How does Outlook Autocomplete function work?

[Velvis]

I have a client with Outlook 2010. He says some people are missing from the autocomplete. He gave me an example of a missing one and I determined that this particular contact did not have an email address in the email field for this contact. I filled the email address field and it appeared in autocomplete.

I determined that the autocomplete pulls from contacts not email history, or so I thought.

The client contacted me this morning saying they emailed someone last night who is NOT in his contacts and then he emailed him again and it appeared in the autocomplete.

So my question is what determines if someone appears in the autocomplete?

 

[FoolishTech]

Autocomplete doesn't pull from contacts or anything else, I think just email addresses you've typed in and emailed, whether they are in your contacts or not.

Autocomplete entries are stored in outlook's .NK2 file. You can use NK2Edit from Nirsoft to view/edit the file.

 

[MotzTech]

Autocomplete only uses E-mail addresses that you have actually sent mail to. However there are some programs available to import autocomplete data from contacts. See the link below for more info.


http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/micr...our-outlook-email-address-auto-complete-list/


EDIT: Arg to slow!!! *shakes fist at FoolishTech*

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Since you mention Outlook 2010, the .NK2 file (nickname file) is no longer used. Outlook now stores that auto complete info in the PST file (if it's doing POP/IMAP), or up in the users mailbox in an Exchange server is they use Exchange.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/o...formation-and-configurations-HP010354943.aspx

Outlook 2010 can import the NK2 file used from prior versions of Outlook for that user.

 

[FoolishTech]

*shakes fist at Ye* I didn't know 2010 stopped using NK2, great info!

 

[MotzTech]

*shakes fist at Ye* I didn't know 2010 stopped using NK2, great info!

Ditto to that, on a side note the NK file is still present in 2010, but depreciated. You can still view it with NK2view but you can't edit it.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Ditto to that, on a side note the NK file is still present in 2010, but depreciated. You can still view it with NK2view but you can't edit it.

Where did you find it? I just looked on my laptop (clean install of Win7 and Office 2010), I can't find it. Perhaps you're looking at a system that was upgraded to Office 2010 from a prior version? Thus old files left behind. Or maybe current versions of Outlook have those aliases so old software that might look for the NK2 get redirected.

 

[YOCS]

Since you mention Outlook 2010, the .NK2 file (nickname file) is no longer used. Outlook now stores that auto complete info in the PST file (if it's doing POP/IMAP), or up in the users mailbox in an Exchange server is they use Exchange.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/o...formation-and-configurations-HP010354943.aspx

Outlook 2010 can import the NK2 file used from prior versions of Outlook for that user.

I didn't know that about 2010 either. Not sure if this will work with 2010 but I know I've been able to get the auto complete back in earlier versions by opening a new email and put everone in the contacts then hit the "Check Names" icon or CTRL+K. Then close out the email.

 

[geekhelp4u]

You can still edit it using nirsoft even in office 2013

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_nk2_edit.html

The location for 2010 and 2013 is here

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_2010_autocomplete_changes.html

 

[geekhelp4u]

Just noticed the second link I used tells you what it is but not exactly where...

C:\Users\PROFILE\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\RoamCache\

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Just noticed the second link I used tells you what it is but not exactly where...

C:\Users\PROFILE\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\RoamCache\

Ahh I see...yes that directory you mention has about a dozen <longcrypticfilename.DAT> files
They must be the local cached copy of the "nickname" information that now resides in the Exchange mailbox.

From experience...for Exchange users, you can replace an end users workstation, and on the fresh new virgin profile, their new Outlook will still have the nickname data since the information resides in the mailbox. You do not have to migrate anything. Nk2 is gone. The above link pointing to nirsoft talks aboutthe data somehow being tied in with those new .DAT files..but you don't need to copy/migrate those.

 

[FoolishTech]

probably just a cache of the data, a working set or something.

 

[ProfessorCPU]

I am almost positive I read that the functionality of the nk2 files is now stored in the pst file. So in the future if you transfer your pst to a new computer with Outlook 2010 or newer your autocomplete data will already work.

Prior to Outlook 2010 we needed to copy the nk2 files to get our autocomplete working.

There is also a method to import nk2 data into outlook 2010 or greater which is built into outlook. It is something like putting the nk2 data file where it used to belong... then launching outlook with a specific switch which forces it to import the nk2 file.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I am almost positive I read that the functionality of the nk2 files is now stored in the pst file. So in the future if you transfer your pst to a new computer with Outlook 2010 or newer your autocomplete data will already work..

Correct...that's...uhm...maybe you read it HERE...it's what we've been talking about...see above posts.

 

[Velvis]

Can someone describe accurately how the autocomplete is supposed to work? I have a client that is missing some names. I found in one instance the contact was missing an email address, once I put that in autocomplete worked. FoolishIT said it should be populated by anyone you have ever emailed.
Normally I wouldn't care, but this client wants to know specifically how it's supposed to work, and if it isn't working to fix it....

 

[ProfessorCPU]

Correct...that's...uhm...maybe you read it HERE...it's what we've been talking about...see above posts.

LOL! Sorry I didn't see that part of the thread.

 

[callthatgirl]

Just adding this in, you can also grab all their suggested contacts (past auto-fills) in a new email...and add by selecting all in an email so their names underline, and then deleting that email. Quick trick.