Greetings! Welcome to Vol. 2, No. 13 of Exchange Messaging Outlook, an occasional newsletter about Microsoft Exchange, Windows Messaging and Microsoft Outlook, both for users of Windows 95 and NT 4.0 and for organizations using Microsoft Exchange Server.
Today's highlights:
Regular features:
Microsoft plans final Outlook 98 releaseThe final release of Outlook 98 will take place by the end of March, according to Microsoft. I personally have very mixed feelings about this product. Yes, it offers significant improvements in some areas, but it takes some backward steps, too. We're putting together a new section at the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center for Outlook 98 issues. Watch for a special issue of EMO on release day next month to alert you to the news.
Service Pack 2 for Exchange Server 5.0 released
Microsoft continues to stick to a regular schedule of service packs for Exchange Server, releasing SP2 for Exchange Server 5.0 even though Exchange Server 5.5 is already on the shelves. The English-language version of SP2 can be found at ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/exchange/exchange-public/fixes/Eng/Exchg5.0/Sp2/. Make sure you check the Readme.rtf or Readme.txt file to determine which files you need to download. The Readme also includes a complete list of fixes.
SP2 includes a full download of Microsoft Outlook 8.03, the same version of Outlook included with Exchange Server 5.5. This version of Outlook includes several fixes and new features for all Outlook users, not just those connecting to 5.5 servers. See http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/ol803.htm for details.
At last -- an affordable workgroup address book!
Faxware Global Address Book (http://www.dencom.co.nz/gab/gab.htm) is a very affordable address book for sharing Internet addresses. The initial version does not have direct import capability, but you can open the FXWGabDB.gab source database in Microsoft Access to import other address lists. (That could, of course, include addresses you had exported from an Outlook Contacts folder to an Access file.)
Requires Windows Messaging, Exchange Server client or Microsoft Outlook. Provided by Faxware International Limited, the New Zealand-based developers of the Faxware for NT solution for group faxing, also compatible with Exchange and Outlook.
Other ODBC address book approaches
People are always asking how Exchange or Outlook can use an existing Access or other ODBC address book on the network. Here's a short list of some solutions you might want to investigate:
RKK Ħaddress it! can connect to virtually any ODBC database.
http://www.rkk.de/products/addressit/default.htmThe full version of ExpressMail, an Internet mail MAPI transport from OpenSoft, includes the capability to connect to any ODBC data source (MS Access, delimited text, etc.).
http://www.opensoft.com/products/expressmail/Replic-Action synchronizes any ODBC data source with data in a public or personal folder in Outlook or Exchange, including Outlook Contacts.
http://www.casahl.com
If you want to tackle this issue on your own, the resources on our Design Resources page at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/design.htm can help you understand how to work with Outlook data from within Access.
Label and envelope printing for Outlook
Another new and exciting Outlook add-on from New Zealand consists of two ActiveX controls that add the ability to print envelopes and delivery labels. This is the solution that Outlook users who don't have Word (or don't have enough RAM to run Word and Outlook together) have been waiting for. It is shareware; you must register in order to print the recipient's address.
The developer is working on a new version that won't require the Visual Basic 5.0 runtimes and will operate like a normal Outlook add-in, without the need to customize forms.
We're pleased to host this application at the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/mssoutl.htm.
Essential articles for designers
With the help of the other Outlook MVPs, we've been spending a lot of time lately trying to keep up with the growing number of resources available for programming Exchange and Outlook. Check the Design Resources page at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/design.htm regularly for items marked New! A few highlights:
DLL to Read and Write RTF with Active Messaging
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q172/0/38.aspHOWTO: Access MAPI Address Books with Active Messaging 1.1
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q172/0/93.aspOutlook Technical Articles, White Papers, and Resource Kits
http://www.microeye.com/outtech.htmlHow to Use Command Bars in Outlook Solutions
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q173/6/04.aspOutlook Contact Item Fields and Properties - White paper by Helen Feddema
ftp://ftp.helenfeddema.com/pub/outlflds.zip
Microsoft has rearranged the main support site for Microsoft Office at http://www.microsoft.com/office/update.asp, renaming it Microsoft Office Update. You'll need to register to get access to free enhancements for Microsoft Outlook and other Office 97 programs.
The Outlook 97 Weblinks Help File adds 25 new Help topics with links to the Microsoft Knowledgebase, but finding them isn't easy. You can look in Help on the Index tab for "Troubleshooting" topics. Then, at the bottom of selected troubleshooting topics, look for a hotspot to "Link to the Web or other sources."
