the
ALL FIELDS tab and select from the 'folder.' I want the categories to
show
here like they used to.

 

[tjsmags]

Go through the process of adding a new Contact. You'll see there is a tab
called ALL FIELDS. Right underneath there is a SELECT FROM field that has a
drop down. This is where the fields I created myself were in USER-DEFINED
FIELDS IN THIS ITEM and also in USER-DEFINED FILEDS IN FOLDER.

Now do you see what I mean? What is the difference between above two listed
drop down options?

 

[Karl Timmermans]

Please refer to my original response regarding to the "user-defined
fields" - answers to your original question are specifically addressed there
so not sure what exactly you're asking about (sentence one of the response
indicates when a field gets added to the Folder and Items list). Your second
post/question asked about "Categories" and "User-defined fields" which are
not the same thing. "Categories" is a standard Outlook field.

To restateand summarize the original answer another way:

#1 - Via the Outlook UI - you cannot add a user-defined field to an <Item>
without it also being added to the <Folders> List
#2 - Adding a user-defined field via the <Items> group but NOT adding any
data to the field does not add the field to the <Item> but will add it to
the <Folders> group
#3 - You can add a user-defined field via the <Folder> but if no data is
added - nothing gets added to the item (same as item #2)
#4 - You can delete a user-defined field from the <Folders> group but it
does not delete the field from any contact that may already have data in
that field (what I refer to as <orphan> user-defined fields since there is
no way to know of their existance without interrogating the User-Properties
collection of every contact within the folder or in Outlook UI parlance -
open every contact individually and see what user-defined fields exist for
that item)

And just to be clear - the above refers specifically to contacts that do not
have (were not created with) a custom form assigned - (current/standard
message class = "IPM.Contact")

Karl

___________________________________________________
Karl Timmermans - The Claxton Group
ContactGenie - Importer 1.3 / DataPorter 2.0 / Exporter
"Power contact importers/exporters for MS Outlook '2000/2007"
http://www.contactgenie.com

 

[innsport]

Karl, could you expand on the significance of your summary comments applying only to message class IPM.contact? I have recently modified the contact form and its message class and find that custom fields containing data in the original contact form are missing that data in the new form. The custom field appears in both in the folder and the item when opening the contact but the data is not. However, when "viewing" contacts in outlook with those fields selected in the view, the original data is there. Does your comment have relevance for what I am observing?