Outlook's propensity to lose custom views

Text of a usenet post -- I'll link to the thread when it's published ...

Ok, I'm sorry for the multiple posts from this am, but I hope you'll agree that in sum they're useful. I'm thrilled someone else is working to track this down.

I may have a workaround for the bug. Others can test this out. I think it only works with Outlook 2003 and exchange server.

First -- what we know & speculate:

1. This is an old bug. Custom views have been disappearing since Outlook 98.
2. It doesn't happen to everyone! It probably requires Exchange server problems or some other oddity. I use multiple PST files, for example.
3. Custom views USED to be stored in views.dat. So pre-2003 users of Outlook can happily back up views.dat and be fine. Lucky dogs!
4. The problem MAY be related to synchronization between the multiple locations of custom views, including PST files, OST files, Exchange server etc.
5. If custom views have "folder scope", rather than being "PST scope" or "All folder scope", I wonder if they're less likely to vanish?

Now the new thing.

Outlook 2003 has a new feature -- one can "copy" folder design. The help file text for this is incoherent. I don't know if it really works. This is what I'm testing to backup and restore my custom views. I'm trying to create the views only with "folder scope".

1. Create a new PST file called "ViewsBackup" and create empty folders in it for Calendar, Tasks, etc.
2. Click on my empty Calendar folder. Then chose File:Folder:Copy Folder Design. Select the SOURCE folder for the Views. In theory this should copy Views to the "ViewsBackup" folder. Repeat for each of the main folders (Calendar, etc)
3. Exit Outlook and backup (I zipped it) the "ViewsBackup.pst" file.

Next time I lose my custom views, I'll try restoring them from either ViewsBackup.pst or ViewsBackup.zip (whichever works).

meta: outlook, bug, defect, exchange, synchronization, data loss, custom views, custom view, filter, disappear, vanish, lose, disappearing, outlook 2003, gone, jfaughnan, jgfaughnan

update

This June 2000 article describes how older versions of outlook stored custom views.

update II

Ok, this is interesting. There's a LOT of broken stuff in this part of Outlook. Playing with this domain I broke views in many interesting ways, including varying views appearing from click to click, parts of the views list disappearing, etc.

1. /cleanviews is a command line option that's handy to get the views working again.
2. The only views I can copy from one folder to another (using the method outlined above), are views created with scope of "this folder, visible to everyone". I think "All xxx Folders" causes odd conflicts when copied, and "This Folder, Visible only to me" doesn't work at all.
3. The Copy Folder Design / Views & Forms doesn't do a full overwrite. I'm not sure what it does when names collide, or if it only matches on names. If a view name does not exist at the target it adds the view name.

Using Command lines with Outlook 2003

Using Command lines with Outlook 2003

Very nice reference, some handy troubleshooting solutions.

TechTV | Secrets of the iPod - troubleshooting

[This post was updated and revised 11/27/05.]

TechTV | Secrets of the iPod is a decent summary of advanced troubleshooting techniques, here are the key points with my emphases and corrections/comments]

Resetting the iPod

If your iPod's locked up, you can perform the equivalent of a hard boot by holding down the Menu and Play buttons for about seven seconds. This forces the iPod to restart, and hopefully allows it to function as it should.

[jf: This is incorrect. This is a partial reset, which does not resolve the 'unresponsive center button' problem which sometimes afflicts my 3rd generation (3G, smooth wheel, docking port) iPod. A proper reset requires the iPod be attached to a power supply, then switch the hold button to "on" (hold), then switch to "off" (red does not show on hold area) then hold Menu & Play. A full reset will solve my unresponsive center button; a state where part of the iPod behaves as though the device were locked.]

Disk Mode

Is your iPod missing in action when you plug it in to your Mac or PC? You can attempt to force your iPod's attention on your computer by invoking Disk Mode on your iPod. To do so, plug your iPod into your computer's FireWire or USB 2.0 port, use the reset button combination described above and, when you see the Apple logo, press and hold the Previous and Next buttons. In short order, your iPod should display the Do Not Disconnect message and mount on your PC or Mac.

[jf: My 3G iPod will mount by FireWire, but not USB. I might try this.]

Restoring your iPod

If you have to routinely reset your iPod or force it into Disk Mode, you should give serious thought to restoring it (iPod-speak for reformatting). Doing so erases everything on the device -- music files, calendars, contacts, notes, and any other data you've copied to it -- so be sure you have a backup of the material.

