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MS Office Forum / Outlook / Programming Forms / August 2004Problem with User-defined fields not appearing in some Views
I have created an Outlook solution for a client which uses a custom form to view contact data imported from ACT! 6. Data was imported into existing contact fields but most went into user-defined fields that I created in the folder. The problem they are having is that some of the user-defined fields do not appear in the Field Chooser ("user-defined fields in folder"), as they wish to add those fields to custom views. I suspect this is a result of the way I setup the folder, user-defined fields and importing of the data, but am not sure so was hoping someone could confirm whether the procedure I followed was correct, or not(!). I did the following; (1) exported contact data from an ACT! 6 database into an Access database (using third-party tool) (2) created a contact folder in a local PST file (3) changed the view of the folder to Phone List and then created the user-defined fields using the Field Chooser (after selecting "User-defined fields in folder") (4) published the custom form to the folder, with an appropriate message class, but left the folder's default form as the standard contact form (5) created the new contacts in the folder (using a VB application I developed), setting the contacts message class to the one in (4) (6) set the folder's default form to my custom form (7) moved the folder into the Public Folders on their Exchange Server I did (2) and (7) for reasons of speed, as I had 5000 contacts to import. I also didn't set the folder's default form to my custom form for the same reason - I was using the Outlook automation in my VB code. The form was developed against a folder created on my own Exchange Server at my office, but was setup using the same method as above. Additionally, some of the contacts in the "Phone List" view have Post icon next to them, rather than a Contact icon. N.B. I am hoping to gain VPN access to there server soon such that I can make an changes necessary to fix these issues. Many thanks in advance for your advice. Phil The only possibly tricky step is #3 -- the field names and data types need to be identical to those defined in your custom form. In #5, you set the message class as the argument for your MAPIFolder.Items.Add statement, right? The icon problem suggests that the "note icon" items are using a custom form for which no icon was defined. Check the Message Class field for starters.  SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx >I have created an Outlook solution for a client which uses a custom form to > view contact data imported from ACT! 6. Data was imported into existing [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > Phil Sue, thanks for replying so quickly! In response to your queries... >> The only possibly tricky step is #3 -- the field names and data types need to be identical to those defined in your custom form. I had a spreadsheet with a list of all the user-defined fields required and their data types, which I used to "copy and paste" the names when creating the fields. It's possible I made a mistake when using this. If I find that I have made a typo, presumably I could; (1) create the field in the folder (2) write some code that would iterate through each contact item to create the new field, set it's value to the one in the incorrect field and then remove the old field (3) publish a new version of the form using the new field ?? >> In #5, you set the message class as the argument for your MAPIFolder.Items.Add statement, right? Erm, no. I used the Oulook Object Library, rather than CDO, so my code looks something like this; Dim outOutlook As Outlook.Application Dim outContactsFolder As Outlook.mapiFolder Dim outContact As Outlook.ContactItem Dim outContact As Outlook.ContactItem Dim outUserProperty As Outlook.ItemProperty Set outOutlook = New Outlook.Application Set outNamespace = outOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI") Set outContactsFolder = outNamespace.GetFolderFromID(strDestinationFolderID) # loop through contacts in database Set outContact = outContactsFolder.Items.Add() # loop through fields to be set # if field is user-defined Set outUserProperty = outContact.UserProperties.Add(#FieldName#,#FieldType#,True) outUserProperty.Value = #FieldValue# # else outContact.ItemProperties(#FieldName#).Value = #FieldValue# # end if #next outContact.MessageClass = #CustomFormClass# outContact.Save Set outContact = Nothing #next I've used the # to pseudo-ise(!) the code. I use a mapping database to define the Outlook field into which the ACT data is written, hence the "# loop through fields to be set". >> The icon problem suggests that the "note icon" items are using a custom form for which no icon was defined. Does that mean that there is a way of defining an icon to be used by a custom form? >> Check the Message Class field for starters. I will, as soon as the company provides me with VPN access to the network and Exchange server! :-) Cheers, Phil > The only possibly tricky step is #3 -- the field names and data types need > to be identical to those defined in your custom form. [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > > > > Phil Next time, use this syntax to create an item with a particular message class: Set outContact = outContactsFolder.Items.Add(#CustomFormClass#) The properties should be defined in the form and visible as "user-defined fields in this item." You won't need to add any UserProperties because they're already defined in the form. Instead you just set their values. Adding new fields to items at this point will one-off the items. Bad idea. Instead, if you need to make adjustments, do it in the form first and republish the form. Then set the properties in the items that use that form. