If you contact folder is using a custom form AND you want to use one or
more of the user-defined fields in a merge then
#1 - Make sure you write down the "exact" user-defined field names used in
the custom form (field names not case-sensitive for this purpose)
#2 - DO NOT use the form designer for the rest of this - if you do - you
are altering the structure/contents of the custom form (adding a UDF to an
item is not the same as adding a UDF to a form which adds the UDF
for ALL items). The result will appear to be the same in terms of the
field being added to the Folder list but not completely sure of what the
implications are "under the surface" for the UserProperty collection
(which really becomes something of interest at the programmatic level
versus the UI level).
#3 - Open any contact in the folder - add the user-defined field desired -
these will be automatically add to the Folder list if you do nothing else
(just as if you add a UDF to a contact that uses IPM.Contact (standard
form) - make sure all the properties are the same for each field added
#4 - close your contact - the folder list of fields has what you want for
the merge
The above is specific to a given folder. Rinse and repeat the exact steps
for each and every folder in question.
As stated originally, start moving items depending on what and how things
were done to a folder can result in different behaviours BUT
- #1 - creating a new folder,
- #2 - assigning it the cutom form as the default and
- #3 - copying contacts from another folder created with the same form
will retain all data but the target folder will not have any "Folder
Fields" until you repeat the above steps for the new folder.
For those that need to deal with multiple versions of Outlook in a given
custom solution where UDF names are "dynamically" determined/extracted
at run-time versus being "hard coded" into the solution, as is the case in
most code snip examples - strongly recommend using a reasonably current
version of Redemption (
http://www.dimastr.com) and potentially save untold
hours of misery. The last time OOM and Redemption (RDO) items were used
in the same ContactGenie solution (years ago) - Redemption proved more
reliable/easier to deal with than what was returned by OOM when it came
to user-defined fields (depending of course on how exactly the user
properties were created and how the UserProperty collection was accessed
for an OOM item). As Shawn has come to find out via a 3rd party export tool
being used - an erroneous set of "current" user-defined fields can get
reported as a result.
Karl
______________________
ContactGenie - QuickPort/DataPort/Exporter/Toolkit/Duplicate Contact Mgr
"""
"SRM" <shawnmsrm@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:0e6be563-b783-4d97-8cb2-414f83561113@u9g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
On Mar 4, 3:17 am, "Karl Timmermans" <k...@claxton.com> wrote:
> After going back and forth on this with Shawn regarding an issue of
> "deleted" fields in a prior thread - finally nailed the exact "anomaly"
> where a newly added field is accessible in a merge. Going to provide the
> step-by-step details if any one cares to replicate (everything that
> follows
> was done in O'2007)
> Part 1
> ----------------------------------------------------> - New contact folder created
> - Custom form (used one provided by Shawn but any will do) published to
> Pers Lib (only because it was going to be used in multiple folders)
> - Custom form made default for folder
> - New contact created
> - No UDFs listed in Folder group (as expected)
> *** Mail-merge started from Outlook - no custom fields accessible (as
> expected)
> ----------------------> Part 2
> ----------------------------------------------------> - In the same folder - design custom form
> - Added a new field to the custom form
> - Re-Publish the form
> - New field is added to the "UDFs in Folder Group" (not expected)
> - New field does NOT appear in form field list in field chooser during
> design but under the surface - the field has been added to the custom
> form
> *** Mail-merge started from Outlook - new field is accessible in merge
> because it was added to the Folder list during the custom form design
> process - no other custom form user-defined fields are accessible that
> were
> part of the original form
> What seems to be happening is that when the form is being designed and a
> field is being added, in O'2007 it gets added to the Folder Group in the
> same way that a field gets added to a standard contact item (IPM.Contact)
> ----------------------> Part 3
> ----------------------------------------------------> - Create another new contact folder
> - Make the same form (with the added field from Part 2) the default for
> the
> folder
> - No user-defined fields from the custom form appear in the folder list
> (as
> expected)
> - Custom form shows all fields including newly added one in Field Chooser
> (as expected)
> *** No user-defined fields accessible via Mail merge started from Outlook
> (as expected)
> ----------------------> Part 4 - Beyond Mail-Merge
> ----------------------------------------------------> - Create yet another new contact folder and make the custom form the
> default
> - Create 2 contacts using this form
> - Change the value of one of the user-defined form fields in each contact
> (same field for each contact)
> - Change the default message class for the folder to IPM.Contact
> - Change the message class for the 2 contact items to IPM.Contact
> - Add a user-defined field to the item using the same user-defined field
> name as used in the custom form
> - The field will be added to the Folder List group (expected)
> - Open each contact item separately and review the UDF in Folder group -
> you will find that the value for this field is the value entered in the
> custom form but the field does not appear in the "User-defined fields in
> this item" list. Exporting this UDF field will show the correct value for
> each contact
> - Change the value of the Folder Group UDF and the field then gets added
> to
> the "UDF in this item" list (as expected)
> *** Mail-merge started in Outlook will pick up fields added to the Folder
> Group
> -----------------------> There are many more parts to this but the rest go beyond this topic.The
> results can be summarily described as "Let's count the ways" that Outlook
> data can get (or APPEAR to get) messed up especially once you include
> moving items from one location to another, adding identical user-defined
> field names with different properties, repeatedly adding/deleting fields
> etc etc.
