Exchange Messaging Outlook Volume 14, Number 27

Quick Click Category Bug

There is a bug in Outlook 2007 SP2's Quick Click category feature in which the Quick Click category is not saved when Outlook is closed. Microsoft is aware of the problem but until they release a fix, you can download FixQuickClick from VBOffice.net. Along with the FixQuickClick patch, you'll also need to install the trial version of their Category Manager utility.

See http://www.vboffice.net/index.html?pub=20&lang=en  for links to the programs.

View a Yearly Calendar in Outlook

One view Outlook doesn't have is a Yearly view of the Calendar. While it’s not possible to display a yearly view in the Calendar pane, you can display 12 (or more) navigation calendars in the Navigation pane or To-do bar/Taskpad. Pull the separator bar inward to show more columns; in older versions you need to pull it at least the width of a navigation calendar to display more. Exactly how many calendars you'll see depends on your screen resolution, window size, and version of Outlook - you'll see more calendars in the Taskpad (after sliding the Tasks section down) in older versions than you will in Outlook 2007 or 2010.

On a wide screen monitor with Outlook 2003, I was able to view 72 navigation calendars in the Taskpad pane with all toolbars and the status bar off. On the same monitor with Outlook 2010, I can see 28.

Outlook 2007/2010 users who need a thumbnail calendar in HTML (or printed) can use Outlook’s option to send a calendar by email to create the calendar then save (or print) the email. To do this, right click on the calendar and choose Send via Email (Sharing, by Email in Outlook 2010).

Exchange MAPI & CDO 1.2.1

A question came up recently about the long term plans for Exchange MAPI and CDO. Both Exchange MAPI and CDO1.21 are "out of standard support" but are supported by Exchange 2010. However, because both Exchange Server MAPI Client and CDO 1.2.1 APIs are in the extended support phase, it is not recommended that they be used for developing new applications. Use Exchange Web Services, the Outlook Object Model or the Outlook MAPI Client library instead.

For more information on these and other APIs, see
Exchange API-spotting
http://blogs.msdn.com/exchangedev/archive/2008/05/22/exchange-developer-roadmap.aspx 

Outlook 2007 and Lotus Notes

A Notes user has been waiting patiently for Microsoft to have the Outlook connector work with Outlook 2007 and Lotus Notes. While his patience is admiral, it’s not going to happen - Microsoft is not going to release a Notes connector.

Reportedly, Domino Access for Microsoft Outlook (DAMO) 8.0.2 can be made to work with Outlook 2007. It may not offer all the features the Microsoft connector offered, but it works well. Users have gotten DAMO 8.0.2 to work with Outlook 2007 by installing DAMO 7.0.2 first. Then, before opening Outlook, install DAMO 8.0.2. When it asks if you want to upgrade the existing DAMO installation. Say yes and open Outlook when the upgrade is complete.