"The custom form could not be opened" message in Outlook 2003

[eidinger2000]

I have 3 users out of 10 who get “The custom form could not be opened.
Outlook will use an Outlook form instead" message when they try to open an
“OFT” file. They are all running Win XP & Office 2003. All PC have the latest
Microsoft updates. This problem started to occur after running the Microsoft
updates.
I have tried:
Clearing the Outlook Forms Cache, by hitting “Clear Cache” button in
Tools/Options/Other/Advanced Options/Custom Forms/Manage Forms. I've renaming
C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\local settings\application
data\microsoft\forms\FRMCACHE.DAT
I’ve created a new profile for the user
I ran a repair on Office.
And I rolled back the machine, System Tools/System Restore, to a day before
he last was able to open the file without getting the error.
Nothing has corrected the problem, Help!!!!!!
--
Mark_E

[Susan]

have you tried deleting the frmcache.dat file, and everything in that same
folder, then placing a "known good" frmcache.dat file in that folder?

--
Susan Conkey [MVP]

"eidinger2000" <eiding...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A7E47F21-780B-4D95...@microsoft.com...

[Nikki Peterson]

Have you checked the actual form they are trying to use?
Is it being accessed from a public folder or the Organizational
Forms? If so, you may want to see if that form has become
corrupt. If not, continue to the info below:

Below is the instructions for the Forms Cache File:

Deleting the Forms Cache File:
The Frmcache.dat file is the primary file to delete. The Frmcache.dat
file serves as an index of the individual forms that have been cached
on the computer. Use the following steps to manually delete the
Frmcache.dat file. In addition, these steps delete all of the cached
forms on your computer, which are stored in subfolders of the
Forms folder.

1.. Quit Outlook.
2.. Search the Hard drive (<F3>) to locate the Frmcache.dat file.
(Be sure to check in HIDDEN files on W2K or WXP.)
3.. Delete all that are found from the FIND window.
4.. Open Outlook.

When you restart Outlook, and use a form, the forms cache
is re-created.

If you already tried this, I would suggest looking for a
corrupt OST file:

I would look into a possible synchronization problem or a corrupt
OST file. You could try renaming the OST file with a .OLD extension.
(This is to preserve the info, just in case) This needs to be done while
Outlook is closed. Then when you open Outlook it will rebuild the
OST file fresh. Depending on the size of the mailbox, it could take
a bit of time for Outlook to build a new one.

Then Use the Command-Line Switches below to Open:

Outlook Switch:
- /CleanViews
- /ResetNavPane
-/CleanProfile

The following page explains the Command-Line switches for 2003:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HP010031101033.aspx

Nikki

"eidinger2000" <eiding...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A7E47F21-780B-4D95...@microsoft.com...

[eidinger2000]

Thank you for your reply.

The form is OK. There are 7 other users who have no problem opening the form
and before wrote in with this problem I had renamed the Frmcache.dat to
Frmcachedat.old. That should have had the same effect as deleting it.

I had also logged in to one of the 3 PC giving me the problem and renamed
the user's profile, C:\Documents and Setting\<User>, forcing the creation of
a new profile at his next log in. That also didn't fix the problem.
I think the problem is with Outlook, how it sees this file.
Do you have any suggestion?
I was thinking of remove outlook or Office. Removing it from folders and
registry and I'll try a clean install, but I'm not it can be completely
removed.
--
Mark_E

[Nikki Peterson]

I think you will find the form is not ok. The one's having a problem
are the ones who have 'hopefully' rebuilt their forms cache using
the definition of the form being downloaded. The "ok" guys are not
downloading the form cuz the definition is already in their cache and
they do not have the corrupt def's.

I really want to stress the importance of deleting the entire forms
cache. (not just a rename). It will rebuild itself fresh.

You could test by using one of the "ok" guys. Delete their cache
and have them try the form. If it comes in corrupt, then you will know
it is the form itself that has become corrupt and needs to be removed
and republished.

Just giving a new profile does not really clear out ALL the info that
is used by Outlook. you would need to find ALL files that effect the
Outlook system and replace them.

A simple reinstall will not clean these files up. Close Outlook
first, then:

- Search your hard drive for *.ost and delete all found
(Be sure to search in hidden files)
- Search your hard drive for Outcmd.dat and delete it.
(This file holds your customized toolbar settings)
- Search your hard drive for Views.dat and delete it.
(This file holds your customized system folder views settings)
- Search your hard drive for extend.dat and delete it. (this file holds
your Installed add-ins information)
- 2003: Outlook.xml (This file includes Shortcuts, Calendar, and
Contact links.)
- The navigation pane settings are profile-specific and are stored in
an .xml file with the profile name, in the Application Data\Outlook
folder. To clear all navigation pane customizations, start Outlook
once with the /resetnavpane switch.
- Try opening Outlook again using the switch :
/CleanViews Restores default views. All custom views you created are
lost.
/ResetOutlookBar Rebuilds the Outlook Bar.
- Some of the folders might be hidden folders. To view them, do one of the
following:

Windows XP

Click Start, and then click My Computer.
On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, and then
click the Show hidden files and folder option.

Windows 2000

Double-click My Computer on your desktop.
On the Tools menu, click Folder Options, click the View tab, and then
click the Show hidden files and folder option.

When you create a new profile, did you:

- Click Start, and click Control Panel. Click Mail icon.
(If you use VISTA select the Classic View to see the
MAIL applet)
- Click Show Profiles
- Delete the profile currently being used.
- Click Add and type the new profile name as you like in the
Profile name box.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Do NOT use the same name as
your original profile. Example: If it was "outlook" then use "John" or
whatever, just not outlook again.
- Click Next and click Finish.
- Try to open Outlook. Choose the new profile in the
profile list and click OK.

Outlook builds many files that are used by the client and they are
named based on the profile name (outlook.xml, etc.). Just deleting
the Outlook Profile does not remove these residual files. By renaming
the profile a completely different name, you avoid using a corrupt file
that is still on the machine.

Nikki

"eidinger2000" <eiding...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:757F6414-6E5A-4EC2...@microsoft.com...

[eidinger2000]

Sorry for the delay, but felt the update would be helpfull to others, since I
found the fix to the problem.
The form was ok. It seems Outlook 2003 SP2 has changed the way in which OFT
files are opened and the follow article,
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=907985, explains this change. It suggests
best practices, and provides registry keys that can return Outlook 2003 to
the older, "less secure behavior".
I open regedit and went to the follownig key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Options\Mail
and added the following Dword Values:
"AllowTNEFtoCreateProps"=dword: 1, decimal.
"AllowMSGFilestoCreateProps"=dword: 1, decimal.
"DisallowTNEFPreservation "=dword:00000000, Hexadecimal

That fixed the problem.