OL98: How to Migrate Custom Categories to Other Users

ID: Q180303

The information in this article applies to:
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SUMMARY

In Outlook you can add new categories to the default Master Category List. This article describes how to share a modified Master Category List with other users.


MORE INFORMATION

To share the Master Category List, you must export the Categories key from the registry and distribute this key to other users.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95/98. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

To Export the Categories Key

NOTE: On an Outlook Corporate/Workgroup installation, the referenced registry key is not written until a user-defined Category is added. However, on the Internet Mail Only installation, the key is written at setup.
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.


  2. Type, regedit in the Open box and click OK.


  3. Navigate to the following registry subkey:


    4. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Outlook\Categories
  4. Click the Categories folder, and on the Registry menu, click Export Registry File.


  5. Select a location for the file such as the Desktop or a disk. Type a name for the file, such as Categories, and click Save.


You can now install the Master Categories List on other Outlook computers.

To Install the Master Categories List on Outlook 97/98 Computers

To update the registry on an Outlook 97 or 98 computer, double-click the <filename>.reg file and the new categories will replace the Categories list in Outlook (where <filename>.reg is the file name of the registry file).

CAUTION: This procedure will overwrite the existing Master Categories List on the receiving computer. Any changes made to that file will be lost.

To Install the Master Categories List on Outlook 2000 Computers

If you are moving the Master Categories List to a computer running Outlook 2000, you must make a slight modification to the <filename>.reg file saved above:
  1. Right-click the <filename>.reg file, and click Edit, on the shortcut menu. This will open the file in NotePad.


  2. In the key path, select the 8.0, and replace it with 9.0.


  3. Select the @ character at the beginning of the category names string, and replace it by typing "MasterList" (including the quotation marks).


  4. Close NotePad and save the file.


Double-click the <filename>.reg file and the new categories will replace the Categories list in Outlook.

CAUTION: This procedure will overwrite the existing Master Categories List on the receiving computer. Any changes made to that file will be lost.

It is possible for your records to contain user-defined Categories that are not stored in the Windows registry. To ensure they are in the registry, you must add them to the Master Category List.

To Add User-defined Categories to the Master Category List

  1. Select an item from the Calendar, Tasks, Contacts, Inbox, or Journal folder.


  2. On the File menu, click Edit, and click Categories.


  3. In the Category dialog box, type a name for the new category.


  4. Click Add To List and click OK.



REFERENCES

For more information about how to restore the Outlook default Master Category List, type "Master Category List" in the Office Assistant, click Search, and then click "Reset the Master Category List."

Additional query words: 98 


Keywords          : GnlCat 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: July 30, 1999