OL2000: Restoring an Outlook Form from a Cached Copy

If a published Outlook form was lost due to user error or computer malfunction, it may be possible to retrieve the form from the forms cache on, either your computer, or another person's computer.

NOTE: These steps only work with forms created in Outlook. These steps will not work with forms created with the Microsoft Exchange Forms Designer, or other form development methods.

1. Locate the forms cache by searching for the file Frmcache.dat. On a Windows 98 computer, the forms cache is typically located in:
   C:\Windows\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Forms
2. Once you have located the correct Forms folder, locate the subfolder that contains the form. The name of the subfolder will be similar to the form's name. Typically the folder is the form name abbreviated to 8 characters and normally it ends in .000.
3. Copy the .tmp file from the appropriate subfolder to another folder on your computer.
4. Change the file extension to .oft.
5. Double-click the file to open the form in Outlook.
6. Republish the form to the appropriate location.

For example, copy Fs30b4.tmp to your computer and rename it to Fs30b4.oft. Double-click the .oft file.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Start Outlook and create a folder to store mail messages.
2. Compose a new mail message.
3. On the Tools menu, point to Forms, and then click Design This Form.
4. Click the (P.2) tab and add controls from the Control Toolbox to customize the form.
5. On the Tools menu, point to Forms, and then click Publish Form As. In the Look In box, click to select the folder that was created in the first step. Type a display name, and then click Publish.
6. Close the message without saving it.
7. In the Folder List, click to select the folder that you published the form to.
8. On the Actions menu, click New <FormName>.
9. Close the form after it opens and do not save changes.
10. Delete the folder the form was published to.

Now the only copy of the form is the one cached on your hard disk drive.

For additional information about available resources and answers to commonly asked questions about Microsoft Outlook 2000 solutions, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: