I
Ivan Bútora
Applies to:
Outlook 2000/2002/2003 (possibly also earlier versions, but not tested)
Tested with:
OL 2000 on Windows 98 SE
OL 2003 on Windows XP Pro SP2
SYMPTOMS
When Outlook is called externally to create a new message, it will treat the new message window as a dialog box. This has the consequence that the whole application is locked until one disposes of the "dialog box" either by sending the message or closing it.
An alternative scenario is such that Outlook is not running, and the call is made to create a new message. In such case, if one attempts to start Outlook, one gets the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. A dialog box is open. Close it and try again."
EXAMPLE
The symptoms can be experienced for example when one is browsing a webpage with Internet Explorer, and uses the File -> Send -> Link by E-mail... function. Another example is using a "Compress and e-mail" function with the Windows Explorer file menu in case such an explorer shell extension is installed by the given compression software.
Note: If one decides to save the new message in those cases and subsequently close it, the message is saved in the Inbox folder, NOT the Drafts folder (which is the normal behavior).
DISCUSSION
It would be helpful to find out exactly what external call to Microsoft Outlook causes this problem. For example, using the File -> Send Link... function with Firefox does NOT cause this problem with Outlook.
If someone more knowledgeable has some idea, could you please follow up? I'd like to submit this to Microsoft, but would like to be as specific as possible about when this problem occurs.
One could argue that this is not a bug, but it would be a tough argument to make, seeing as other e-mail programs do not lock up in this way (including Outlook Express and Mozilla Thunderbird).
Thanks and best regards to all,
Ivan
Outlook 2000/2002/2003 (possibly also earlier versions, but not tested)
Tested with:
OL 2000 on Windows 98 SE
OL 2003 on Windows XP Pro SP2
SYMPTOMS
When Outlook is called externally to create a new message, it will treat the new message window as a dialog box. This has the consequence that the whole application is locked until one disposes of the "dialog box" either by sending the message or closing it.
An alternative scenario is such that Outlook is not running, and the call is made to create a new message. In such case, if one attempts to start Outlook, one gets the following error message:
"Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. A dialog box is open. Close it and try again."
EXAMPLE
The symptoms can be experienced for example when one is browsing a webpage with Internet Explorer, and uses the File -> Send -> Link by E-mail... function. Another example is using a "Compress and e-mail" function with the Windows Explorer file menu in case such an explorer shell extension is installed by the given compression software.
Note: If one decides to save the new message in those cases and subsequently close it, the message is saved in the Inbox folder, NOT the Drafts folder (which is the normal behavior).
DISCUSSION
It would be helpful to find out exactly what external call to Microsoft Outlook causes this problem. For example, using the File -> Send Link... function with Firefox does NOT cause this problem with Outlook.
If someone more knowledgeable has some idea, could you please follow up? I'd like to submit this to Microsoft, but would like to be as specific as possible about when this problem occurs.
One could argue that this is not a bug, but it would be a tough argument to make, seeing as other e-mail programs do not lock up in this way (including Outlook Express and Mozilla Thunderbird).
Thanks and best regards to all,
Ivan