Workaround for outlook reminder notification to pager

[BDS]

I have come across a workaround for Outlook security blocking calendar
reminders to a pager.

Background:
In office 97 you could place a bit of VB code in outlook that would
send an email to an alpha pager that was triggered by calendar
reminders. Then in office 2000 and XP Microsoft decided to cripple
this feature so as to make it useless. You had to be at the PC running
the code to click an ok box which defeated the purpose of getting
reminders when away from your desk/office.
(Apparently in Office 2003 there is a way to get around this with
proper code?)

Overview:
The workaround presented here requires a small external program called
"bmail".
This is a freeware email sender. Currently available at:
http://www.beyondlogic.org/

The other external feature that is required is an SMTP server that
will accept email send requests from bmail. Your best bet is to try
your ISP's SMTP server. If you are at a company using an exchange
server there still might be an SMTP server available. Ask your IT
dept. If all else fails you could try a local SMTP server running on
you computer. There are several available for download. These are
used mostly by spamers and email "bombers" but they will work for this
purpose just as well.

Detailed instruction:
place the executable program "bmail.exe" in a convenient directory
i.e. -> C:\bmail\bmail.exe
Open MS Outlook.
Open Tools->Macros->VisualBasic Editor
Expand the folders.
Then click on "Microsoft Outlook Objects"
Double click on ThisOutlookSession to bring up code window
Copy the code below into the window and replace
"YOUR_PAGER_EMAIL_ADDRESS" with the email address of your pager.
Replace "YOUR.EMAIL" with your email address in the last line of code.
Replace "SMTP_SERVER_HERE" with your local SMTP server.
Verify that the path in the shell command correctly points to the
bmail.exe program.
Save your project and exit

To use it:

Click on your calendar
Click New (for new appointment)
put in Subject, start time, end time
check reminder

Notes-
If you have an arch pager then your pager address is the 10 digit
pager number (7 + area code)
followed by @archwireless.net
example: "(e-mail address removed)"
Contact your pager vendor for the correct address and format.

Remember to set your security settings in outlook to something other
than "high."
(select menus Tools->Macro->Security)
Click the "enable macros" button if prompted when starting Outlook.

Make sure the shell command below is all on one line Shell(commands)

For details on -options of bmail see the documentation at
beyondlogic.org

---------------Copy and paste code below this line--------------------

Private Sub Application_Reminder(ByVal Item As Object)
If Item.Sensitivity <> olConfidential Then
If TypeOf Item Is AppointmentItem Then SendApptReminder Item
If TypeOf Item Is MailItem Then SendMailReminder Item
If TypeOf Item Is TaskItem Then SendTaskReminder Item
End If
End Sub

Private Sub SendApptReminder(ByRef Item As AppointmentItem)
SendPage Item.Subject, FormatDateTime(Item.Start, vbLongTime) & _
"-" & FormatDateTime(Item.End, vbShortTime) & vbCrLf & _
Item.Location
End Sub

Private Sub SendMailReminder(ByRef Item As MailItem)
SendPage "Mail Reminder", Item.Subject
End Sub

Private Sub SendTaskReminder(ByRef Item As TaskItem)
SendPage Item.Subject, Item.Body
End Sub

Private Sub SendPage(ByVal Subject As String, ByVal Body As String)
Dim osubject As String
Dim obody As String
Const oaddress = "YOUR_PAGER_EMAIL_ADDRESS"
osubject = Chr(34) & Subject & Chr(34)
obody = Chr(34) & Body & Chr(34)
Shell ("C:\bmail\bmail.exe -s "SMTP_SERVER_HERE" -t " & oaddress &
" -f "(e-mail address removed)" -b " & obody & " -a " & osubject & "
-h")
End Sub