Get over the attachment

"Many of the most common computer viruses and other malicious software are spread through e-mail attachments. If a file attached to an e-mail message contains a virus, it's often launched when you open the file attachment. No matter what e-mail program you use or what version of Windows you're running, you can help avoid some viruses by following a few basic rules. If you use the latest version of Outlook or Outlook Express and if you use the latest version of Windows, there are a few unique enhancements and default settings to help keep you from accidentally infecting your computer with a virus.

• 5 tips for dealing with e-mail attachments
  
• Dealing with e-mail attachments in Microsoft Outlook
  
• Dealing with e-mail attachments in Outlook Express"

Help avoid computer viruses that spread through e-mail

Also:

Microsoft video:
Defending against viruses and worms

Slipstick.com:
Protecting Microsoft Outlook against Viruses
Viruses Affecting Microsoft Outlook

Labels: General, Spam, Troubleshoot, Virus

Let it follow you around

There are a couple of ways of doing it: forwarding and redirecting.

Message forwarding

When a rule automatically forwards a message you receive, it leaves a copy of the message in your Inbox or in the folder to which the message was originally delivered. The rule then adds the designation "FW:" to the beginning of the Subject line, changes the message formatting, and then forwards the message to the account specified by the rule. The recipient represented by the account also sees that the message came from you.

Message redirection

When a rule automatically redirects a message you receive, it also leaves a copy in your Inbox or in the folder to which the message was originally delivered. The rule then sends the message, unchanged, to the account specified by the rule. To the recipient, the message appears as though it came directly from the original sender. There is no indication that the message was delivered by way of your account.

Indiana University:
Automatically forward all of my mail to another address

Also:

Office.Microsoft.com:
Automatically forward messages to another e-mail account

James S. Huggins' Refrigerator Door has this information:
Creating Another Email Address

Slipstick.com:
Automatic Message Processing Tools


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outlook

Labels: General, Tutorials

and Other E-mail Pests

• Keep your e-mail address private.
  
• Never reply to spam.
  
• Use great caution in complaining.
  
• Never buy products advertised in spam.
  
• Don't forward chain mail.
  
• Your bank never asks you to "confirm" your account!

Getting Rid of "Spam", a Spam Primer
by Randy Cassingham
The basics of spam, how they got your address in the first place, and what to do now.

Cassingham also publishes This is True and The Stella Awards .
(The name "Stella Award" has been applied to any wild, outrageous, or ridiculous lawsuits -- including bogus cases )

Also:
Spam Abuse.net

Spam Laws.com
David E. Sorkin

• United States
  
• European Union
  
• Other countries

The Spam Weblog

Federal Trade Commission:
Operation Spam Zombies



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outlook

Labels: Spam

Drag and drop

Also see:
Microsoft support:
How to use vCalendar in Outlook

"Microsoft Outlook supports vCalendar, a powerful approach to electronic Personal Data Interchange (PDI). PDI occurs every time individuals communicate, in either a business or personal context. These interchanges frequently include the exchange of information, such as business cards, telephone numbers, addresses, dates and times of appointments, and such. The vCard and vCalendar features facilitate PDI electronically.
This article discusses:

• How to create a vCalendar file
  
• How to distribute a vCalendar file
  
• How to automatically process a vCalendar file
  
• How to manually process a vCalendar file as a text file"

And:
The Internet Mail Consortium:
vCard and vCalendar

Also See:
Meeting Methods



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outlook

Labels: Appointments, Calendar

More answers

Start your Calendar Work Week on Monday

If you work a Monday to Friday job, shouldn't Microsoft Outlook's Calendar work the same way?

Keep Others From Suggesting Appointment Times

Keep others from trying to change the times of your appointments in Microsoft Outlook.

Keep Meeting Requests from Being Deleted

File your Microsoft Outlook 2003 meeting requests instead of automatically deleting them.

Change the Calendar Workweek

Let Outlook 2003's "Work Week" view represent your actual workweek, not a M-F schedule.

Drag and Drop Events

Quickly move appointments and meetings from one day to another in the Outlook 2003 Calendar.

Play Different Sounds Per Appointment

Aurally note when different appointments and meetings occur with Outlook 2003.

Publish More Free/Busy Information

Allow other networked Outlook 2003 users to see when you are free for a meeting request months from now.

Labels: Calendar

Do your own

1. Select Options from Outlook's Tools menu

2. Click on the Preferences tab

3. Clickthe E-mail Options button

4. Click the Advanced E-mail Options button

5. Uncheck the box, near the bottom of the dialog, labeled:
   "Suggest names while completing To, Cc, and Bcc fields"

Also see:

Office Clues:
Lambton College
Sarnia, Ontario
Using Outlook's AutoComplete feature

From Slipstick.com:
Suggest names doesn't work?

