VCF file changes information after file is sent.

[BD Hodge]

I have a client with a Small Business Server 2003 and Outlook 2003. They are
trying to send out a VCF file to all their clients telling them about the
change in their contact information. We create the contact and save it, but
when the VCF file is sent out, the data is being pulled from the Exchange
server, and not the original VCF. I've gone in and tried to change the
"type" of contact. Right now it says EX, when it should be SMTP.

Has anyone seen this problem before? Is there any resolution?

Thanks.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

This is just the tip of the iceberg of issues related to sending vCards derived from Exchange GAL entries. Did you open the .vcf file in Notepad to see what data it actually contains? Editing it there is the only solution I know of. While you have it open, you can delete the personal information that you don't want to leak out, such as home address.

The long-term solution is to upgrade to Outlook 2007, which doesn't have these issues.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

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

 

[BD Hodge]

The problem is not that it's leaking personal information, it's that the
comments field is being left blank, even though my client has it filled with
lots of information.

This guy sent out VCF's from his old company and he says people could read
the comments field. And this company was the same situation, Outlook 2003
with SBS 2003.

Is this a "feature" that the comments field is blank for the receiver of a
VCF?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Again, I'd suggest that the first step in troubleshooting this is to look at the .vcf file in Notepad to determine if Outlook is actually saving the information in the first place. It's not clear whether you've done that.

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

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

 

[BD Hodge]

I opened it with notepad, and that data is indeed being saved in the Note:
field. But it does not show up in the note field when I open the VCF in
Outlook.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What build number of Outlook? Are you up to date on service packs? I seem to recall some vCard problems with OL2003 RTM.

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

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

 

[BD Hodge]

The person sending the v-card is up to date on all of the service packs. I
did that the last time I was there. Does the user receiving the v-card have
to be updated ont he service packs too? Because that's just impossible.
They want to send this vcf to about 300 people. I'm about to tell them that
there's nothing that can be done. The data is in the VCF when I look at it
from my computer from Notepad. But it just will not show up in the Note:
field.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

It's the recipient's application that matters, since all you're sending them is, in effect, a text file. It's up to the recipient to process it correctly. What I'd suggest is to duplicate any essential information in the body of the transmitting email message, rather than rely soly on the Notes field.

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

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