Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> 2/13/2007 9:41:19 PM Hello, I am developing an Outlook com add-in that imports contacts from a database to the Outlook address book. The add-in first creates a backup of the contacts folder by copying it to another folder to avoid any angry users. This worked well under Outlook 2000 but it is causing problems with Outlook 2003 since it has the My Contacts view. The problem is the My Contacts displays ALL found contact folders ! It shows the contacts + the contact backups folders ! This is confusing to the user + it gets really messy really fast if the user has multiple sub folders. http://img234.imageshack.us/my.php?image=backupincontactsnc4.jpg I know the user can right click the contact folder and hit the "Remove from My Contacts" option but this becomes a chore when multiple sub folders are involved. I have been told that I cannot access this option via automation (MAPI, Outlook API) is this true ? Do you have another solution to this ? Heck I am ready to change how the add-in performs the backup to avoid this situation. Any suggestions ? Thank you in advance! Chris

Re: Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslovak[ at ]mvps.org> 2/13/2007 10:24:32 PM Change how the addin performs. You have no access to that panel. I'd probably create hidden items that are copies of the originals and move those around for backups. As long as there aren't too many contacts that would work and the user would never see the hidden items. Problem is you have to use CDO or Extended MAPI or a MAPI wrapper like Redemption to access hidden items that way. -- Ken Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> wrote in message news:1171402879.844211.232960[ at ]m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com... [Quoted Text] > Hello, > > I am developing an Outlook com add-in that imports contacts from a > database to the Outlook address book. The add-in first creates a > backup of the contacts folder by copying it to another folder to avoid > any angry users. > > This worked well under Outlook 2000 but it is causing problems with > Outlook 2003 since it has the My Contacts view. The problem is the My > Contacts displays ALL found contact folders ! It shows the contacts + > the contact backups folders ! This is confusing to the user + it gets > really messy really fast if the user has multiple sub folders. > > http://img234.imageshack.us/my.php?image=backupincontactsnc4.jpg > > I know the user can right click the contact folder and hit the "Remove > from My Contacts" option but this becomes a chore when multiple sub > folders are involved. I have been told that I cannot access this > option via automation (MAPI, Outlook API) is this true ? Do you have > another solution to this ? > > Heck I am ready to change how the add-in performs the backup to avoid > this situation. Any suggestions ? > > Thank you in advance! > Chris >

Re: Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> 2/14/2007 2:37:59 PM On Feb 13, 5:24 pm, "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslo...[ at ]mvps.org> wrote: [Quoted Text] > Change how the addin performs. You have no access to that panel. > > I'd probably create hidden items that are copies of the originals and move > those around for backups. As long as there aren't too many contacts that > would work and the user would never see the hidden items. Problem is you > have to use CDO or Extended MAPI or a MAPI wrapper like Redemption to access > hidden items that way. > > -- > Ken Slovak > [MVP - Outlook]http://www.slovaktech.com > Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 > Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Optionshttp://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm > > "Chris" <christian.r...[ at ]gmail.com> wrote in message > > news:1171402879.844211.232960[ at ]m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com... > > > Hello, > > > I am developing an Outlook com add-in that imports contacts from a > > database to the Outlook address book. The add-in first creates a > > backup of the contacts folder by copying it to another folder to avoid > > any angry users. > > > This worked well under Outlook 2000 but it is causing problems with > > Outlook 2003 since it has the My Contacts view. The problem is the My > > Contacts displays ALL found contact folders ! It shows the contacts + > > the contact backups folders ! This is confusing to the user + it gets > > really messy really fast if the user has multiple sub folders. > > >http://img234.imageshack.us/my.php?image=backupincontactsnc4.jpg > > > I know the user can right click the contact folder and hit the "Remove > > from My Contacts" option but this becomes a chore when multiple sub > > folders are involved. I have been told that I cannot access this > > option via automation (MAPI, Outlook API) is this true ? Do you have > > another solution to this ? > > > Heck I am ready to change how the add-in performs the backup to avoid > > this situation. Any suggestions ? > > > Thank you in advance! > > Chris Thanks for the tip Ken. I will look into the hidden items option, I am currently using Redemption so it should no be to hard to do right ? How many contacts is to to many contacts > 1000 ? Any links on how to set items as hidden ? If not no problem I will just Google it. Thanks. Chris

Re: Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslovak[ at ]mvps.org> 2/14/2007 2:47:34 PM With Redemption you get an RDOFolder object for a specific folder. That object has both an Items and HiddenItems collection. Just access the HiddenItems collection and use the Add method to add items to that. As long as you don't exceed the overall limit on the number of items in a folder (depends on your PST or Exchange store) you're OK. If the limit is say 65534 items that's how many you can have in total. Just make sure to delete each hidden item after backing it up so you don't build up a vast collection of hidden items. The nice thing about hidden items is that since the user can't see them they can't screw them up. -- Ken Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> wrote in message news:1171463879.544088.208860[ at ]h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com... [Quoted Text] > On Feb 13, 5:24 pm, "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" > <kenslo...[ at ]mvps.org> wrote: >> Change how the addin performs. You have no access to that panel. >> >> I'd probably create hidden items that are copies of the originals and >> move >> those around for backups. As long as there aren't too many contacts that >> would work and the user would never see the hidden items. Problem is you >> have to use CDO or Extended MAPI or a MAPI wrapper like Redemption to >> access >> hidden items that way.