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Sue, thanks for replying so quickly! > [quoted text clipped - 139 lines] >> > >> > Phil Sue, Many thanks for that. It looks like I will have to write some code that will remedy all of this - this solution is live at the client's site so I will have to sort it out somehow, retaining any changes that they've made to the contacts since the initial import was performed. :-( What's the best way for me to solve this? Should I ensure that all the user-defined fields are created in the folder first? If so, should I do this whilst in design-mode of the form, or using my original method (via the Field Chooser in the Phone List view of the folder)? I forgot to mention before that although some of my user-defined fields didn't appear in the Field Chooser in the Phone List view, they appear fine (with values) when you open a contact. Is it just a case of defining the fields again in the folder? Will they, and their respective values, then appear when added to the Phone List view? (I hope all that makes sense!) How do I fix "one-off"ed items? Don't I just reset the MessageClass for the item? I'm annoyed with myself as I thought I was doing things correctly, but it looks like I was wrong. :-( Cheers. Phil > Next time, use this syntax to create an item with a particular message > class: [quoted text clipped - 152 lines] > >> > > >> > Phil The ideal solution is to have the fields defined both in the folder, so you can use them in views (and in Find and Restrict) code and in the custom form, which will ensure they're defined for each item that uses the form. See http://www.outlookcode.com/d/fields.htm . If you create the field first in the folder, then drag it onto the form, you've accomplished both. For one-off items, it's not just a matter of changing the message class. You must use REdemption or CDO to remove some MAPI properties. Sample code at http://www.cdolive.net/download/CleanUpOneOff.zip SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Sue, > [quoted text clipped - 207 lines] >> >> > >> >> > Phil Sue, Many thanks again for your assistance with this. I will try your suggestions and let you/the group know how I get on. Cheers, Phil > The ideal solution is to have the fields defined both in the folder, so you > can use them in views (and in Find and Restrict) code and in the custom [quoted text clipped - 217 lines] > >> >> > > >> >> > Phil I'm trying to rectify the problem of the one-off items you were assisting me with recently. The thing that I'm trying to do is "backup" the data that's been entered into the one-offed items but I am unable to access the values. What I mean by this is that I know that a particular item has values for some of the user-defined fields that I created, albeit incorrectly, and I want to read these values out and write them into a database such that I can write them back in once I've fixed the folder, fields and form. I've tried using the following two bits of code, but they don't work; varValue = cdoMessage.Fields(strField).Value ' using CDO and varValue = outContactItem.UserProperties(strField).Value ' using the Outlook object model Neither yield the value that I know is in the item (by opening the item, it's displayed in the form). Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? Should I be able to extract the values from user-defined fields in a one-offed item? Many thanks in advance, Philip Street > Sue, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Phil Yes, you should be able to extract user-defined field data from an one-off form item using the syntax below. I can only imagine that you have a typo in the field name. Check the All Fields tab. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > I'm trying to rectify the problem of the one-off items you were assisting > me [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? Should I be able to extract the > values from user-defined fields in a one-offed item? Sue, I've now displayed the All Fields tab on my custom form and have found the following. I've opened one of the items and found that some of my user-defined fields are displayed in the "user-defined fields in item". One of those fields ("Contract Value") has a value ("?12,000.00"), in this view, but when I display the "user-defined fields in folder" view, the same field is listed but without a value. Do you know the cause of this behaviour, and how it might be fixed? You recall that I mentioned before that some of the items an a Post icon next to them rather than a Contact icon, in the Phone List view. Well, I've just created a new contact and this also has a Post icon. This appears to happen for all new contacts created with the form. Any ideas about this as well? As ever, you assistance is much appreciated. I didn't realise custom Outlook solutions could be so tortuous! Cheers, Phil p.s. I've ran the "clean one-off items" code you've suggested against all the contacts, but am not sure whether it worked or not - how do I check? > Yes, you should be able to extract user-defined field data from an one-off > form item using the syntax below. I can only imagine that you have a typo in [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? Should I be able to extract the > > values from user-defined fields in a one-offed item? Sue, I hang my head in shame... I've discovered that the field I mentioned ("Contract Value") was actually wrong. On my form, the field name is "Contract Value " - notice the space at the end - but I defined it in the folder as "Contract Value"! This was the main field that was causing the problem, so I should be able to fix this now that I know the nature of the problem. With regards to the other issue - new contacts appearing with a Post icon instead of a Contact icon - could this be caused by a form that uses fields that have not been defined in the folder? I'm thinking in particular about the issue above. Cheers, Phil > Sue, > [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] > > > Can you tell me what I'm doing wrong? Should I be able to extract the > > > values from user-defined fields in a one-offed item? Sounds like you didn't set an icon on the (Properties) page of the form. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > With regards to the other issue - new contacts appearing with a Post icon > instead of a Contact icon - could this be caused by a form that uses > fields > that have not been defined in the folder? I'm thinking in particular about > the issue above. Sue, Would that be the "Picture" property on the Advanced Properties page - I can't see an icon property anywhere? Cheers, Phil > Sounds like you didn't set an icon on the (Properties) page of the form. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > that have not been defined in the folder? I'm thinking in particular about > > the issue above. Ignore that last message I've found it - on the Properties tab of the form itself...jeez, I'm going blind! All I need to do now is find the small and large icon files for the classic Outlook Contact...anyone? Phil > Sue, > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > about > > > the issue above. Found 'em... :-) Phil > Ignore that last message I've found it - on the Properties tab of the form > itself...jeez, I'm going blind! [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > about > > > > the issue above. |
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