If Auto Suggest and name checking is not working, rename the *.NK2 file. Outlook will create a new one. You can rename or delete the NK2 file if you want to get rid of all addresses in your autocomplete file.



See all Topics

outlook

Labels: General, Tips

Invent your own

1. Choose Tools>Options, then click Calendar Options
   
   
2. On the Calendar Options dialog box, click Add Holidays
   
   
3. In the Add Holidays to Calendar dialog box, check the countries or religions whose holidays you want to add, then click OK

Labels: Calendar

Using Exchange Server?

• Outlook 2003/2007
  
• Outlook Web Access 2003/2007 Basic

• Read and responding to e-mail from any computer. You can access your mailbox without logging onto your corporate network.
  
  
• Manage your calendar. View your appointments and other upcoming meetings, especially if you're just checking e-mail and your schedule.
  
  
• View your tasks. Note You can only view tasks in the latest version, Microsoft Outlook Web Access 2003.

• Send or manage bulk e-mail and appointments. Handling large files or too many contacts can be slow.
  
  
• Access personal folders in Outlook. You can't access Outlook folders you have saved at work.
  
  
• Access the corporate network. You will not be able to view files saved on the network or visit internal intranet sites.

Also see if this will work on your system:

MS Exchange Blog
:
Email security S/MIME control
(If it doesn't work, Exchange Server 2003 could be configured to block attachments in Outlook Web Access. )




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outlook

Labels: General

Seven days till vacation

You could use brute force to enter data in an Outlook calendar that would count down to an event. Creating separate entries rapidly becomes tedious.

Outlook MVP Diane Poremsky demonstrates a way to quickly combine a list in Excel (or other CSV type formats) with calendar entries in Outlook.

It boils down to creating a list and importing into an Outlook calendar.

Here are the instructions including screenshots:

From Outlook-tips.net
Create Countdown Calendar Items



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outlook

Labels: Calendar, General, Tutorials

Why does it do that?

"All the e-mail messages that you receive go through an e-mail server for your e-mail account. Depending on the type of e-mail account that you use, your e-mail messages are processed in one or more of the following ways.

1. Messages remain on the server. Outlook connects to the server, and you can read or delete your messages.
   
2. Messages are downloaded to a local data file called a Personal Folders file (.pst). Outlook connects to the local .pst file so that you can read and delete your messages.
   
3. Copies of messages are downloaded and synchronized with messages on the e-mail server. Microsoft Exchange Server accounts provide this functionality by creating a local Offline Folder file (.ost). This file is used for working offline when you can't connect or don't want to connect to the e-mail server. This file is also used by the Cached Exchange Mode feature in Outlook 2003.

E-mail account types differ in how e-mail messages are saved and synchronized with the e-mail server. For example, by default POP3 e-mail accounts delete e-mail messages from the e-mail server when downloaded into Outlook. However, you can customize how e-mail messages are retrieved and saved."

POP3 e-mail accounts

When you retrieve e-mail messages from a POP3 ( Post Office Protocol. A common protocol that is used to retrieve e-mail messages from an Internet e-mail server.) e-mail account, the messages are deleted from the e-mail server by default after they are downloaded to your computer. For many people, this works great.

However, if you want to check your e-mail from multiple computers, you must configure Outlook to not delete the messages on your e-mail server. This scenario is most common for people who want to check their home Internet service provider (ISP) e-mail account from work and download the messages for permanent storage on their home computer.

When you leave messages on your e-mail server, you can choose from several options to delete your messages. To make your choice, you need to consider several factors about your e-mail usage, such as how long you want the messages to be accessible from multiple computers and the storage limits imposed by your e-mail server administrator. If you exceed your storage limit, you might be unable to receive new messages or might be charged additional fees. Typically, it is best to have one computer set to the default setting that doesn't leave e-mail messages on the e-mail server. When you use the computer to retrieve your e-mail messages, they are downloaded and deleted from the e-mail server. If you choose not to do this, Outlook allows you to select a time duration for leaving e-mail messages on the server.

Also:
Wikipedia.com:
POP3

IMAP e-mail accounts

When you access an IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) e-mail account, your messages are copied locally. However, the messages also remain on the e-mail server until you mark them for deletion and use the Purge Deleted Items command.

Also:

HTTP e-mail accounts

When you access an HTTP e-mail account, such as MSN Hotmail, your messages are saved on the e-mail server until you delete them.

Also:
Free email providers

Exchange Server e-mail accounts

When you access an Exchange Server e-mail account, your messages are saved on the e-mail server until you delete them.

