Microsoft's Free Busy Internet Service

[Mr B]

Has anyone tried to use the Microsoft Free/Busy Internet System to publish their informatino via
Outlook 2002?
http://freebusy.office.microsoft.com/freebusy/freebusy.dll

If so, did it work? I can't get it to work at all. All the information shows up as UNKNOWN even
for myself. I tried emailing them at the email address posted on THEIR website
([email protected]) and the email came back Failed. Wtf.

Anyhow, if anyond actually has used thsi and got it to work, let me know what you did. I can't seem
to figure it out. Can't figure out using it locally on a shared drive either.

Ah well. Gotta love when they take out functionality (Net Folders) and don't replace it when people
coutned on using that.

 

[Vince Averello [MVP-Outlook]]

I've used it and it's worked OK for me. Do you have a working Passport on
the machine in question?

 

[Mr B]

Here's what I did...


1) Created two .Net Passport whatever logins (mb@.... and mb1@...)
2) Set them each up for the Free/Busy system, got the confirmation emails, etc.
3) PC #1 is set up with mb1@... in outlook and has the Publish to Microsoft thing checked and set
up. Also has the mb@... email address listed as an authorized user in the web system.
4) PC #2 is set up in the opposite way.


When I log into the system and click the link for View Free/Busy information, I get nothing. It's
not that one can't view the other, they can't even view their own information. Everything shows up
as Unknown.

Just wondering what the problem might be. I did let the PCs both sit on with Outlook open for at
least 30 - 45 minute to give them time to publish their information as well.


Each PC has Outlook 2002, IE6, etc so software wouldn't be the problem.


Thanks.

 

[Mr B]

Heh OK, nevermind. I checked it again this morning and now the data is there. Maybe the servers
were just being really slow or something last night because I let it sit for an hour or so and still
had no data. But now the data is there.

ANy idea if this system will be enhanced to show a bit more information than just Free or Not Free?
Possibly why they aren't free or anything via a clickable link or soemthing? Would meka it more
useful I'd think..

 

[Mr B]

I set that option and it only showed me the Detailed info for my Own events. For the other person
it jsut left it as a blue bar for Busy.

Is there any setting for the other person to PUBLISH the extra details? Or does it publish the
details only if you set it to show the details or anything?

I'm using the Microsoft Free/BUsy Internet service thing, went to New Meeting Request, added someone
TO the meeting, then viewed the calendar.

My entry says the meeting name, the other person's entry just is a blue bar for busy.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

No, when I use the MS Internet Free/Busy service I never had to do
anything to view details other than make those settings. I do see
appointment details in the planning grid.

--
Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Lead Author, Professional Outlook 2000 Programming, Wrox Press
Lead Author, Beginning VB 6 Application Development, Wrox Press
Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/attachmentoptions.htm
Extended Reminders
http://www.slovaktech.com/extendedreminders.htm

I set that option and it only showed me the Detailed info for my Own events. For the other person
it jsut left it as a blue bar for Busy.

Is there any setting for the other person to PUBLISH the extra

details? Or does it publish the

details only if you set it to show the details or anything?

I'm using the Microsoft Free/BUsy Internet service thing, went to

New Meeting Request, added someone

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

I have no idea why you aren't seeing the details. I do when using the
MS Internet Free/Busy service. I set it up on 2 different Outlook 2003
systems, 1 Outlook 2002 system and 1 Outlook 2000 system to do
free/busy testing and have screen shots to use for my Outlook 2003
book. Details were available for all machines for all users on the
free MS service, just as they were for the setups I put together for
my Exchange server.

--
Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Lead Author, Professional Outlook 2000 Programming, Wrox Press
Lead Author, Beginning VB 6 Application Development, Wrox Press
Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/attachmentoptions.htm
Extended Reminders
http://www.slovaktech.com/extendedreminders.htm

Here's a screenshot of what I see in my Outlook 2002 when setting up a meeting..

http://www.eventartistry.net/images/schedule.jpg

The PC I'm on is the top person and my other PC is the bottom

person. I only see the detail for

myself, not for the other people. So I have no way of knowing WHY

they are busy, just that they are

busy.

I'm publishing the free time using the Microsoft service. Does this change at all if I published
the info to a local shared drive or anything like that?

I'd love to be awble to see the detail for everyone so if you can

think of anything I can change or

 

[Mr B]

Last Question on this topic and I think I haev all the info I need.

What's the best way to handle it if one person uses 2 computers? The calendar doesn't have to be on
both computers. In fact we'd rather have it just on one, but if the person is sitting at the
"other" computer when they get a meeting request, can they just not do anything with it until they
get back to their other PC and then accept/decline on that PC? They have it set up to leave the
mail on the server so they should be able to get it in both places....

Ah well, we'll se what happens I guess...

 

[Mr B]

I just set up this service on 6 PCs at the office today and None of them can view the details of
Other peolpe, just the details of their own information.

All the PCs are running Windows 2000, Office 2002, (No Exchange Server obviously).

Is the viewing details of others possibly something that was introduced with Outlook 2003 by chance?
Or some setting somewhere to "Allow others to view details" or something like that that I'm not
seeing?

The system seems to work fine but seeing the details would make it that much better for us.

Thanks.

 

[Mr B]

Ah well. Put it down for an enhancement for a future release. Shoudln't take up much server space
for 1 line of text with each entry. But would be very useful.