How to customize Outlook 2000 calendar holidays

This article describes how to customize Outlook calendar holidays.

Outlook stores a read-only text file called Outlook.txt in the Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\1033 folder. This file stores the necessary information for the Add Holidays feature. The Outlook.txt file lists holidays in the following format: Where ### is the total number of holidays listed for a particular country. Note that there is a space between the closing brackets and the number, and 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, and a carriage return at the end of the line. For example: To create a custom set of holidays, modify the Outlook.txt file.

WARNING: Modify the Outlook.txt file 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.

1. Quit Outlook.
2. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Find Files or Folders.
3. In the Named box, type outlook.txt.
4. Right-click the Outlook.txt file, and then click Copy.
5. Right-click an empty area on your desktop, and then click Paste to make a copy of the Outlook.txt file.
6. In the Find dialog box, right-click the Outlook.txt file, point to Properties, click to clear the Read-only check box, and then click OK.
7. Double-click the Outlook.txt file to open it in either Notepad or Microsoft WordPad.
8. Press CTRL+END to position the pointer at the end of the file.
9. Type a new country header and custom holidays, for example:
   [United States] 3
   Independence Day, 1997/07/04
   Thanksgiving Day, 1997/11/27
   Christmas Day, 1997/12/25
10. Save and close the Outlook.txt file.

For more information about how to add holidays, type holidays in the Outlook Office Assistant, click Search, and then click Add holidays for a country to my Calendar.