Contact full name items order

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Alexander - 20 Jun 2005 06:27 GMT

Hello!
I wish to add to my contacts list 'John Spencer Churchill'.
The default for full name order is: 'firstname (middlename) lastname'.

(This isn't suitable for me, in this particular case, because of mobile
phone synchronization needs.)

I changed full name order to 'lastname firstname' - Churchill John (there's
no ideal 'lastname firstname middlename' - Churchill John Spencer).

Creating new contact, exactly as 'Full Name' form instructs, all appropriate
fields where they belong, okay pressed.
New contact's fullname field = Churchill Spencer John! I.e., the second
(middle) name goes before the first.

Perhaps in some languages it is correct, but not for my case. Is there a way
to change this [dis]order?

Also, once this problem is hopefully solved, is there any method to apply
new default full name order settings to all the already available contacts?

Thanks

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Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 20 Jun 2005 11:08 GMT

How are you entering the names? Try parsing them yourself instead of typing
them in the Full Name field. Works here. I get Churchill, John Spencer when
I press OK.

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> Hello!
> I wish to add to my contacts list 'John Spencer Churchill'.
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Thanks

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Alexander - 20 Jun 2005 12:51 GMT

Thanks Valentine,

how do I parse names otherwise than via Full Name?
Do you get Churchill, John Spencer, isn't it File As field? I don't have
problems with File As.

Also what's for 'batch' reformatting of contacts already created (before
changin full name format)?

Thanks again.

> How are you entering the names? Try parsing them yourself instead of typing
> them in the Full Name field. Works here. I get Churchill, John Spencer when
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> >
> > Thanks

Reply to this Message

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 20 Jun 2005 21:54 GMT

Click the Full Name button so you can parse the name elements into the
First, Middle, Last fields. That way Outlook can't get confused.

To change the File As field for existing Contacts requires running code:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291144&Product=ol2002

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> Thanks Valentine,
>
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>> >
>> > Thanks

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Alexander - 21 Jun 2005 07:15 GMT

Thanks Valentine,

I got that.
Exactly this way, parsing Name fields via Full Name button, contact's full
name field get confused: Churchill Spencer John instead of Churchill John
Spencer, even though I enter: Churchill - Last Name, John - First Name,
Spencer - Middle Name. In spite of the fact that Spencer is labelled as
'Middle' name, when full name starts with last name, it should not be in the
middle, going before the first name, isn't it? Oppositely, in this case
middle name should FOLLOW the first name.

My settings for full name (Parameters - contact parameters) is 'Lastname
Firstname'.

BTW, is there an option for field 'Full Name' to display Lastname F. M.
(i.e. FIrstname & Middlename's initials)?

Also, is the code you advised applicable for reformatting FullName fields
for already created contacts (I don't need that for File As field)?

Thanks again for your help.

> Click the Full Name button so you can parse the name elements into the
> First, Middle, Last fields. That way Outlook can't get confused.
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
> >> >
> >> > Thanks

Reply to this Message

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 21 Jun 2005 11:04 GMT

I can't repro that behavior and have not seen it reported.
When I parse the names correctly, the Full Name field is populated
correctly.
What version of Outlook is this? Was it a clean install? Have you tried to
reset your view?

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> Thanks Valentine,
>
[quoted text clipped - 75 lines]
>> >> >
>> >> > Thanks

Reply to this Message

Alexander - 21 Jun 2005 14:47 GMT

What do you get entering in 'Full Name' field: First name: 'John'. Middle
Name: 'Spencer'. Last Name: 'Churchill'? Do you have 'Churchill John Spencer'
in the 'Full Name' field? (with 'Full Name' format set to 'LastName
FirstName')
Are we talking about Full Name field? Not File As or other?

Outlook 11, multiple instances, different configurations.

How to 'reset my view'?

Thanks!

> I can't repro that behavior and have not seen it reported.
> When I parse the names correctly, the Full Name field is populated
[quoted text clipped - 80 lines]
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Thanks

Reply to this Message

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 21 Jun 2005 19:27 GMT

I see the problem now. My mistake. I'm talking about the File As field.
That's the only one that matters to most users and the one that most users
are asking about since that's the one that appears in most views and by
which most views are sorted. The Full Name field is not used as an
individual field since normally people would use the individual name
elements. Also most users prefer the Full Name field to be in standard order
since they can configure their File As field to be in Last, First order to
control sorting.

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> What do you get entering in 'Full Name' field: First name: 'John'. Middle
> Name: 'Spencer'. Last Name: 'Churchill'? Do you have 'Churchill John
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>> >> >> >
>> >> >> > Thanks

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Alexander - 22 Jun 2005 10:15 GMT

Yes, I already settled 'File As' and other fields like it suits me the most,
but I can't override 'Full Name' mess so I apply to professionals.

For me (and perhaps many people) it makes sense for mobile sync. It can be
done often directly via Outlook address book without tricks with intermediate
file formats like .csv and others.
But what I see when trying to sync my phone with OAB (it uses 'Full Name'
natively) - first comes 'First Name', then 'Middle Name' and then 'Last Name'
(default full name settings in Outlook).

This is not convenient, as some (many) mobiles have their limitations for
number of symbols and often cut short the most important info - contact's
family name, which comes last, like this 'John Spencer Chu'.

So I change 'Full Name' field settings to 'LastName FirstName'. This way as
I already told I get 'Churchill Spencer John' instead of 'Churchill John
Spencer'. Phone will show something like 'Churchill Spencer Jo'.

Is there a way to force 'Full Name' field to return 'Churchill John Spencer'
or, ideally, 'Churchill J.S.' or 'Churchill JS'? And, what about batch
re-formatting of the old contacts to the new standard?

So actually problem is both in Outlook and custom mobile software, not only
Outlook. And yes I plan to buy a MS-Mobile phone (which hopefully will comply
with Outlook ideally), but not right now 8-)

> I see the problem now. My mistake. I'm talking about the File As field.
> That's the only one that matters to most users and the one that most users
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> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> > Thanks

Reply to this Message

Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] - 22 Jun 2005 10:59 GMT

No way I know of. But it's a good question for one of the programming groups
since this would also require code. Someone may have tried to do it, but I'm
sure it's not as frequent a request as the File As... field.

Signature

Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

> Yes, I already settled 'File As' and other fields like it suits me the
> most,
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>> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> > Thanks

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