To restore your iPod, simply connect it to your computer and run the appropriate iPod Software Updater application. Be very careful that you update your iPod with the appropriate version of the Updater. A third-generation iPod can't be updated with the Updater intended for earlier iPods, but a Windows iPod can be (and a 3G Windows iPod won't work correctly with the newer software). Use only iPod Software 1.3 Updater and earlier for first- and second-generation iPods, and iPod Software 2.0 Updater and later for the current third-generation iPods.

[jf: As of 10/12/05 Apple's updater is supposed to work for all devices. The last OS revision for the 3G iPod was 2.3. Just prior to this release the universal updater didn't work on 3G iPods, but this version dhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifid for me.]

Scan the disk

The iPod has the ability to scan its hard drive for errors and repair some of those errors. If you suspect your iPod's drive is slightly funked up, try scanning the disk.

To do so, reset the iPod, and when you see the Apple logo, press and hold the Previous, Next, Select, and Menu buttons. An animated icon of a disc will appear along with a progress bar. This test can take 15 to 20 minutes, so be patient. If your iPod doesn't have a good charge, plug it in to a power source before scanning the disk.

Older iPods could also be placed in a diagnostic mode(methodshop):

1. You need to restart your iPod before putting it into Diagnostic Mode. Check that your hold switch is off by sliding the switch away from the headphone jack. Toggle it on and off to be safe.

2. Press and hold the following combination of buttons buttons simultaneously for approximately 10 seconds to reset the iPod.

* iPod 1G to 3G: "Menu" and "Play/Pause"
* iPod 4G+ and Mini: "Menu" and "Select"

3. The Apple logo will appear and you should feel the hard drive spinning up. Press and hold the following sequence of buttons:

o iPod 1G to 3G: "REW", "FFW" and "Select"
o iPod 4G+ and Mini: "Back" and "Select"

You will hear an audible chirp sound (3G models and higher) and the Apple logo should appear backwards. You are now in Diagnostic Mode.

4. Navigate the list of tests using "REW" and "FFW". The scroll wheel will not function while in diagnostic mode... (see link for rest of directions)

DateDex - The Calendar Directory of days, dates & events worldwide

DateDex - The Calendar Directory of days, dates & events worldwide

Another site getting a lot of blog postings. I agree!

Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures (NIST.GOV)

Dictionary of Algorithms and Data Structures

This is not new. The footer dates it to 1998! I saw a blog posting on it. Marvelous, but they need a better way to categorize their algorithms.

FILEHand -yet another search tool to try

Marc's Outlook on Productivity: FILEHand - a Google-like search for your desktop

I don't have much hope -- all the full text search tools I've tried lately have been very flaky or worse. Still, I'm obliged to try.

iPod -- Apple customer service debacle

iPod doesn't appear in iTunes or on my Mac desktop

1. At age 6 months 30GB iPod battery is aging fast.
2. At age 9 months battery has < 1 hour life. Instead of paying $30 for S&H I paid $60 for AppleCare and one year postage free service.
3. Get replacement iPod under AppleCare.
4. Replacement iPod is non-functional out-of-box. Won't mount (see http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60950). The firewire hardware on the iPod is broken.
5. After the usual 45 minutes on phone support I worked up to a Tier two tech with an overflowing voice mail box. In a week or so I should have ANOTHER replacement iPod.
Update 11/27/05 ... to round out the story ...
6. The next iPod had a non-responsive central button. This was fixed by a full reset, but the problem would occur every 6 months or so. This final iPod was eventually discovered to have a non-functional USB port.

So Apple sent me two defective iPods, the last of which I have used for the past year. In November of 2005 Macintouch reported a 30% failure rate on the 3G 30GB iPod -- atrocious even by the standards of complex consumer electronics. I was bit by a defective product line, and then by Apple's practice of sending "refurbished" devices to replace defective products. The "refurbished" devices are supposedly repaired or shown to be working, but my experience suggests the "repairs" are very "low cost".

