Outlook 2003 SP3

Hi,

I have a custom task form that has close to 400 fields. Every now and then,
a task will get stuck if too many fields have data entered in it. When I
open the form, I get a "Outlook cannot open the form.....etc....", and
basically it just won't open.

My work around is that I link the Outlook public folder to MS Access and
delete data in one of the task fields through a query. Once that is done, I
can open the task again!

Any idea why the task locks up and how I can prevent this problem?

Thanks for your help,
Joel

Outlook items cannot hold an infinite amount of data. The limit is 32kb, not
counting attachments and the item body. An item with 400 fields is very
likely to be way over that limit. The only permanent solution is to redesign
the form with fewer fields so that it holds less data.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Outlook 2003 SP3

Hi,

I have a custom task form that has close to 400 fields. Every now and
then, a task will get stuck if too many fields have data entered in it.
When I open the form, I get a "Outlook cannot open the form.....etc....",
and basically it just won't open.

My work around is that I link the Outlook public folder to MS Access and
delete data in one of the task fields through a query. Once that is done,
I can open the task again!

Any idea why the task locks up and how I can prevent this problem?

Thanks for your help,
Joel

Thanks Sue. I have thousands of tasks, and the largest one is 14kb. Most
are around 2-3kb. Even with all fields entered, it doesn't come close to
32kb. What do you make of that? I have a lot of date fields, I wonder if
that is what trips it up.

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" wrote in message
...
Outlook items cannot hold an infinite amount of data. The limit is 32kb,
not counting attachments and the item body. An item with 400 fields is
very likely to be way over that limit. The only permanent solution is to
redesign the form with fewer fields so that it holds less data.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Outlook 2003 SP3

Hi,

I have a custom task form that has close to 400 fields. Every now and
then, a task will get stuck if too many fields have data entered in it.
When I open the form, I get a "Outlook cannot open the form.....etc....",
and basically it just won't open.

My work around is that I link the Outlook public folder to MS Access and
delete data in one of the task fields through a query. Once that is
done, I can open the task again!

Any idea why the task locks up and how I can prevent this problem?

Thanks for your help,
Joel

The limit also applies to the form design, which is stored as a hidden item.
I get nervous as the number of fields approaches 200. I can't imagine a form
with 400 fields being stable.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Thanks Sue. I have thousands of tasks, and the largest one is 14kb. Most
are around 2-3kb. Even with all fields entered, it doesn't come close to
32kb. What do you make of that? I have a lot of date fields, I wonder if
that is what trips it up.

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" wrote in message
...
Outlook items cannot hold an infinite amount of data. The limit is 32kb,
not counting attachments and the item body. An item with 400 fields is
very likely to be way over that limit. The only permanent solution is to
redesign the form with fewer fields so that it holds less data.

"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Outlook 2003 SP3

Hi,

I have a custom task form that has close to 400 fields. Every now and
then, a task will get stuck if too many fields have data entered in it.
When I open the form, I get a "Outlook cannot open the
form.....etc....", and basically it just won't open.

My work around is that I link the Outlook public folder to MS Access and
delete data in one of the task fields through a query. Once that is
done, I can open the task again!

Any idea why the task locks up and how I can prevent this problem?

Thanks for your help,
Joel

Wow, my form alone is 1210.306 KB. What's the biggest user of size so that
I can start trimming it down? graphics, fields?

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" wrote in message
...
The limit also applies to the form design, which is stored as a hidden
item. I get nervous as the number of fields approaches 200. I can't
imagine a form with 400 fields being stable.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Thanks Sue. I have thousands of tasks, and the largest one is 14kb.
Most are around 2-3kb. Even with all fields entered, it doesn't come
close to 32kb. What do you make of that? I have a lot of date fields, I
wonder if that is what trips it up.

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" wrote in message
...
Outlook items cannot hold an infinite amount of data. The limit is 32kb,
not counting attachments and the item body. An item with 400 fields is
very likely to be way over that limit. The only permanent solution is to
redesign the form with fewer fields so that it holds less data.

"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Outlook 2003 SP3

Hi,

I have a custom task form that has close to 400 fields. Every now and
then, a task will get stuck if too many fields have data entered in it.
When I open the form, I get a "Outlook cannot open the
form.....etc....", and basically it just won't open.

My work around is that I link the Outlook public folder to MS Access
and delete data in one of the task fields through a query. Once that
is done, I can open the task again!

Any idea why the task locks up and how I can prevent this problem?

Thanks for your help,
Joel

I don't know of any work that's been done to quantify the different
contributions that graphics, field definitions, control properties, code,
etc. make to a custom form. A copy of Outlook Spy or MFCMapi.exe would give
you a better picture of the hidden form message and what it actually
contains.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54


"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Wow, my form alone is 1210.306 KB. What's the biggest user of size so
that I can start trimming it down? graphics, fields?

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" wrote in message
...
The limit also applies to the form design, which is stored as a hidden
item. I get nervous as the number of fields approaches 200. I can't
imagine a form with 400 fields being stable.

"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Thanks Sue. I have thousands of tasks, and the largest one is 14kb.
Most are around 2-3kb. Even with all fields entered, it doesn't come
close to 32kb. What do you make of that? I have a lot of date fields,
I wonder if that is what trips it up.

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" wrote in message
...
Outlook items cannot hold an infinite amount of data. The limit is
32kb, not counting attachments and the item body. An item with 400
fields is very likely to be way over that limit. The only permanent
solution is to redesign the form with fewer fields so that it holds
less data.

"Joel Allen" wrote in message
...
Outlook 2003 SP3

Hi,

I have a custom task form that has close to 400 fields. Every now and
then, a task will get stuck if too many fields have data entered in
it. When I open the form, I get a "Outlook cannot open the
form.....etc....", and basically it just won't open.

My work around is that I link the Outlook public folder to MS Access
and delete data in one of the task fields through a query. Once that
is done, I can open the task again!

Any idea why the task locks up and how I can prevent this problem?

Thanks for your help,
Joel