Open Compose Only?

[Foggy]

Hello, I have Outlook 2007 on Windows 7. I use Notepad on occasion but would prefer using Outlook (in part because I love the auto-correct feature). I was wondering if it's possible create a link -- perhaps in the quick launch area -- to open only Outlook's compose window, i.e. without opening the entire program. Thank you! Foggy

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Yes and no... you can create a link to create new outlook items but at the very least, a stub of outlook is runnng in the background. If you are composing email, outlook needs to be fully opened to send it, but it will work fine for everything else.

From Command lines switches for outlook, you want to use the /c messageclass switch - the shortcut will look like this:

"C:\Program files\full\path\to\Outlook.exe" /c ipm.stickynote

or take the easy route and use quickicons instead - http://www.sunflowerhead.com/software/quickicons/ - it creates quicklaunch icons but you can move them as needed.

note that with Outlook 2010 and Windows 7, you can right click on thedefault outlook shortcut and create new items from the jump list menu. (I have it pinned to my taskbar so its easy to use, not that i have outlook closed often.)

 

[Foggy]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I downloaded the quickicons at the sunflowerhead site you linked to, opened the program and selected the email composition option. I clicked "create icons" and the program closed, but no icon was created in the quick launch area or the desktop or anywhere else that I can see. Did I do something wrong?

 

[Foggy]

Hello. FWIW, I decided to try it the hard way, i.e. making the shortcut myself (first creating the desktop shortcut to Outlook.exe, then changing the path to: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE" /c ipm.email, then pinning it to the taskbar). I also found another thread in which you participated regarding this general issue here: http://www.outlook-answers.com/micr...new-appointment-short-cut-in-system-tray.aspx. And I managed to get things set up in a way that will work for me. Of course, I'm still curious why the easy way (of using quickicons) didn't work, but at least I'm up and running now. Thank you again for the information and the links.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Do you show the Quick Launch Toolbar in the taskbar? if its not listed when you right click on the taskbar and choose toolbars, choose New toolbar, browse to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer an choose the Quick Launch folder.

 

[Foggy]

Yes, the QL toolbar is showing (and has a number of items there already). I went to the folder you indicated.... and the shorcuts were there!! I removed my manually created shortcuts and pinned the quickicons shortcuts to the taskbar instead (so I don't have so many identical Outlook icons there). Thank you again for your help!

 

[Forum Admin]

You could have just deleted the ones in Quick Launch - the command lines were identical to what you created. (Or should have been.)