OL98: How to Customize Outlook Calendar Holidays

This article describes how to customize the pre-defined Calendar holidays in Microsoft Outlook 98. The technique involves modifying the Outlook.txt file that stores the holidays for the active calendar.

Outlook stores a read-only text file called Outlook.txt in the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder, which it uses for the Add Holidays feature.

The Outlook.txt file lists holidays in the following format: In the above format, ### is the total number of holidays listed for a particular country. Note that there is a space between the closing bracket and the number as well as a carriage return at the end of the line. On each holiday line, there is a comma and space between the holiday description and the date, as well as a carriage return at the end of the line. For example: WARNING: MODIFYING THE OUTLOOK.TXT FILE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this procedure "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

To create a custom set of holidays, follow these steps.

1. Quit Outlook if it is running.
2. Click the Start button, point to Programs and click Windows Explorer, locate the Outlook.txt file, and make a backup copy. The default location is the \Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder
3. Double-click Outlook.txt to open the file in Notepad or WordPad.
4. Press CTRL+END to position the insertion point at the end of the file.
5. Type a new country header and custom holidays using the format described above.
6. Save and close Outlook.txt in a text-only format.

The next time you run Outlook, the new custom holidays will be available for adding holidays to your Calendar.

NOTE: Outlook 98 provides nine sets of holidays as compared to the fifty- five supplied with Outlook 97.

These are: If you have need for the holidays of other countries, rename your existing Outlook.txt file and copy the one from your Outlook 97 CD.

For more information about adding holidays, type "holidays" in the Office Assistant, click Search, and then click to view "Add holidays for a country to my Calendar."