XWEB: How to Use Outlook Web Access Web Services & HTML Forms (187836)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Web Access 5.5
  • Microsoft Exchange Client 4.0
  • Microsoft Exchange Client 5.0
  • Microsoft Exchange Macintosh client 4.0
  • Microsoft Exchange Macintosh client 5.0
  • Microsoft Outlook, Exchange Server Edition, when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 3.1
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 3.11
  • Microsoft Outlook for Macintosh, Exchange Server Edition 8.0
This article was previously published under Q187836

SUMMARY

Outlook Web Access Web Services is for clients that cannot use custom 32- bit Outlook forms, such as the 16-bit Windows and Macintosh clients. These clients are not capable of displaying the custom 32-bit Outlook forms created with the 32-bit versions of Outlook. Web Services allows these clients to use their default browser and Outlook Web Access (OWA) to display HTML versions of custom 32-bit Outlook forms.

MORE INFORMATION

Before using the Web Services to view HTML versions of custom 32-bit Outlook forms, the following prerequisites must be met:

  1. Outlook Web Access must be available to your Exchange Server computer.
  2. The Microsoft HTML Form Converter included in Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 1 must have been used to install an HTML version of the custom 32-bit Outlook form to the OWA server.
  3. The client computer must have a Java-script-aware browser installed and properly configured.
  4. The client computer must have the Outlook client installed and the Web Services options enabled and configured.
To configure Web Services at the client, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Exchange Server tab. On the tab, click the Web Services button. Click the Use Outlook Web Access to open messages not understood by Outlook client option. In addition, the Web Services Location needs to contain the following URL with your OWA servername (that is, http://yourservername/exchange/forms/openitem.asp). You may enable the Prompt User option also if you want.

In a client that encounters a custom 32-bit Outlook form, the form is represented by a custom icon. This icon indicates that the client is unable to view this form. Starting the form results in the default browser being opened and the OWA logon page being displayed to the user. After the user enters the correct credentials for his or her mailbox, an HTML version of the form is displayed, containing the data from the original custom 32-bit Outlook form.

In addition, you can use Web Services to add a New Web Form command to the Compose menu. Selecting this command results in the same logon process as above and then a Launch Custom Forms window. This window displays all the currently installed HTML forms on this OWA server. Selecting one of these forms allows the user to compose and send messages using that form. If a message is sent to a 32-bit Outlook user, the correct form is displayed.

To enable this feature, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Exchange Server tab. Click the Web Services button, and then click the Activate Web Forms link on the Compose Menu option. The Directory Page Location needs to contain the following URL with your OWA servername (that is, http://yourservername/exchange/forms/pickform.asp).

NOTE: The URL examples must contain the name of your OWA server, but the remainder of the URL must be exactly as shown here.

NOTE: Currently Web Forms does not function correctly when Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) has been enabled on the Exchange Server virtual directory.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:8/18/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB187836
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