Article ID: 132210
Article Last Modified on 10/30/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Mail for PC Networks 3.2
This article was previously published under Q132210
SUMMARY
This article describes the purpose, installation, and operation of versions
3.0 and 3.2 of Microsoft Mail for PC Networks utility PABSYNC.DLL that is
included in the Microsoft Mail for PC Networks Resource Kit.
Notes:
- Until you fully understand the use of this program and as a precaution,
backup your mail message file (MMF) file.
- You should use the utility with caution. While the program is useful
in synchronizing many of the Personal Address Book (PAB) inconsistencies
with the global address list (GAL), it is NOT effective in all
situations.
For example, in a situation where you OK a change that will result in
duplicate entries in the PAB (both the friendly name and the address
are the same), the corrected entry will become unusable until the
program is restarted.
- Because of the duplicate entries, you will also notice that the
attempted correction has not taken place. You should carefully review
the changes suggested by the program before accepting them.
MORE INFORMATION
PABSync is a Microsoft Mail custom command that allows you to not only scan
your PAB for inconsistencies, but also to interactively correct these
inconsistencies.
Installation
PABSync consists of one dynamic-link library (DLL). This DLL, named
PABSYNC.DLL, is installed into the Windows System directory. A new custom
command entry is required in the MSMAIL.INI file located in the Windows
directory. This line should look similar to the following:
PBS=3.0;File;P&AB Sync...;13;PABSYNC.DLL;2;;Synchronizes
personal addressbook;MSMAIL.HLP;2870
Please refer to the Microsoft Mail documentation for additional information
on installation of custom commands.
Operation
After PABSync is installed as a custom command, you can run it when
Microsoft Mail for Windows is running. In order to use the utility, from
the File menu, choose PAB Sync.
PABSync will display a dialog box that asks you for the following:
- whether you want to check your PAB for duplicate entries,
- whether you want to check your PAB for inconsistencies
against the GAL,
- whether you want PABSync to automatically make corrections.
NOTE: The automatic update of the PAB is disabled by default. Your input
with this utility is desirable, and the automatic update feature should
only be used if you fully understand its implications.
Manual Update
After you check which types of synchronization you would like, PABSync
proceeds to check for inconsistencies using the same method as the utility
PABCheck (shipped with version 3.5 of Microsoft Mail for PC Networks.
When you check for duplicate entries in the PAB, if one is found, a dialog
box prompts you for confirmation of deletion of the duplicate entry. Then,
you can select to either delete the duplicate entry or to ignore it. After
you make your selection, the synchronization continues.
When you check for invalid addresses, you can do two separate actions. If
an entry is found that no longer matches the entry in the GAL (that is, the
GAL has been updated and the PAB entry does not match the GAL entry), you
are prompted with information about the updated entry and whether you would
like to update your PAB. If you select to update your PAB, the
synchronization continues.
If you select to not update your PAB, then a second dialog box will prompt
you for confirmation of deletion of the entry. You can either confirm the
deletion or cancel it, and the synchronization will continue.
Automatic Update
If in the initial selections menu you check for automatic updates, the
PABSync utility will operate without prompting you for confirmation of any
synchronization. Duplicate entries in the PAB will automatically be
removed, and unsynchronized entries in the PAB with regard to the GAL will
automatically be synchronized.
During its operation, PABSync will log any inconsistencies that it finds
and any transactions that occur. At the completion of the check and
synchronization, the log will be placed into your Inbox in the form of a
mail message. This operation is similar to that of PABCheck.
Features such as automatic update of database or list entries can have
their drawbacks, and PABSync's automatic synchronization features are no
exception. Duplicate entries should not exist in the PAB. However, due to a
limitation in the original versions of Mail for Windows (versions 3.0 and
3.2), it was possible to have duplicate entries added to a PAB. This has
been corrected in maintenance releases. If the older client is being used,
PABSync can be useful in detecting and correcting these duplicate entries.
One-offs in the PAB are ignored as they are a feature that allows you to
have entries without links to the GAL.
Because it may be impossible to determine necessary information about the
entry that will be updated, the inconsistencies between the PAB and GAL
should be corrected manually. For example, if you have an entry with the
friendly name John Doe in your PAB, John Doe leaves the company, and a new
John Doe joins the company, an automatic resync will now have your PAB
entry pointing to the new John Doe. If the user does not realize this, it
will cause misdirected mail.
For additional information, please see chapter 5 of the Microsoft Mail for
PC Networks Resource Kit.
Additional query words: 3.20 reskit five
Keywords: KB132210