The experience with my 3G iPod has made me very cautious about trusting Apple products. It's also taught me the limits of AppleCare. Since that experience I do not purchase the extended warrantee, instead I follow the rules required by my credit card company. I try to have repairs done by people I trust, such as twin cities Apple store that's privately run.

dbVisualizer and MySQL for OS X

Marc Liyanage - Software - Mac OS X Packages - MySQL

I use dbVisualizer at work with Oracle. Very nice application -- the full version is only $70 or so. I noticed it claims to work with MySQL; some quick research supports this.

MySQL can be freely downloaded (open source).

Both dbVisualizer (Java) and MySQL apparently run quite well on OS X.

The combination of dbVisualizer and MySQL is nowhere near as user friendly as FileMaker, but I'm not sure it's beyond the comfort zone of a Microsoft Access victim. I may play with this on OS X a bit.

Tasks 2.0 (Macintouch)

MacInTouch Home Page: "Alex King released Tasks 2.0, a web-based task and to-do list manager with hierarchical views, creation of iCalendars, reminders by email, and other features. The new version brings the single-user version up to par with the multi-user Tasks Pro, adding features such as RSS feeds for every task, time tracking, file attachments, and smartphone/PDA access. Tasks is $29.95 for any server running Mac OS X, Linux, Unix, or Windows with PHP, MySQL, and Apache."

Digital Film Scanners - Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 ED Film Scanner Review, Information, and Specifications

Digital Film Scanners - Nikon Super Coolscan 4000 ED Film Scanner Review, Information, and Specifications

In depth review ...

Conflict Map: Nobel eMuseum

Conflict Map

This is staggering. What a terrible view of humanity. North America is almost uniquely quiet.

Apple - Discussions - iPhoto "Not enough disk space bug" -- fixed by ONYX and PCC Cache cleanup

Apple - Discussions - Not enough disk space bug -- it's back!!

Hey, we're learning something. At least with 4.01, the major source for this bug appears to be related to the system caches. ONYX and Panther Cache Cleaner both are known to fix the problem. We don't yet know which cache must be removed.

This is progress. The problem could be in how iPhoto works with the cache subsystem, within the cache system itself, the cache/file system interaction, or the file system/hardware level. Given the on/off problems OS X has had with corruption of disk drives, especially firewire drives, I would worry about the very low level OS functionality. I dimly recall reading at one time that the code layer between OS X and BSD Unix was pretty ugly.

If it's a deep problem then it probably occurs with all apps, but shows up more in iPhoto because of the way iPhoto works. That would fit with what I read on OS X Hints -- cache cleanup is the common fix for many application problems.

If it is a 'deep' problem it won't get fixed before 'Tiger'. (10.4) at the earliest. In the meanwhile, I will configure ONYX and/or Panther Cache Cleaner to run every week automatically. PCC is $10, I think ONYX may be free but maybe they accept donations. Either way I'd like to pay something.

Reviews on Tinderbox, Notetaker, Notebook (via Mac Net Journal)

Tinderbox, Notetaker, Notebook -- by Doug Miller

and ATPM review - Notetaker and Notebook

Amazon.com: Camera & Photo: Nikon CoolScan V ED Film Scanner

Amazon.com: Camera & Photo: Nikon CoolScan V ED Film Scanner

I have 1500 or so unfiled prints from post-childOne until 'saved by digital'. I'll never get around to filing them.

On the other hand, I could pay someone to run the negatives through this scanner and attach date information to JPEG output. Then dump the results into iPhoto or Photoshop Album for sorting and analysis. I may end up dumping the prints once the negatives are imaged (but keeping the negatives offsite in a well protected environment).

I love the Amazon reviews. This one is extraordinary. Terse but packed with useful information:

Reviewer: Peter Jung from Greater Toronto Area, Canada
Decade's collection of fading film this COOLSCAN can handle. You can obtain detailed images that are truly vivid, sharp, and better than the original then technology.

Batch scanning can be done with one click on the Scan button in Nikon Scan 4's firmware. The maintenance free red, green, blue, and infrared LED light source is gentle to film. The 4000 ppi optical resolution is an ideal start for outputting A3+ prints on the new crop of large format bubblejet and inkjet printers.

Reading the Nikon Scan Reference Manual in the Nikon Scan Reference Manual/Easy Scanning Guide CD would be your best learning tool to get the most out of your scanner. For the most accurate results, the first thing to do before scanning is to set your preferences by clicking on the Prefs button in the Control Area of the Scan Window.

