Re: Selecting a contact list

From: Peebs (Peebs_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 06/20/04 

Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2004 04:45:01 -0700

I had exactly the same problem. I followed your directions and all is now OK. Thans very much BUT why do MS have to make everything so complicated? I am sure that there is a VAST market for Outlook/IE/Office/XP to serve people who have only one computer, no networks and who don't need to share anything!!

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

> Take your pick. Most people don't understand the difference between the two
> features. In case you're interested, here' a rather long primer:
>
> Autoresolution has been a feature in all versions of Outlook. Its purpose is
> to resolve any name typed in the To: field of a new message to a valid
> e-mail address. It searches all Outlook Contacts Folders that have been
> enabled as email address books for potential matches and presents any
> matches as potential recipients for the message. In the past, many users
> have used autoresolution as a substitute for the autocompletion feature seen
> in Outlook Express and other e-mail programs.
>
>
>
> Outlook 2002 and 2003 added a new autocompletion feature to Outlook but have
> also retained this earlier autoresolution feature. The combination of these
> two features is awkward and can be confusing to novice users. Users need to
> understand the differences between autoresolution and autocompletion.
>
>
>
> Autoresolution resolves the name you are typing in the To: field by
> searching through your Contacts Folders to provide you with the correct
> e-mail address. It is enabled by checking the box for "Automatic Name
> checking" in "Advanced e-mail options." To use this feature, follow these
> steps:
>
> 1.. Open a new message.
> 2.. In the To: field, type the first three letters of an e-mail address
> that is stored in one of your contacts.
> 3.. Tab or click out of the field or on the "Tools" menu, click "Check
> Name." You can also use the "Check Name" toolbar button (the one that has a
> red check mark and a picture of a person) or press CTRL+K.
> 4.. If you have more than one listing matching the name you have typed,
> the name you type will have a red wavy line below it. You can now
> right-click the name and select the correct name from among the
> possibilities presented. That choice will then be stored so that the next
> time you compose a message using that name, the name will resolve
> automatically. You will notice, however, that the name will now have a
> dashed green underline instead of a solid underline just to let you know
> that other possible matches exist in case you want to select another of the
> possible matches.
> When you resolve a name in Outlook 97-2000, that information is stored in a
> file with a "nick" extension so that name resolutions will be remembered
> from one session to the next.
>
>
>
> Autocompletion is a feature that is new in Outlook 2002 and 2003. As you
> begin to type a name in the To: field , Outlook offers to complete the entry
> based on addresses, aliases, or names from e-mail messages that you have
> previously sent. Note that this feature starts functioning immediately after
> you have typed the first three letters in the To: field and does not require
> that you Tab out of the field or hit CTRK+K. Also note that it does not use
> your Contacts Folder as its data source but rather a cache of information
> Outlook creates as you actually send messages. At first, the feature may
> appear not to be working since it takes a while for Outlook to build its
> cache. The autocompletion feature is enabled by default when you install
> Outlook 2002 or 2003, but you can disable it by clicking "Options" on the
> "Tools" menu, clicking "E-mail Options" on the "Preferences" tab, and then
> clicking "Advanced E-mail Options," then uncheck "Suggest names while
> completing."
>
>
>
> In Outlook 2002 and 2003, both autoresolution and autocompletion features
> function side by side. Curiously, both features store their data in the same
> file. The file now has an "NK2" extension. Because both features are usually
> in play, it is easy to get confused as to whether you are using
> autocompletion or autoresolution. Just remember that autocompletion is in
> play as soon as you have typed 3 or more letters (or just 1 letter in
> Outlook 2003) in the To: field and remains in play until you click out of
> the field or expressly invoke autoresolution by one of the methods listed
> above. As long as one of the names suggested by the autocompletion feature
> remains highlighted in the To: field dropdown, tabbing or clicking out of
> the field will select that name as the sending address. If autocompletion
> finds no matches in its cache (and therefore suggests no names) or if your
> typing restricts the list so that no entries remain, then autocompletion is
> no longer in play and autoresolution will take over once you tab or click
> out of the field. In Outlook 2003, you can also invoke autoresolution at any
> time by hitting "Escape" while typing in the To: field. Once autocompletion