Also:
Slipstick.com:
Exchange Server
MS Exchange.org

Labels: General, Tips, Troubleshoot

Don't Alt-Tab

Slipstick.com:

"Get in the habit of minimizing Outlook 2003 rather than just using Alt-Tab or a Windows task bar button to switch to another program. If you leave the full Outlook 2003 window active, it may use so much memory that it stops responding"

"While Outlook 2003 is running, it periodically pages memory in and out of the process address space. When the memory that is free is large, Outlook 2003 is permitted to have more pages in memory. This increases the memory that is being used by Outlook 2003. If another application requires memory, Outlook will release memory.

When you minimize the Outlook 2003 program window, the pages are switched so that the pages that are not required for user interaction are switched out of memory. When you maximize the Outlook 2003 program window again, the pages that are used for user interaction are switched in to memory, and the memory usage begins to increase again.

This could happen when working with a large .pst or .ost file as well as other actions within Outlook."

Labels: Troubleshoot

When all else fails

• Confirm that your e-mail server settings are correct
  
• Examine the configuration of your firewall software
  
• Check your antivirus vendor's Web site for additional suggestions
  
• Determine whether your modem is functioning correctly
  
• Verify the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size that is set on your router
  
• Remove and then reinstall Outlook Express
  
• Create a new e-mail profile
  
• Delete suspicious messages from your mailbox

G4TV.com:
Troubleshoot Microsoft Outlook Problems
written by Chris Pirillo

Microsoft TechNet:
Troubleshooting Outlook Web Access

Microsoft Office Online:
Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

Slipstick.com:
Mail Issues with Microsoft Outlook



See all Topics

outlook

Labels: Troubleshoot

Fix Contacts

(If you use it, you might want to comment out some of the MSGBOX entries. )




See all Topics

outlook

Labels: Contacts, Macros, VBA

Custom layout

Microsoft Knowlegebase:
HOW TO: Modify the Layout of an Address Book Entry



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outlook

Labels: Contacts, Links, Tips

Outlook Contacts in Access

1. Choose File >Open from the menu bar.
   (Office button>Open in 2007)
   
2. Under Files Of Type choose Outlook().
   
3. Locate your Outlook PST files.
   
4. Choose Contacts, or if you have set up separate files for different groups choose an appropriate one.
   
5. The wizard walks you through the process of creating an Access database with a linked Contact table.

Labels: Contacts, Links, Tutorials

All at once

Office Developer Center:

Viewing Multiple Picture Attachments in Outlook 2003
By Eric Legault (Outlook MVP)

It helps to have some experience with VBA coding, but the instructions are clear and no other applications are needed other than the Visual Basic editor that is built into Outlook.

Eric Legault is also a blog contributor at Office Zealot.com
The source code for the MSDN article can be downloaded there. It includes the complete form as well as the code modules.

... "image viewers that use a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) are best suited as a custom viewer. It's better to have one application handle several open image windows than individual windows cluttering your Taskbar! A perfect application for this scenario is the Microsoft Office Photo Editor, but it is no longer bundled with Office 2003."

Labels: Attachments, Tutorials, VBA

Words from the wise

The suggestions come from Slipstick.com, so you know they're good.

The publication is available both as an e-mail newsletter and with RSS distribution.




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outlook

Labels: General, Tips, Troubleshoot, Tutorials

Investigative techniques

"The High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA) is designed to encourage, promote, aid and effect the voluntary interchange of data, information, experience, ideas and knowledge about methods, processes, and techniques relating to investigations and security in advanced technologies among its membership."

Labels: General, Tips, Troubleshoot, Tutorials

Source site

"How you can print the comments contained in your Outlook Calendar.

Outlook Calendar has various printing options to choose from that provide some editing capabilities.

With the Calendar Details printing style, the notes area would be printed along, with all of the other Calendar details. Plus, this style will allow you to choose a range of dates to print, and gives you the option of printing each day on separate pages or continuously.

To change the printing style, select Print under the File menu. Next, select the print style you would like to use e.g. Calendar Details style. If you would like to edit this print style, select Define Style then Edit."

The headlines can also be added to your web site:
Outlook



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outlook

Labels: General, Tips, Tutorials

Error warning

Here are other ways to do it:

In the following selections, you should know that The URL:Mailto Protocol is located at the top of the list proceeded by (None), not at the bottom with the other U's.

