OL97: How to Reorder Outlook Address Book Names

ID: Q165139

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Outlook 97

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Outlook, Contacts are listed in the Address Book in "Firstname, Lastname" order by default. This order can be toggled to "Lastname, Firstname" using the procedure outlined in this article.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

Design a New Mail Form

1. Open a new mail message:

    a. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Mail Message to open
       a new mail message.

    b. On the Tools menu of the new mail message, click Design Outlook
       Form.

    a. Click the (P.2) tab to go to a blank page on the form.

    b. On the Form menu, click Control Toolbox.

    c. On the Toolbox dialog box click CommandButton and drag it to the
       blank form page.

    d. Right-click the CommandButton1 and click Properties.

    e. In the Caption window type "Last, First" and click OK.

    f. On the Toolbox dialog box click CommandButton and drag a second
       button to the blank form page.

    g. Right-click the CommandButton2 and click Properties.

    h. In the Caption window type "First Last" and click OK.

    a. On the Form menu, click View Code to open the Script Editor.

    b. In the Script Editor, type or copy the following code:

   Sub CommandButton1_Click()
   'This will sort ONLY contacts in CURRENT folder by LastName, FirstName
   Set CurFolder=Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder
   If CurFolder.DefaultItemType=2 Then
      MsgBox "This process may take some time. You will be notified" & _
      "when complete.",,"Contact Tools Message"
      Set MyItems=CurFolder.Items
      For i = 1 to MyItems.Count
         Set MyItem=MyItems.Item(i)
         If Trim(MyItem.LastNameandFirstName)<>"" Then
            MyItem.Subject=MyItem.LastNameandFirstName
         MyItem.Save
         End If
      Next
      MsgBox "Done sorting Outlook Address Book contacts by Last" & _
      " Name!",64,"Contact Tools Message"
   Else
      MsgBox "The current folder is not a Contact folder.",64,"Contact" & _
      "Tools Message"
   End If
   End Sub

   Sub CommandButton2_Click()
   'This will reset contacts in CURRENT folder to FirstName LastName
   Set CurFolder=Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder
   If CurFolder.DefaultItemType=2 Then
      MsgBox "This process may take some time. You will be notified" & _
      "when complete.",,"Contact Tools Message"
      Set MyItems=CurFolder.Items
      For i = 1 to MyItems.Count
         Set MyItem=MyItems.Item(i)
         If Trim(MyItem.FullName)<>"" Then
            MyItem.Subject=MyItem.FullName
            MyItem.Save
         End If
      Next
      MsgBox "Done sorting Outlook Address Book contacts by First" & _
      " Name!",64,"Contact Tools Message"
   Else
      MsgBox "The current folder is not a Contact folder.",64,"Contact" & _
      " Tools Message"
   End If
   End Sub

    c. On the Script Editor File menu, click Close to return to the form.

    a. On the Form menu, click Rename Page.

    b. Type a meaningful name for this page such as, Reorder Names, and
       click OK.

    c. On the File menu, click Publish Form As.

    d. In the Form Name box, type a meaningful name for your new form such
       as, Reorder Address Book Names. Ensure that next to the Publish In
       button you see Personal Forms, and then click the Publish button.

    e. Close the message without saving.

To Use Your New Form

Follow these steps to use your new form:

1. Navigate to the Contact folder you wish to re-sequence.

2. On the Contact menu, click Choose Form.

3. In the Personal Forms list, click your new form and click OK.

4. Click the second page tab and click the appropriate button to sequence

   the contacts in the desired order within the Address Book.

NOTE: The ability to sort the entire Contacts Address Book using the FileAs field was added to the Microsoft Office Service Release 2 (SR-2). For information on SR-2, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q151261
   TITLE     : OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-2

REFERENCES

For more information about creating solutions with Microsoft Outlook 97, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Article-ID: Q166368
   Title     : OL97: How to Get Help Programming with Outlook

   Article-ID: Q170783
   Title     : OL97: Q&A: Questions about Customizing or
               Programming Outlook

Keywords          : kbsample kbdta 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: April 20, 1999