open outlook links automatically

[xja]

I have been using the URL attribute to link UR items to Outlook items. I have created new template items based on "Document" for each type of Outlook item (eg, "Outlook Contact", "Outlook Task", etc.), containing a URL attribute. I then create a new item with the URL attribute set to the Outlook link (ie, "outlook:<guid>", using the Outlook linker utility I posted in the Tips section to capture the Outlook link. However, I have recently discovered that if I create a web info item (eg, by pasting a web URL onto a UR item), and then change the URL attribute to an Outlook link, when I click on the item in Data Explorer, the Outlook item AUTOMATICALLY opens!

So, question is: is there a way I can have items derived from my Outlook Contact template automatically open when selected? Is there something I can put in the "File extensions to display in internal browser" to cause that to happen? Or a way to define my Outlook Contact template?

[kevina]

The information that Outlook puts on the clipboard limits Ultra Recall's ability to differentiate between messages and other Outlook objects (contacts, tasks, etc). We will look at this further as we work on better Outlook integration (to see if a workaround currently exists to achieve your request) but for now we are not aware of a way to accomplish what you are asking for.

The planned Outlook integration should accomodate your needs (and more).

[kevina]

Actually after a little testing I have confirmed that this can and indeed does work as you desire.

Probably the simplest way to achieve an "Outlook Contact" template is with the following sequence:
1) Create a new web page "template" by dragging a valid web page url onto the Templates system Info Item.
2) Delete the Url attribute value.
3) Change the Template Name attribute and Item Title to suitable values ("Outlook Contact" and "New Outlook Contact" respectively??).

Now when you want to create a new Info Item based on this template, simply create a blank Info Item (with Insert or Tree | Insert Child) of this type, then manually assign the "Outlook Linker" url value and provide an appropriate valid Item Title.

Obviously this is not true "Outlook integration", we do have plans for more extensive Outlook support but this will accomplish your immediate request.

Note this same procedure should work for other Outlook data types as well (such as tasks, etc).

Note: the reason Ultra Recall behaves this way is that when a Info Item is created for a web page url, an internal doctype attribute value is assigned a value indicating that the content should be displayed in the internal browser view. When a valid "Outlook linker" url is later assigned, Ultra Recall doesn't know how to natively retrieve this url so it doesn't change this doctype value. Since the value is still configured for the internal browser view to display, the internal browser view (actually Internet Explorer) tries to open the url, which actually launches it externally in the associated application (in this case Outlook).

[xja]

Thanks. Yes, that makes sense, figured there was something hidden that was making UR browse an item that started out as a web URL.

As you can probably tell from my numerous Outlook-related posts, I am definitely looking forward to the Outlook integration... not so much because I like Outlook (I would love to ditch it), but I need to keep it for scheduling, contacts and Palm sync.

[ricochet]

It's free to boot!

http://www.teamscope.com/otherpro/utilities.asp


Once Outlook is running, you start this app, and click on an object/email/item in Outlook, and it gives you the link information in text format. Pretty slick.