> is no longer in play, then Outlook will try to resolve the name you enter
> against your various Contacts Folders, but not against the autocompletion
> cache.
> --
> Russ Valentine
> [MVP-Outlook]
>
> "DianaH" <nuttin@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> news:O3TEbskVEHA.1656@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > Hi Russ,
> > I have them both selected. Maybe I'll disable the suggest names for now,
> > because it's not checking or autocompleting. This was working before the
> > crash and the new install. I actually prefer the autochecking, as it
> > would provide a list of names that started with what I started to type and
> > I'll select the one I wanted. I have a reasonably large list 300+ and
> there
> > are quite a few that start with the same letters.
> > Again, thanks for your help. Diana
> >
> > "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
> > news:uMNfzUkVEHA.2700@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > "Suggest names..." is autocompletion and uses a cache you must first
> > populate.
> > "Automatic Named checking..." is autoresolution, and it DOES use your
> > Contacts data.
> > You can use either or both.
> > --
> > Russ Valentine
> > [MVP-Outlook]
> > "DianaH" <nuttin@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> > news:OVPOaIkVEHA.1764@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > > Hi Russ,
> > > I ended up deleting them all and restarted Outlook. I then went into
> > tools,
> > > email accounts, and added a new address book (Outlook). That worked.
> To
> > > bad about it not auto-completing from that contact list. In 2003,
> there's
> > > an option for "suggestions" while completting to, cc and bcc and there
> > > automatic name checking. I guess, like you said, it's only in the
> cache.
> > > boooooo
> > >
> > > At least when I click "to", it opens the correct contact list. Thanks
> so
> > > much for taking the time to respond.
> > > Diana
> > >
> > > "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" <russval@mvps.org> wrote in message
> > > news:%23oTazwjVEHA.2924@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > No, that is not why. Autocomplete does not use your Contacts data. It
> uses
> > a
> > > cache of names that is populated from messages you have sent. Most
> likely
> > > you have not populated a cache yet.
> > >
> > > You do, however, still need to fix the Outlook Address Book which has
> lost
> > > its connection to your Contacts data. It is not unusual for the Outlook
> > > Address Book to "lose track" of the connection to its Contacts Folder
> when
> > > you move or import your PST or update your Outlook version or OS. Use
> the
> > > following steps to reset the connection. Note that in some instances you
> > may
> > > actually have to remove the Outlook Address Book completely from your
> > > Profile, close Outlook, and then re-add it before you can get it to
> work.
> > >
> > > Go to Tools | E-mail accounts, select "View or change existing
> directories
> > > or address books", and click OK. If you don't see the OAB in the
> > Directories
> > > and Address Books list, click the Back button, then select "Add a new
> > > directory or address book", then "Additional Address Books", and add the
> > > OAB. Then keep clicking Back until you get back to the first dialog
> box,
> > > and go back to the Directories and Address Books list as you did
> earlier.
> > > Once the OAB appears in the list, select it and then click Change to
> make
> > > sure the Contacts folder(s) you want to display are listed. If any of
> > them
> > > aren't listed, you'll need to enable those Contacts folders as Outlook
> > > Address Books by right clicking the folder, selecting Properties,
> clicking
> > > the Outlook Address Book tab, and checking the "Show this folder as an
> > > E-mail address book" box. Make sure you restart Outlook after making
> > these
> > > changes.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Russ Valentine
> > > [MVP-Outlook]
> > > "DianaH" <nuttin@nowhere.com> wrote in message
> > > news:uvSiPjjVEHA.2828@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > > > I have a contact list (of course) in Outlook 2003. When I start
> typing
> > an
> > > > email address, it doesn't auto-complete and I know why. When I click
> > the
> > > > "to" button to access my contacts, a "blank" contact list displays
> > instead
> > > > of the one I want. I use the pulldown menu and select the correct
> > contact
> > >
> > > > list. This is an annoying workaround. How do I delete the other
> lists
> > > and
> > > > set the one that I want as default. (I know the others are not
> valid).
> > > >
> > > > I just reformatted my drive two nights ago (so stressful - booooooo)
> and
> > > am
> > > > trying to get everything setup again, but I can't figure this one out.
> > > I'm
> > > > sure it's been posted a gazillion times, but I don't see it.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks so much for your help. Diana
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
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> >
> >
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