Greetings! Welcome to Vol. 3, No. 10, of Exchange Messaging Outlook, an occasional newsletter about Microsoft Exchange, Windows Messaging and Microsoft Outlook, both for users of Windows 95/98 and NT 4.0 and for organizations using Microsoft Exchange Server.
Several EMO subscribers asked why the last issue did not appear in RTF format. Frankly, I don' t know. The sent messages looked like RTF, and even the Internet headers on my comeback copies looked like RTF. They just didn't look like RTF in Outlook or Exchange! I guess that's the price I pay for being an Outlook 2000 tester. I have been building a large VBA library of macros and other routines to manage this newsletter's mailing list and transmission, as well as to handle routine tasks that Outlook itself can't do. Many will be included in my upcoming book, Teach Yourself Microsoft Outlook 2000 Programming in 24 Hours, to be published by SAMS, and eventually find their way to the web site.
In case you're wondering, I am also working on The Microsoft Outlook 2000 E-mail and Fax Guide, an update to my first Outlook book.
Today's highlights:
There are now three patches for Outlook 98. The newest is the Outlook 98 Archive Patch, which prevents data loss if the power or computer fails while you're archiving. There will be a version for Outlook 97, but we don't know when.
Both the Archive Patch and the earler Security Patch, which plugs a hole related to file attachments, change the version number that you see in Help | About in Outlook 98. You might see any of these three version numbers:
The version number is contained in the file Outllib.dll. Changes to Outllib.dll are cumulative. In other words, if you have the Archive Patch installed, you also have the Outllib.dll fixes from the Security Patch.
Does this mean that you don't need to install the Security Patch if your Outlook version number shows up as 8.5.6204.0? No, that's not what it means at all. It only means that you have the Archive patch installed. It tells you nothing about whether you have also installed the Security Patch.
While the Archive Patch and Security Patch both update Outllib.dll, they also update other files -- different files for each patch. If you don't remember whether you installed the Security Patch before you installed the Archive Patch, you may want to download the Security Patch and install it anyway. If you install the Security Patch after the Archive Patch, just make sure that you respond No when the setup program asks whether you want to replace the systems' current version of Outllib.dll with an older version.
I think Microsoft needs to come up with a way for users and administrators to track all these individual patches so they don't have to waste time trying to figure out which patches are installed and possibly reinstalling those that are already present.
If you receive an error message like this when you close Outlook:
OUTLOOK caused an invalid page fault in module EMALSCAN.DLL ...
then you’ve run into a very common problem related to McAfee’s virus scan software, version 4.0.2. Network Associates has issued a Service Pack 2 for VirusScan to correct the problem by replacing several key files. Read ftp://ftp.mcafee.com/pub/antivirus/win9x/svc_pack/V98SP2.TXT for the full details, then download ftp://ftp.mcafee.com/pub/antivirus/win9x/svc_pack/v98sp402.zip from Network Associates' FTP site.
Robert Strong, author of the widely used autoaccept script for booking Exchange Server resource accounts has opened his own web showcase at http://www.exchangecode.com. A new version of the script is available, along with new configuration tools to make it easier to set up resources.
Another new design resource is IvaSoft (http://victori.hypermart.net/) -- Victor Ivanidze's site for Outlook and Exchange solutions. Current offerings include a server-side script to create an In/Out board and an Outlook form that adds an additional X-field to the Internet header on an outgoing message.
Many thanks to NetIQ for their continued sponsorship of the Slipstick Systems Exchange Center, whose work includes this newsletter. NetIQ offers the AppManager for Microsoft Exchange Server suite of monitoring tools. For NetIQ’s perspective on how monitoring contributes to a better managed Exchange installation with fewer problems, download their free white paper from http://www.netiq.com/manageexch/.
Sponsorship from companies like NetIQ keeps the Exchange Center going and expanding, meeting the needs of thousands of visitors every week. We've begun a major site redesign aimed at making it easier for you to find information about Outlook and Exchange solutions and utilities. If your company offers products or services for Exchange or Outlook, consider showing your support by sponsoring one or more pages. For more information, write me at mailto:sponsor@slipstick.com.
New and updated utilities
FaxNow!
Fax program that integrates with Outlook Contact folders. Includes a network fax component that routes incoming faxes to users as e-mail attachments.
http://www.redrocktechnologies.com/DIGITAL Office Server MAPI Driver
MAPI provider to connect Exchange, Outlook 97 or Outlook 98 (CW only) users to DIGITAL Office Server or ALL-IN-1.
http://www.openvms.digital.com/commercial/a1mapi.htmlEmailUnlimited
Mass mailing tool using Access database. Includes newsletter subscription management, autoresponder, and scheduled follow-up messages.
http://www.vclab.com/4oa/EmailUnlimited/LOOK
A schedule-viewing add-on for Outlook and Exchange Server that includes the ability to define favorites and quick access to frequently used calendars.
http://www.dansksoftware.dk/look/info.htmOutlook 98 Archive Patch
Eliminates possibility of data loss when archiving in Outlook 98.
http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/downloaddetails/arch98en.htmGotMail
Screen saver that tells you how many messages you have waiting in Outlook, Windows Messaging, Exchange, or many other e-mail programs.
http://www.gotime.com/software/gotmail.htmlOfficeChat for Microsoft Outlook
Peer-to-peer (no chat server required) chat program for Outlook contacts. Includes file transfer capability.
http://www.polarlogics.com/officechat/Team Schedule
Sample application from Microsoft that populates an Excel spreadsheet with color-coded free/busy information and appointment titles for a group of people in an Exchange Server distribution list.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/download/exchange/misc/default.htmWatch Your Back
System tray program that detects and removes read receipt requests on incoming messages. Runs with Windows Messaging, Microsoft Exchange client, or Microsoft Outlook 97/98. Shareware.
http://www.grinningshark.com/TiffWorks TIFF Printer Driver
Neat utility that uses a fax printer driver to generate a .tif or other graphic file from anything you can print from a Windows program. Great for creating faxable documents from programs that don't use file types with associated Print actions. Shareware.
http://www.informatik.com/tiffwork.htmlDencom Global Address Book. (ver 2.1a, formerly Faxware Global Address Book)
Affordable group address solution. Doesn't work with Outlook 98 in IMO mode.
http://www.dencom.co.nz/gab/gab.htmTransend ConnectWare IMPORT for cc:Mail (ver 4.0)
Adds command-line batch mode to this utility for importing cc:Mail archives, folders, bulletin boards, personal address book, Internet mail lists and private mail lists.
http://www.transend.com/iudatasheet.htmlActiveMail (ver 1.2)
Outlook productivity tool, allowing you to look up items, send messages, and respond with notes you keep in a free-form database, all from a screen that integrates Contacts and mail folders. Latest version lets you link files to notes and send messages with templates. [No longer available as of 9/2002]
http://www.nextword.com/amprod.htmActiveView (ver 1.8)
Outlook productivity tool for single-screen management of contacts, tasks, and calendar. Latest version includes file linking, primary and secondary contact folders, custom templates for outgoing mail, and easier updating of contact e-mail addresses. [No longer available as of 9/2002]
http://www.nextword.com/avprod.htmAlcom LanFax NT (ver 6.0)
Adds 10-digit dialing support among other features. Free 3-user, 1-line starter pack available.
http://www.alcom.com/products/nt.htmCompressMail (ver 2.3b)
Adds public folder support, maximum message size detection and other features to this tool for compressing and decompressing Outlook and Exchange attachments.
http://www.compressmail.com/Word-Outlook MailMerge Program
Latest version lets you select a group of contacts for merging.
http://www.intouchsoftware.com/
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