Microsoft KB Archive/927013

Knowledge Base

Error message when you try to expand a distribution list in Outlook 2007 on a Windows Vista-based computer: "The command selected is not valid for this recipient"

Article ID: 927013

Article Last Modified on 4/25/2007

---

APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, when used with:
  • Windows Vista Business
  • Windows Vista Enterprise
  • Windows Vista Home Basic
  • Windows Vista Home Premium
  • Windows Vista Ultimate

---

SYMPTOMS

You create a new e-mail message in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. You right-click an alias in one of the fields of this message, and then click Expand DL to try to expand the distribution list. When you do this, you receive the following error message:

Cannot perform the requested operation. The command selected is not valid for this recipient.

When you click Show Help in this error message, the following information appears:

This error usually occurs when you attempt to view the calendar for a user who has one or more of the following issues:

• Is not part of your domain.
• Is not listed in the LDAP.
• Is not a member of your Exchange Server.
• Has not granted you the necessary permissions to view their calendar.

To avoid this error message, use the Open Calendar command only if the user is using Exchange Server.  If the user uses Exchange Server and you still encounter an error message, ask the user for the appropriate permissions to view their calendar.  If they are not part of your network, you will probably not gain access to their calendar. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Based article 813603.

Note In this error message, the word "Based" is a misspelling of the word "Base."

You do not expect to receive this error message because you have not tried to access a user's calendar.

CAUSE

This issue occurs if the following conditions are true:

• Outlook 2007 is running on a Windows Vista-based computer.
• You type the alias in the message field, or you select the alias from the list of cached name entries.
  

For example, you start to type User, and then press ENTER to select the cached User Name entry.

• The object type that corresponds to the particular alias has changed in the Active Directory directory service.
  

For example, the name that you type formerly represented a user account. However, the name now represents a distribution group. This issue occurs because Outlook 2007 does not perform a remote procedure call (RPC) lookup for names that you select from the cached name entries. Therefore, Outlook 2007 does not detect that the object is now a distribution group.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, enter the alias again to resolve it. Alternatively, select the alias from the address book by using the mouse. To do this, click the field name (such as To), click the user alias, and then click OK.

Note You have to do this only for user aliases with which you experience this issue.

Additional query words: OL2007 Outlook2007

Keywords: kbview kbemail kberrmsg kbexpertisebeginner kbtshoot kbprb KB927013

---

Send feedback to Microsoft

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.