Write a little code to add the new custom field to the item, copy the data from the old field, the delete the old field, and save the item.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"Wayne Self" wrote in message ...
Thanks, Sue! What's the solution?

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

With hundreds of thousands of individual Outlook applications in use by millions of users, that's highly unlikely, especially when there is already a solution to handle individual situations like yours.


"Wayne Self" wrote in message ...
Thank you, Ken, for your prompt response. You and Sue have convinced me, for
now, to name my fields more accurately the first time. My Quicken program has
me spoiled by allowing me to rename and recatagorize at will. Outlook is a
excellent program and I enjoy using it. Is it feasible for the program to be
rewritten, for the sake of greater flexibility, and then write a migration
program to take care of the backward compatibility issue?


"Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

By the design of MAPI all user defined fields are placed in the named
properties section of all item properties. By definition all named
properties use the property name and the type of field (Long, Boolean,
String8, StringUnicode, Multi-value Binary, etc.) as part of the algorithm
that creates the property tag for the user defined field.

Changing name or type would create a new property tag that would be
completely unrelated to the original tag (other than both being in the named
properties namespace).

While I sympathize with what you want, it would make things easier and more
flexible, it can't happen unless the entire MAPI design for Outlook and
Exchange is scrapped and replaced with a completely different design. Forget
about backward compatibility in that case.


"Wayne Self" wrote in message
...
Thanks, Sue, for your prompt reply. However, I am not happy with the
answer.
To the powers that be at Microsoft, I challenge you to make not only user
defined fields dynamic and renameable, but also program defalt field
names.
While you are at it I would also like to be able to change other
properties
of the field as well. I use Microsoft as my only contacts database, but I
need more flexibility. Thanks to all who tackle this issue! Wayne Self

Thanks, Sue! I haven't gotten into writing code. So, I'll just take your
original advice for now and get on with life. Thanks again!

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Write a little code to add the new custom field to the item, copy the data from the old field, the delete the old field, and save the item.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"Wayne Self" wrote in message ...
Thanks, Sue! What's the solution?

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

With hundreds of thousands of individual Outlook applications in use by millions of users, that's highly unlikely, especially when there is already a solution to handle individual situations like yours.


"Wayne Self" wrote in message ...
Thank you, Ken, for your prompt response. You and Sue have convinced me, for
now, to name my fields more accurately the first time. My Quicken program has
me spoiled by allowing me to rename and recatagorize at will. Outlook is a
excellent program and I enjoy using it. Is it feasible for the program to be
rewritten, for the sake of greater flexibility, and then write a migration
program to take care of the backward compatibility issue?


"Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" wrote:

By the design of MAPI all user defined fields are placed in the named
properties section of all item properties. By definition all named
properties use the property name and the type of field (Long, Boolean,
String8, StringUnicode, Multi-value Binary, etc.) as part of the algorithm
that creates the property tag for the user defined field.

Changing name or type would create a new property tag that would be
completely unrelated to the original tag (other than both being in the named
properties namespace).

While I sympathize with what you want, it would make things easier and more
flexible, it can't happen unless the entire MAPI design for Outlook and
Exchange is scrapped and replaced with a completely different design. Forget
about backward compatibility in that case.


"Wayne Self" wrote in message
...
Thanks, Sue, for your prompt reply. However, I am not happy with the
answer.
To the powers that be at Microsoft, I challenge you to make not only user
defined fields dynamic and renameable, but also program defalt field
names.
While you are at it I would also like to be able to change other
properties
of the field as well. I use Microsoft as my only contacts database, but I
need more flexibility. Thanks to all who tackle this issue! Wayne Self