Microsoft KB;
The Locate Link Browser dialog box
appears when you open a Web link in an e-mail message in Outlook 2003

To resolve this problem, follow these steps to clear the Use DDE check box:

1. Double-click My Computer.
   
2. On the View menu, click Folder Options (or Tools>Folder Options).
   
3. On the File Types tab, click URL:MailTo Protocol in the Registered File Types list, and then click Edit.
   
4. In the Actions box, click Open, and then click Edit.
   
5. Click to remove the Use DDE check box, and then click OK.
   
6. Click Close two times.

1. OpenExplorer
   
2. Select Tools and then Folder Options
   
3. Select the File Types tab
   
4. Select Extension: (NONE), File Type: URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol
   
5. Click Advanced toward the bottom of the window
   
6. In the Edit File Type window, select open and click Edit
   
7. Clear the check for DDE above the DDE message box (which should contain "%1" or similar)
   
8. Click OK, Click OK

Labels: Troubleshoot

Troubleshoot

Inside Outlook Express
Help, tips and technical information for Microsoft Outlook Express

Outlook Express
E-mail and Newsgroup Reader

Learn how to use Outlook Express to stay in touch with friends and family, and share information in newsgroups with other users like you.

Latest News

Knowledge base articles
Collected by
Jim Pickering MS-MVP

Repair Outlook Express

Outlook Mail Recovery

Mail-Repair.com



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outlook

Labels: General, Tips, Troubleshoot

Find it

1. Use Regedit to go to the appropriate location.
   
2. Right click and choose to add a new Key.
   
3. Name it QueryBuilder.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\QueryBuilder

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\QueryBuilder

Now you can create an AND/OR query using the Filter dialog in Search Folders, Define Views, Automatic Formatting, or Advanced Find.

With Outlook 2007:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\QueryBuilder

Share it nicely

"Many home users and small businesses don't use Exchange. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to share your e-mail, appointments, contacts, tasks, and notes with other Outlook users."

Here is one of the clearest expositions of multiple users' cooperative use of Outlook, even in a very small environment.

Sharing your Outlook information
By EricLegault

For up to date information on Outlook, SharePoint, and very little about waffles, see
Eric Legault My Eggo blog.

Also see:

Slipstick.com:
Sharing Microsoft Outlook Calendar and Contacts

Sharing Microsoft Outlook on One PC





See all Topics

outlook

Labels: Share

When I find the time

• Created by an ISP when setting up an Internet connection.
  
• Work email accounts
  
• Club or hobby related
  
• From any domain you’ve purchased
  
• Email aliases created on your behalf.
  
• Web based email addresses with Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail or many others.

Remember your old AOL/CompuServe addresses?

Office-Watch.com



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outlook

Labels: General, Tips

Sent from Access

A recent issue has information about sending reminders to Outlook from Access.

"If you have a table that contains a date field, and you want to make sure that something happens on that date, one way is to create an Outlook task with a reminder that will pop up on the specified date; you can even use the Outlook reminder to create an email message that will be sent on the specified date.

This article will show how to create an Outlook task from Access VBA code, and send an email message when the task's reminder fires."

The file is located on Helen Feddema's site.
Access Archon
Scroll down to #126

The zip file contains the WAW article, in Word format, plus the supporting file.

Helen Feddema has been working with Word since v. 1.1, Access since the beta of v. 1.0, and Outlook since the beta of v. 8.0 (that's where Outlook started its version numbering).

Labels: Access, Appointments, VBA

Choose your own location

Word

you can change the default location by going to Tools>Options. On the "File Locations" tab you can modify the storage location.

Excel

Tools>Options. On the "General" tab change the default location.

PowerPoint

uses Tools>Options and the "Save" tab.

Access

Tools>Options and the "General" tab for Databases and Projects

Publisher

Tools>Options "General".

Outlook

will make you take an underground tour into the Registry to change the location to save e-mail attachments.

FrontPage/Expression Web

appears to require the same sort of spelunking.

Labels: General

What does it look like?

Labels: Spam

Choose your own

Labels: General

How to open Multiple Windows

Right click an empty area on the taskbar and select how the windows should be arranged.




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outlook

Labels: Tips

Display a map to an Outlook contact's address

Open the contact item.

Next to the Address text box, click on the down arrow and select the address you want to map (Business, Home, or Other).

Then choose Actions/Display Map Of Address from the menu bar or click the Display Map Of Address button.

Your default browser opens and the map is created using Microsoft Expedia Maps.



In Outlook 2007, the Map button is on the Contact tab on the right side of the Communicate group. 2007 uses Maps.Live.com.

Outlook tips:
Outlook MVP Diane Poremsky
Customize Outlook's Map link
You can edit the registry to enable another web-based mapping service.

[Edited entry from 12/4/2004]



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outlook

Labels: Contacts, General, Tips

Empty days

Outlook allows you to print out your calendars.

If you just want to print a blank calendar over a specified period, here are the directions:

Blank calendar



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outlook

Labels: Calendar