Exchange Messaging Outlook Volume 15, Number 21

Outlook 2007: July 13 Update Issues

We recently started to see problems that are solved by uninstalling the July 13 update, which also included the April 27 2010 hotfix along with the security fixes. Apparently very few people installed the hotfix - we saw no complaints until late July.

The April update introduced line wrap to printed Monthly calendars, as seen in older versions of Outlook. Unfortunately, the algorithm that did the wrapping didn't do a very good job and new lines begin in the middle of words. Oops. The end date was also removed. We've had a lot of complaint about the lack of line wrapping since the release of Outlook 2007, now they're complaining about the lack of the end times. These issues are scheduled to be addressed in updates later this year.

Another problem that goes away when the update is uninstalled is "now you see them, now you don't" Color categories. One of the affected users described it like this: "I noticed that when I open Outlook 2007, often times (but not all the time), my categories are reset to the default basic colors. If I close Outlook and re-open it, they usually all come back! When "missing", the names of the categories will show up with gray background in appointments or contacts instead of whatever color they should be. When "categories" list is viewed, none of these categories show up at all."

Because he described the problem as "just started" in the same time frame as the update, I suggested they trying uninstalling the update. Since doing so, the categories don't disappear.

We also saw a couple of problems with recurring appointments that were solved by removing this update, including one where the attachment wouldn't open.

If you notice any other weird or buggy behavior, try uninstalling the update (and send us an email.)

While the update is a "critical security update", the exploit it addresses is only triggered by a user opening an attachment that arrives in an email message. Consider how likely someone would open an unknown attachment on the computer when deciding whether you can go without it until the issue that bugs you is fixed.

Note that automatic updates will keep installing the Update. You need to go to the update site and hide this update. Uninstall the update, go to the Start menu and click the link for Windows Update. Let it search for updates it thinks you need then review the list. Right click on this update (and any others you don't want offered) and mark it hidden.
 
MS10-045: Description of the security update for Outlook 2007: July 13, 2010
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/980376 

Description of the Office Outlook 2007 hotfix package (outlook-x-none.msp): April 27, 2010
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/981048 

Exchange Question: Can I add the "TO" field in a new folder in OWA 2007?

A user recently asked if he could customize the view in OWA, like he can in Outlook. He would like to be able to see the To and From fields in the view.

Unfortunately, you can't add fields in OWA. You'll need to use Arrange By - click on Arrange by bar and select TO. This will group your mails by the TO field. You can't customize the views like you can in Outlook and are limited to the predefined views.

Poll: Do you like the ability edit and save attachments back to an email message?

Outlook has a nifty feature (or design flaw, depending on who you talk to): you can open an attachment and edit it, then save it and the changes save to the original email message.
You had to work in this order:

1. Open message
2. Open attachment
3. Edit attachment
4. Save and close attachment
5. Save and close message

This sounds simple but its easy to mess up: If you closed the message first, the changes to the attachment didn't save back to the message. Then, if you closed the attachment without saving it to your documents folder, all of your edits could be lost (or hard to find in the securetemp folder). If you saved and closed the attachment first then closed the message but didn't save changes, the attachment wasn't updated.

Because there were so many ways this could go wrong, administrators generally hate this feature.

We were curious to find out how many people used this feature; if you haven't yet voted in our poll, there is still time. It's fairly evenly split, although highly unscientific.
http://www.outlookforums.com/showthread.php?68554 

As with all of our polls, voting is open to anyone but you'll need an account to comment. We have several suggestions for better implementation.