Paul Liebrand's Weblog

SharePoint 2007, Outlook 2007, Exchange 2003. Alerts set in a Rule to go to a certain folder in shared folders. When I first get the message I can open it and read it, but when I try to open it again I get an error. I’m not using Cached mode, so that won’t fix my problem. It’s been working fine until today and it only does it on Tasks list not on SharePoint Issues list and not all tasks only ones after a certain time today.

Debbie — what is the exact error message you are getting?

Cannot open this item

Cannot open this item

When you are in Outlook, what does it say in the lower right corner of the screen? Does it say “Connect to Microsoft Exchange”, or “Online with Microsoft Exchange”?

funny thing – when you asked me that it made me think if it had something to do with a rule that I had set up in Outlook 07 to move it to a shared folder on the file server (not connected to Exchange). When I removed the rule and it goes directly to my inbox I can open the email over and over again. HERE’S THE CATCH: another user has the same rule – hers works fine. Another user with no rule at all can’t open the email notice even one time. Sounds more like an Outlook issue rather than a SharePoint issue.

funny thing – when you asked me that it made me think if it had something to do with a rule that I had set up in Outlook 07 to move it to a shared folder on the file server (not connected to Exchange). When I removed the rule and it goes directly to my inbox I can open the email over and over again. HERE’S THE CATCH: another user has the same rule – hers works fine. Another user with no rule at all can’t open the email notice even one time. Sounds more like an Outlook issue rather than a SharePoint issue.

I would definitely check the Outlook connection status in the lower right corner of the screen. If it says “Online with Microsoft Exchange” this might be why you are experiencing these issues.

When I’m on the folder list that’s on my file server it doesn’t say anything. When I’m in my inbox it says “Online with Microsoft Exchange.”

When I’m on the folder list that’s on my file server it doesn’t say anything. When I’m in my inbox it says “Online with Microsoft Exchange.”

“Online with Microsoft Exchange” means you are running in cache mode. Running in cache mode causes these types of issues. Try switching out of cache mode (should read “Connect to Microsoft Exchange” in Outlook).

First, let me thank you for your help with this crazy issue. I am not in Cached Exchange Mode. Our deployment of Office 2007 made it so that box is not checked and not changeable (grayed out).

First, let me thank you for your help with this crazy issue. I am not in Cached Exchange Mode. Our deployment of Office 2007 made it so that box is not checked and not changeable (grayed out).

My bad — I got the two mixed up. You are correct — “Online with Microsoft Exchange” is NOT cached mode. One other thing you might want to try is create a new profile and see if you experience the same issue. You might be experiencing a different issue unrelated to the one we discovered, yet resembles the same symptom. I do believe this is an Outlook related issue (like you mentioned) and not related to SharePoint.

Thought you’d like to know. This has been partially resolved. It was the Cached Exchange Mode as you had suggested. It can be enabled/disabled in two different places and I, nor any of our “experts” here, knew about or remembered that detail. When I switched it off in BOTH places for one user it resolved ALL of their problems. I, however, still cannot view certain alerts (tasks and discussions) more than once when an Outlook rule sends them to another folder. I have our Exchange 2003 administrator looking into the Hotfix found for this problem, but so far he’s reluctant to apply it until the problem is more widespread. Thanks for your help.

Thought you’d like to know. This has been partially resolved. It was the Cached Exchange Mode as you had suggested. It can be enabled/disabled in two different places and I, nor any of our “experts” here, knew about or remembered that detail. When I switched it off in BOTH places for one user it resolved ALL of their problems. I, however, still cannot view certain alerts (tasks and discussions) more than once when an Outlook rule sends them to another folder. I have our Exchange 2003 administrator looking into the Hotfix found for this problem, but so far he’s reluctant to apply it until the problem is more widespread. Thanks for your help.

What was the other place you switched it off if you do not mind me asking?

I don’t mind at all. In Tools, Acct. Settings, click on the name in the E-Mail tab and there is a place there; also found under the Data Files tab; click on the mailbox, then settings, under the Advanced tab is Cached Exchange Mode Settings. I don’t think that one affects the other because I found it on one users where it was checked in one place but not the other.

I don’t mind at all. In Tools, Acct. Settings, click on the name in the E-Mail tab and there is a place there; also found under the Data Files tab; click on the mailbox, then settings, under the Advanced tab is Cached Exchange Mode Settings. I don’t think that one affects the other because I found it on one users where it was checked in one place but not the other.

Thanks for this! I’ve got all my users setup to use cached exchange mode and nobody can see tasks sent from sharepoint in either their preview pane or if they double click the message to open it. Outlook simply says “Cannot open this item”.
I wonder if/when there will be a fix for this?

@Doug – You “do not” want to use cache mode. If you have cache mode enabled then you may have this problem. There is a hot fix for Exchange (KB is listed in the posting).

@Doug – You “do not” want to use cache mode. If you have cache mode enabled then you may have this problem. There is a hot fix for Exchange (KB is listed in the posting).

Does the hotfix also work with alerts from WSS 3.0 sent to Outlook 2007 on Exchange 2003? Everything I have read so far is MOSS 2007.

My guess is it would work. MOSS 2007 runs on top of WSS 3.0 and the alert mechanism would be the same.

My guess is it would work. MOSS 2007 runs on top of WSS 3.0 and the alert mechanism would be the same.