Customize Outlook to start with the Calendar open - Outlook

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Customize Outlook to start with the Calendar open

Applies to
Microsoft Outlook® 2002

When you start Outlook, do you want to glance at the day's schedule before diving into all that e-mail? There's an easy way to configure Outlook to start with your Calendar folder displayed — use a command-line switch. The command that starts Outlook is Outlook.exe. A command-line switch is nothing more than the addition of a forward slash (/) followed by the switch name and any parameters the switch has. In this case it's /select outlook:foldername, where the foldername parameter equals calendar. Here's how to use it:

Click the Start button, and then click Search to find the Outlook executable file, Outlook.exe. For example, the path might be C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Outlook.exe.
Right-click Outlook.exe, and then on the shortcut menu, point to Send To, and then click Desktop (create shortcut).
Close the Search Results dialog box, and then go to the desktop.
Right-click the shortcut you just created, and on the shortcut menu, click Properties.
On the Shortcut tab, locate the Target box. It contains the path for Outlook.exe.
Press the SPACEBAR once to type a space after the path, and then type /select outlook:calendar.
Click OK.
On the desktop, double-click the Outlook shortcut you created.
Outlook starts and displays your Calendar. To start Outlook the usual way, just use the Microsoft Outlook icon instead.

There are many other command-line switches you can use. In many cases you might want to just run the command. For example, to create a new message without clicking any icons or shortcuts to start Outlook, you can use the following switch: /c ipm.note. Here's how:

Click the Start button, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type the complete path for the Outlook executable (including Outlook.exe). Press the SPACEBAR once and then type a forward slash (/) followed by the switch. It should look like this:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Outlook.exe" /c ipm.note

Note Paths that include spaces between words must be enclosed in quotation marks (") and are case sensitive.
Click OK to run the command.
Your e-mail editor will start and a new e-mail message displays.

Command-line switch reference

Switch	Description
*/a "path\filename"*	Creates an item with the specified file as an attachment. Example: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\Outlook.exe" /a "C:\My Documents\labels.doc"
/c messageclass	Creates a new item of the specified message class (Outlook forms or any other valid MAPI form). Examples: /c ipm.activity creates a Journal entry. /c ipm.appointment creates an appointment. /c ipm.contact creates a contact. /c ipm.note creates an e-mail message. /c ipm.stickynote creates a note. /c ipm.task creates a task.
/CheckClient	Prompts for the default manager of e-mail, news, and contacts.
/Cleanfinders	Removes saved searches from the Microsoft Exchange Server store.
/CleanFreeBusy	Clears and regenerates free/busy information.
/CleanReminders	Clears and regenerates reminders.
/CleanSchedPlus	Deletes all Schedule+ data (free/busy, permissions, and .cal file) from the server and enables the free/busy information from the Outlook Calendar to be used and viewed by all Schedule+ 1.0 users.
/CleanViews	Restores default views. All custom views you created are lost.
/Embedding msgfilename	Opens the specified message file (.msg) as an OLE embedding.
/f msgfilename	Opens the specified message file (.msg).
/Nopreview	Turns off the Preview Pane and removes the option from the View menu.
/p msgfilename	Prints the specified message file (.msg).
/Profile profilename	Loads the specified profile. (If your profile name contains a space, enclosed the profile name in quotation marks (").
/Profiles	Opens the Choose Profile dialog box regardless of the options setting on the Tools menu.
/Recycle	Starts Outlook using an existing Outlook window, if one exists.
/Regserver	Rewrites all Outlook specific registry keys and re-associates file extensions without having to reinstall Outlook or run setup with the /y switch. The settings are stored in the Outlook.srg file located in the same folder as the Outlook program.
/ResetFolders	Restores missing folders for the default delivery location.
/ResetOutlookBar	Rebuilds the Outlook Bar.
/s filename	Loads the specified shortcuts file (.fav).
/Safe	Starts Outlook without extensions, Preview Pane, or toolbar customization.
/select outlook:foldername	Starts Outlook and opens the specified folder.
/Unregserver	Deletes all registry keys and file associations for Outlook. Its actions are based on the Outlook.srg file located in the same folder as the Outlook application. Use the /regserver switch to rewrite the registry keys and file associations after using this switch.