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#1
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Selecting a contact list
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 |
#2
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Selecting a contact list
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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#3
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Selecting a contact list
Thanks Russ. I run though the steps you provided, right now and let you
know how it works. Diana "Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#4
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Selecting a contact list
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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#5
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Selecting a contact list
"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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#6
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Selecting a contact list
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]" wrote in message ... "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#7
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Selecting a contact list
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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#8
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Selecting a contact list
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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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 |
#9
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Selecting a contact list
Hi Russ,
You mentioned an autocompletion cache. Do you know where this is stored? I had to redo my hard drive after an xp crash and the cache that I built up before may still exist. If it does, could it be moved into my new Outlook installation as was the case with my emails et al? I installed the new copy of XP and all the progs on a new hard drive so many of the files from the original installation still exist on my old drive. Many thanks, Peter "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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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Selecting a contact list
The cache bears the name of your Outlook profile and an NK2 extension.
There's information on it he http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;Q287623 In theory, you should be able to rename your current cache, then move your old cache to the same folder and rename it to match the new profile. -- Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook] "Peebs" wrote in message ... Hi Russ, You mentioned an autocompletion cache. Do you know where this is stored? I had to redo my hard drive after an xp crash and the cache that I built up before may still exist. If it does, could it be moved into my new Outlook installation as was the case with my emails et al? I installed the new copy of XP and all the progs on a new hard drive so many of the files from the original installation still exist on my old drive. Many thanks, Peter "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... "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" wrote in message ... 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]" wrote in message ... 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" wrote in message ... 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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