> Or to get back to the original question - when using a custom form in a
> folder and you want to make user-defined fields accessible to a
> mail-merge
> started in Outlook - just add the desired fields to the folder group -
> only
> need to do that once for the entire folder with the single most important
> thing to remember - when using a custom form - "new fields" should ALWAYS
> be added via the custom form designer and not directly to the folder
> group.
> Karl
> > ______________________
>
> ContactGenie - QuickPort/DataPort/Exporter/Toolkit/Duplicate Contact Mgr
> "Contact import/export/data management tools for Outlook
> '2000/2010"http://www.contactgenie.com
> " - " <kenslo...@mvps.org> wrote in
> messagenews:%23qnNrDuuKHA.6124@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
> > The pre-programmed merges started from Word or from Outlook will not
> > use
> > custom fields. For that you need to completely program the merge
> > yourself
> > using code. That's the way it's always been.
>
> > For an explanation of form fields and where they are located and what
> > effects that has look at the forms information atwww.outlookcode.com.
>
> > > >
> >
> >
>
> > "SRM" <shawnm...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:8e0346ed-e248-4f4e-a72d-9b63ce429bfa@q2g2000pre.googlegroups.com...
> >> I'm using Outlook 2003 and using a custom form. In this custom form I
> >> have the same item level fields as I do in the form level fields. I
> >> have no folder level fields.
>
> >> I want to be able to merge starting with Outlook and selecting a Word
> >> document to merge into.
>
> >> The only way I can see that this will work is with folder level
> >> fields. Word does not see item level fields nor does it see form level
> >> fields for merging. Am I correct in this assumption?
>
> >> What I think I need to do is for each form level field I need to
> >> create the equivalent folder level field. Basically duplicating each
> >> field at the folder level that I already have at the form level. Is
> >> there a better option?
>
> >> The fields that I had already created based off the original contact
> >> form (via the form designer) appear in the form and item level fields,
> >> but not the folder level fields. However, if I add a new field using
> >> the form designer (basically modify the form), that field by default
> >> ends up as a folder level field and not a form level field. It seems
> >> the results differ based on when you add the field which I can't
> >> figure out why.
>
> >> So my questions are why do fields appear in different levels based on
> >> when they are added, and is there any way to get the form levels
> >> fields to also be folder level fields without recreating them?
>
> >> Thanks
>
> >> Shawn
Karl:
Thanks so much for this reply and time. Had a few questions (but I'm
guessing you expected that - smile) !!!
For my custom form in which the fields are currently only at the
form / item level, how do I get them to the folder level? You noted
the following:
- Add a user-defined field to the item using the same user-defined
field name as used in the custom form
- The field will be added to the Folder List group (expected)
One of my custom fields is called "Announcements" that is only at the
form level / item level. I go to the form designer. I go to the "All
Fields" tab / User-defined fields in this item. I click New and enter
"Announcements". By default, Outlook takes me to the User-defined
fields in folder and adds the field at that location. That new field
is now available in the User-defined fields in folder listing, in the
Field Chooser, and Control Toolbox / Properties / Choose Field.
I also tried adding the field via first the Field Chooser and then the
Control Toolbox and the results are all the same.
At this point, do I now have two fields called "Announcements" or is
it the same field in two locations? The data in the field is reflected
the same.
So am I correct in stating if I have a field only at the form / item
level and I need the field to merge with Word, I need to recreate the
field at the folder level using one of the above steps?
Also, since I have multiple contact folders, I should update my
contact folder and then copy the contact folder. If I just create a
new contact folder, I will need to recreate all the folder level
fields again for that new contact folder at the folder level. Correct?
Lastly, any idea when creating a new form and adding fields they only
appear at the form level, however, if you modify a form, add a new
field it appears at the folder level and as you stated -- "but under
the surface - the field has been added to the custom form."
Shawn
