Once we have designed a new contact form, how do we transfer the data from
the old contact form to the new contact form? Or how do we assign the new
contact form as a default form for displaying and editing the contact data?

There's no need to transfer data, as a form is just a code/UI template. All the data stays where it is, and you change the value of the MessageClass property to point to the new published form, e.g. IPM.Contact.MyNewForm. The page at http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=39 has links to scripts and tools to do this.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Blue Max" wrote in message ...
Once we have designed a new contact form, how do we transfer the data from
the old contact form to the new contact form? Or how do we assign the new
contact form as a default form for displaying and editing the contact data?

Thank you very much, Sue, this is somewhat as we suspected. However, what
we didn't suspect was that we would have to program the change using code.
We had simply hoped there was a standard Outlook 2007 option for making this
substitution. It would have been nice, given the ability we have to design
forms, if there had been an easy way to substitute our custom forms for the
defaults or for existing forms (including all their current associations).
All this leads to two more questions, if we may?

FIRST, As you indicated, the data is stored separate from the display form.
Therefore, if we add new information fields to a form, how do the new fields
get added to the database?

SECOND, it appears, from the link you emailed, that forms can replace the
default or else be assigned to specific folders, is that correct? If so,
are we better off assigning the new form to separate folders or as the
default?

Thanks,

Richard

****************
"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote in message
...
There's no need to transfer data, as a form is just a code/UI template. All
the data stays where it is, and you change the value of the MessageClass
property to point to the new published form, e.g. IPM.Contact.MyNewForm. The
page at http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=39 has links to scripts
and tools to do this.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Blue Max" wrote in message
...
Once we have designed a new contact form, how do we transfer the data from
the old contact form to the new contact form? Or how do we assign the new
contact form as a default form for displaying and editing the contact
data?

Comments inline.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Blue Max" wrote in message ...
Thank you very much, Sue, this is somewhat as we suspected. However, what
we didn't suspect was that we would have to program the change using code.
We had simply hoped there was a standard Outlook 2007 option for making this
substitution. It would have been nice, given the ability we have to design
forms, if there had been an easy way to substitute our custom forms for the
defaults or for existing forms (including all their current associations).

For an existing custom form, if you want to substitute a new form, all you have to do is publish the new form with the same Message Class as the old one. Of course, you'd want to make a backup of the old one first and use a higher version number on the new form.

All this leads to two more questions, if we may?

FIRST, As you indicated, the data is stored separate from the display form.
Therefore, if we add new information fields to a form, how do the new fields
get added to the database?

Each item gets the new field as the user enters data into it, using the layout on the latest version of the form.

SECOND, it appears, from the link you emailed, that forms can replace the
default or else be assigned to specific folders, is that correct?

Yes, that's correct.

If so, are we better off assigning the new form to separate folders or as the
default?

I would steer clear of the default substitution approach unless you really do want to change the default form everywhere. Definitely do not use it for custom message forms.

"Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]" wrote in message
...
There's no need to transfer data, as a form is just a code/UI template. All
the data stays where it is, and you change the value of the MessageClass
property to point to the new published form, e.g. IPM.Contact.MyNewForm. The
page at http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=39 has links to scripts
and tools to do this.

"Blue Max" wrote in message
...
Once we have designed a new contact form, how do we transfer the data from
the old contact form to the new contact form? Or how do we assign the new
contact form as a default form for displaying and editing the contact
data?

Thank you for the reply, all this has been very helpful. One more
clarification below:

FIRST, As you indicated, the data is stored separate from the display
form.
Therefore, if we add new information fields to a form, how do the new
fields
get added to the database?

Each item gets the new field as the user enters data into it, using the
layout on the latest version of the form.

So, are you saying that the Outlook Data Store is transparently modified to
include this new field of information along with all the other contact data?

Is there a way we can preview a Data Store and see what information it
includes and what the field name associations are?

Will the new data fields be preserved when moving the .PST file from
location to location? Though this new information may not be visible unless
the new location includes the custom form designed to show the new fields of
information, correct?

Thanks,

Richard

Is there a way we can preview a Data Store and see what information it
includes and what the field name associations are?

Sorry, but I don't know what you mean by "field name associations." The Outlook Spy and MFCMAPI.exe tools are highly recommended for digging deep into Outlook's data.

So, are you saying that the Outlook Data Store is transparently modified to
include this new field of information along with all the other contact data?


None of this happens at the store level. Custom properties are defined at the folder and item levels.

Will the new data fields be preserved when moving the .PST file from
location to location?

Yes.

Though this new information may not be visible unless
the new location includes the custom form designed to show the new fields of
information, correct?

Correct. Outlook would need to be able to find the custom form associated with the items' MessageClass.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Blue Max" wrote in message ...
Thank you for the reply, all this has been very helpful. One more
clarification below:

FIRST, As you indicated, the data is stored separate from the display
form.
Therefore, if we add new information fields to a form, how do the new
fields
get added to the database?

Each item gets the new field as the user enters data into it, using the
layout on the latest version of the form.