We have a way to make these new Weblinks topics easier to locate: Open the Outlhlp.cnt file in Notepad. You should find Outlhlp.cnt in the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder. Add this line near the top, under the other lines that start with ":Index":
:Index Microsoft Outlook Weblinks Help=OL9701.HLP
Close Outlhlp.cnt. In Outlook, choose Help | Contents and Index, then switch to the Find tab and go through the steps of rebuilding the full-text search database. Search for the word "web." Scroll down the list of topics until you find the ones that start with "More information...." These are the new Weblinks topics.
ConnectorWare IMPORT Utility for cc:Mail
Utility for importing Lotus cc:Mail DB6 and DB8 (Release 6, 7, and 8) archives, folders and bulletin boards directly into Microsoft Outlook and Exchange folders. From Transend, makers of the cc:Mail transport included with Outlook 97.
http://www.transend.com/ConnectorWare/ActiveView
New way of viewing Outlook items, especially Contacts, Tasks and Calendar. Lets you create a database of freeform notes and append time-stamped notes to an Outlook contact. A separate sales tracking module is also available. [No longer available as of 9/2002]
http://www.nextword.com/AVprod.htmSpelling Sentry 32
Spell check add-on that works with Windows Messaging. Thanks to Susan D. Fyfe for the tip.
http://www.wintertree-software.com/Day-Timer Printer Companion for Microsoft Outlook
Free add-on to print Outlook data on Day-Timer pages. For Windows 95 only.
http://www.daytimer.com/technology/software/download/formpcout.htmlCSMime
For users of the CompuServe Mail service, a shareware add-on that hides the MIME header on incoming items and cures the GPF in Riched32.dll that users were getting when receiving multiple attachments.
http://www.cs2exchange.com/ProductsCSMime.htmExchange Templates
Awesome add-on for creating custom replies, forwards, signatures -- any type of boilerplate text -- from Exchange or Outlook messages. Latest update adds rich text, support for automatic replies and better performance.
http://www.nsoftware.com/et.htmProfile Maker (ver 2.3)
Utility for building Exchange or Outlook user profiles, allowing roving mail users even on a peer-to-peer network.. New version adds support for Windows 95 execution from the netlogon share, automatic update of client .dll files and various bug fixes. Licensing policy has also changed.
http://www.desktopstandard.com/Nemx TBAV for MS Exchange Client
Major update to this personal anti-virus e-mail utility (formerly ThunderByte) adds scanning of multiple information stores, .zip file scanning, cleaning function for macro viruses and improved throughput. Versions for workgroup or MS Mail postoffices and Microsoft Exchange Server are also available.
http://www.nemx.com/virus/tbavmxc.htmlMaX Migrator (ver 5.5)
Updated conversion utility to handles messages sent to old MS Mail mailboxes during the transition period to Microsoft Exchange. Automatic forwarding is included, along with notification that the e-mail address has changed, plus the ability to take the MS Mail addresses out of the DirSync process so they don't appear in the Global Address List.
http://www.c2c.co.uk/products/mmigrator.htmGroup Schedule
For Microsoft Outlook connected to Microsoft Exchange Server, displays the schedules for a group of users in a color-coded grid. You can double-click any cell in the grid to get more detailed information on a user's appointments. Updated to eliminate the expiration date. Now freeware! (Outlook only)
http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/gallery.htm#groupscheduleWinFax Pro (ver 8.03)
Adds new modem configuration information and fixes various problems, including one with text wrapping on cover pages. You can use the LiveUpdate feature or download the appropriate update file for your version (8.0, 8.01 or 8.02).
http://service.symantec.com/bulletin/winfax/803.htmlMailFlag
Major rewrite of this notification utility. It now supports both Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange -- in both 32-bit and 16-bit versions. Works with the Microsoft Mail or Microsoft Exchange Server service.
http://www.thirdmillennium.com/MFHome.htmlChilton Preview
Update to popular preview for Microsoft Outlook provides support for "linked" attachments and fixes a few bugs.
http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/gallery.htm#previewMicrosoft Draw 98
OLE-compliant drawing application based on OfficeArt in Office 97. Use it to create graphics in Outlook messages. Formerly Microsoft Draw 97.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/office/enhancements/draw98.asp
Search the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/search.htm.
Get the answers from the Microsoft Exchange, Windows Messaging and Microsoft Outlook FAQs at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/faqs.htm.
The Microsoft Outlook FAQ has a Table of Contents at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/outlfaq.htm to help you find answers faster. New and updated items are at the bottom of the page.
Ask new questions and provide other feedback for the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center FAQs at http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/faqfdbk.htm.
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