PC Win: Use of the Mail Utility PABSYNC.DLL (132210)

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.