OLEXP: How to Use Stationery in Outlook Express

This article describes how to use stationery in Outlook Express. The following topics are discussed:

• How to compose a message using stationery
• How to configure default stationery
• How to automatically add a signature or vCard
• How to create custom stationery

How to Compose a Message Using Stationery

To compose a message using stationery, follow these steps:

1. On the Compose menu, click New Message Using, and then click the stationery design you want to use.
   
   In Outlook Express 5 and in Outlook Express 6, click New Message Using on the Message menu,
   and then click the stationery design you want.
   
   If the stationery design you want to use is not on the list, click More Stationery to view more stationery designs.
2. Address and compose your message, and then click Send.

How to Configure Default Stationery

To configure Outlook Express to open all new messages with a default stationery type, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Stationery.
   
   In Outlook Express 5 and in Outlook Express 6, click Option on the Tools menu, click the Compose tab, and then click Stationery.
2. Click the Mail tab to configure the default Mail stationery, or click the News tab to configure the default News stationery.
3. Under When Composing New Messages Use, click This Stationery, and then click Select to choose your default stationery type.
4. Click OK, and then click OK.

How to Automatically Add a Signature or vCard

When you compose a new message from the Insert menu, Business Card may be unavailable. This option is not available until you create a new business card entry by following the steps in this article.

To add an automatic signature, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Stationery.
   
   For Outlook Express 5 and for Outlook Express 6, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Signatures tab.
2. Click Signature, and then click the "Add this signature to all outgoing messages" check box to select it.
3. Type the signature in the text box, or click File and then choose a file to insert as your signature.
4. Click OK, and then click OK.

To add a Personal Business Card (vCard), follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Stationery.
   
   For Outlook Express 5 and for Outlook Express 6, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Compose tab.
2. Click Signature, and then click the "Attach card to all outgoing messages" check box to select it.
3. Click New, type the information to be included in the vCard, and then click OK.
4. Click OK, and then click OK.

How to Create Custom Stationery

1. Copy the .gif or .jpg graphic file that you want to use as the stationery background into the stationery folder. By default, the stationery folder is Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery.
2. Press and hold down the SHIFT key while you right-click an .htm file in the stationery folder, click Open With, and then click Notepad.
3. On the File menu, click Save As. Type the name of the graphic file you copied into the stationery folder in the File Name box, add ".htm" (without quotation marks) as the extension, and then click OK. For example, if the file is named Flower.jpg, type "Flower.htm" in the File Name box.
4. Modify the HTML code in the .htm file so that it uses the .gif or .jpg file as the background graphic.
5. Quit Notepad.