Microsoft KB Archive/218398

= OL2000: Message or Notes Field Lost Using Custom Form =

Article ID: 218398

Article Last Modified on 9/29/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Outlook 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q218398



SYMPTOMS
You add text to the Message or Notes field on a custom Outlook form, but the text later disappears when you use the form.



CAUSE
This problem only occurs when your default folders are located in a Personal Folders file (.pst). It does not occur when your default folders are located on a Microsoft Exchange Server mailbox.



RESOLUTION
To avoid this problem, use any of the following methods:

  Add the following Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) code to the form to automatically "dirty" the Message or Notes field: Sub Item_Write Item.Body = Item.Body End Sub

WARNING: This approach results in the Message or Notes field reverting to plain text and losing all rich text formatting.

-or-  Make changes the Message or Notes field when using the form.

-or- Use a Microsoft Exchange Server mailbox instead of a Personal Folders file for your default set of folders.



MORE INFORMATION
This problem occurs with all types of forms. Unlike other fields on an Outlook form, the Message or Notes field is designed to store rich text.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

 * 1) Make sure that Outlook is configured to deliver incoming mail to a Personal Folders file (*.PST) and not a Microsoft Exchange mailbox.
 * 2) On the File menu, point to New, and then click Mail Message.
 * 3) Type some text into both the Subject and Message fields.
 * 4) On the Tools menu, point to Form and then click Publish Form. Change Look In to your Inbox, type a Display name for the form, and then click Publish.
 * 5) Close and do not save changes to the form.
 * 6) On the Actions menu, click New , where is the display name you specified in the previous step.
 * 7) Make a change to the subject of the mail message, but do not change the Message field.
 * 8) Close the mail message and save changes when prompted to do so.
 * 9) Open the mail message from the Drafts folder and the Message field will be blank.