When enabled, the Digital ICE quad Advanced software works well with most film. The Manual will explain that ICE, ROC, GEM, and DEE will not operate with the optional FH-G1 Medical Holder.

ICE will not work on monochrome film unless the film has been developed in colour. ICE will not work properly on Kodachrome, but will work on other brands of slides. Noise may appear if ICE is used on overexposed or very vivid images. ICE will reduce the overall sharpness of the image. ICE is not not designed nor does ICE advertise itself to remove all dust and scratches from film. ICE will reduce most of the dust and scatches, however. You will have to use a third party application like Adobe Photoshop to remove the remaining dust and scratches. ICE alone will double the scanning time of 38 seconds.

ROC may add colour to monochrome or grayscale images. ROC alone will almost double the scanning time.

GEM alone will almost triple the scanning time.

DEE works best when the image is cropped to exclude other unexposed areas of the film. DEE alone will almost quadruple the scanning time.

When enabled, Scan Image Enhancer (SIE) will automatically adjust hue. It does not work with darker images. In fact, the scan produces darker images. You are better off using DEE to pull out hidden detail in the shaded areas.

ICE, ROC, GEM, DEE, and SIE together will almost quintuple the scanning time.

Unsharp Mask can be created to all colours, or individually to red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, or yellow colours in the image. Deselect blue if you do not want to emphasize the grain in an image with blue sky.

The SA-21 strip-film adaptor only works for 2 - 6 frames. To save money by not having to buy the optional 1 - 6 frame FH-3 film holder, place a 1 frame negative into an empty cardboard slide holder and insert into the MA-21 slide holder. Remember to select Neg (color), and Calibrated RGB in the Control Area before scanning.

Along with a short USB 2.0 cable, included in the package is a Nikon View 6 CD, which is an application, used to organize saved pictures in TIFF and JPEG file formats only. According to the Manual, large files created in Nikon Scan may not show on Nikon View slide shows.

Before clicking on the Scan button, press Ctrl (MS Windows) and the Autofocus button. Then left click on a focal point in the preview image to ensure accurate focusing at that point. You can always change the focus point using the same method, or by using the Focus Tool in the Layout Tools palette. The palette can also be customized to suit.

If you have to use the Analog Gain palette to correct or adjust the colour values for each of the elements in the scanner's light source, your LED's may require repair. The probability of repair to the LED's is not specifically discussed in the Manual.

If desktop or cubbyhole space is an issue, the scanner can be placed with either the top or side vents facing up. Remember to provide the minimum clearances to the scanner for ventilation. The dual wrap around band of rubber feet will ensure a cushioned slip resistant footing.

After using the transparency unit on an Epson Perfection 1670 Photo flatbed scanner for 2 months, this COOLSCAN is the only economical equipment to use to obtain satisfying scans. It is amazing how much the original analogue images have improved.

If you have at minimum several hundred frames to archive, and the time to spend in front of your monitor performing adjustments and scans to each frame, then you will not regret overspending on this scanner.

Banks for children, finding things, and market failure!

MAGNIF Product Listing

This site specializes in coin banks. It was hard to find. I located it by:

1. seeing a coin bank advertised in a catalog
2. taking strings from the marketing description and feeding them into google (every catalog uses the same vendor-provided description).
3. locating sites selling the "reference" item then finding this site.

A similar technique is used for researching products that lack distinctive names. Search on both the non-distinct name and the distinctive name of a competitor's product ....

It's interesting though that I had trouble finding this. I'm better at finding things than most people ....

---

Update: The colorful $8 coin sorting banks lasted about 45 minutes. One sorted fairly accurately, another less accurately. Soon coins jammed, requiring disassembly. On disassembly the plastic pins fell out. The device was finished. We paid about $10 for under an hour of minor amusement and we generated more landfill.

This is what, in my main blog (Faughnan's Notes), I classify as yet another instance of market failure. We wanted the device I suspect this toy was based on -- a toy that worked quite well about 20 years ago. Maybe 100 years ago. We'd have paid $20 for one that worked. What we got was dreck -- for $7 plus shipping. Labeled "made in America" by the way -- I rather doubt that.

Life for the middle class American in the early 21st century is an unrelenting and extremely annoying series of bigger and smaller "market failures". I think this might be a truly new phenomenen with a significant real and opportunity cost.

Not to mention overflowing landfills.