Re: Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> 2/16/2007 6:42:44 PM On Feb 14, 9:47 am, "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslo...[ at ]mvps.org> wrote: [Quoted Text] > With Redemption you get an RDOFolder object for a specific folder. That > object has both an Items and HiddenItems collection. Just access the > HiddenItems collection and use the Add method to add items to that. > > As long as you don't exceed the overall limit on the number of items in a > folder (depends on your PST or Exchange store) you're OK. If the limit is > say 65534 items that's how many you can have in total. Just make sure to > delete each hidden item after backing it up so you don't build up a vast > collection of hidden items. > > The nice thing about hidden items is that since the user can't see them they > can't screw them up. > > -- > Ken Slovak > [MVP - Outlook]http://www.slovaktech.com > Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 > Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Optionshttp://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm > > "Chris" <christian.r...[ at ]gmail.com> wrote in message > > news:1171463879.544088.208860[ at ]h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com... > > > On Feb 13, 5:24 pm, "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" > > <kenslo...[ at ]mvps.org> wrote: > >> Change how the addin performs. You have no access to that panel. > > >> I'd probably create hidden items that are copies of the originals and > >> move > >> those around for backups. As long as there aren't too many contacts that > >> would work and the user would never see the hidden items. Problem is you > >> have to use CDO or Extended MAPI or a MAPI wrapper like Redemption to > >> access > >> hidden items that way. Thanks Ken ! Yes indeed the RDOFolder object seems a good solution but... I have been looking at the object and it seems you can only hide items and not folders no ? What I am trying to prevent is the display of backed up contact folders in the My Contact view. Just the creation of an empty "Contacts Items" folder causes it's display in the My Contacts view. Is there a way of hiding a folder and it's sub folders ?? *** Note: I could have some double posts in this group since every post I do does not seem to be accepted right now !!! *** Chris

Re: Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslovak[ at ]mvps.org> 2/16/2007 8:20:15 PM I don't think you can create a hidden folder like you want, at least in my tests I've never been able to. I can only create new search folders under Finder and new visible folders under IPM_SUBTREE. -- Ken Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> wrote in message news:1171651364.493599.158380[ at ]j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com... <snip> [Quoted Text] > Thanks Ken ! > > Yes indeed the RDOFolder object seems a good solution but... > > I have been looking at the object and it seems you can only hide items > and not folders no ? What I am trying to prevent is the display of > backed up contact folders in the My Contact view. Just the creation of > an empty "Contacts Items" folder causes it's display in the My > Contacts view. Is there a way of hiding a folder and it's sub > folders ?? > > *** Note: I could have some double posts in this group since every > post I do does not seem to be accepted right now !!! *** > Chris >

Re: Outlook 2003, My Contacts view displays contact backups !! "Chris" <christian.ribe[ at ]gmail.com> 2/19/2007 3:04:59 PM On Feb 16, 3:20 pm, "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslo...[ at ]mvps.org> wrote: [Quoted Text] > I don't think you can create a hidden folder like you want, at least in my > tests I've never been able to. I can only create new search folders under > Finder and new visible folders under IPM_SUBTREE. > > -- > Ken Slovak > [MVP - Outlook]http://www.slovaktech.com > Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 > Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Optionshttp://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm > > "Chris" <christian.r...[ at ]gmail.com> wrote in message > > news:1171651364.493599.158380[ at ]j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com... > <snip> > > > Thanks Ken ! > > > Yes indeed the RDOFolder object seems a good solution but... > > > I have been looking at the object and it seems you can only hide items > > and not folders no ? What I am trying to prevent is the display of > > backed up contact folders in the My Contact view. Just the creation of > > an empty "Contacts Items" folder causes it's display in the My > > Contacts view. Is there a way of hiding a folder and it's sub > > folders ?? > > > *** Note: I could have some double posts in this group since every > > post I do does not seem to be accepted right now !!! *** > > Chris Dow I was hoping for another answer than that one. I guess it's back to the drawing board then :( Thanks for your time and wisdom ! Chris