Outlook Reminder Emails

February 25, 2004 7:02 PM

I would like to have Outlook e-mail me my calendar each day around 6 AM so that my daily appointment schedule shows up in my inbox. Any way to automate this? I only see options to export to HTML, which doesn't seem terribly useful.
posted by PrinceValium to computers & internet (8 comments total)

If you're proficient with VBA, you could code something that way.

Why would you want this, though? Are you using a seperate email client?
posted by cheaily at 7:06 PM on February 25, 2004

I tend to forget to check the calendar, and the "reminder" pop ups are pretty annoying - so I just wanted to receive one of those executive-style daily appointment memos in my email that I could browse alongside my Daily Dilbert and Writers Almanac.

I am a VB-head though, oddly enough, but have never coded with Outlook objects. Is this an easy hack, or would it take a big learning curve?
posted by PrinceValium at 7:09 PM on February 25, 2004

It's not too hard, just another set of objects to learn. Have a look through the documentation is the best advice I could offer.
posted by cheaily at 7:12 PM on February 25, 2004

Alternately, you could Adobe Acrobat to "print" a daily or weekly view (or, whatever...) and then forward the resulting file to yourself. That's probably a WHOLE lot easier than trying to create a layout using VBA because all you'd have to do is call the Print function, make sure it selects the Acrobat printer and let it rip.
posted by JollyWanker at 7:33 PM on February 25, 2004

Couldn't you just use the Outlook Today feature? If you open Outlook each morning to check email anyway you can set "Outlook Today" to be your start page. You'll be able to get a snapshot of your day's appointments and tasks. Here's how:

On the Outlook Bar or Folder List, click 'Outlook Today'.

On the Outlook Today page, click 'Customize Outlook Today'.

In the Startup area, select the 'When starting, go directly to Outlook Today' check box.

Click Save Changes.
posted by answergrape at 8:37 PM on February 25, 2004

I am a VB-head though, oddly enough, but have never coded with Outlook objects. Is this an easy hack, or would it take a big learning curve?

I spent a couple of years of my life inside Outlook, more running a way cool project that used it as a platform than writing code, although I wrote a fair bit of code too.

It's heaps o' fun messing with the Outlook object model, and coding to it. Insane the amount of neat (and useless) stuff you can come up with. I still run a couple of my own .dlls as COM addins on my home machine.

My vote is that if you know some VB already, it's an easy hack.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:46 PM on February 25, 2004

Also, writing your own custom Outlook Today page is a way fun exercise too, I found. But I'm weird that way.

There's tons of sample code and such on MSDN, or at least there used to be a couple years back.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:47 PM on February 25, 2004

Is this an easy hack, or would it take a big learning curve?

lets see, 10 billion infected emails generated, 5 mllion machines compromised, massive DDOS attacks launched, industry losses in the billions. yeah, i'd have to go with 'easy hack' myself.
posted by quonsar at 1:00 AM on February 26, 2004