Windows 7 and Outlook 2007 problem (more instances)

[clunkfish]

I think you must have the program itself pinned, so that every time you click it another instance gets fired up. Try this:

1. Turn off Hide When Minimized (using the icon in the system tray, bottom right)
2. Unpin Outlook from the task bar
3. Make sure there are no instances of Outlook running
4. Start Outlook, then hit its Minimize button to shrink it down to the task bar
5. You should now have a button on your task bar for Outlook, not pinned
6. Click on that task bar icon
7. Tell us what happens

 

[inetMark]

But that is not good solution for me. Why? Because I use option on taskbar "Never combine". So I see this:

I just want to have (like I said) icon of Outlook there only and I need to use Never combine option.

If I will use a default Windows 7 settings on taskbar, then this your advice will be good, but I know that. I just want functionality like in Vista .

But I become to use to click on tray bar (bottom right) icon.

 

[clunkfish]

Sorry my friend - we have reached the limits of my (in)competence. I don't know how to have Never Combine without both icon and text showing. Someone here may know how to make it so the text doesn't show....?

Sorry I couldn't be of more help

 

[inetMark]

It can be done. There is only way what I want from a begining .
In Outlook must be set option "Minimize when hide" and icon of Outlook must be pinned on task bar.

But after click icon on taskbar (or icon on keyborad or on desktop) cannot be run another instance of Outlook.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi all
I've even tried running my laptop upside down -- but I can't understand what the problem is here.

Assuming "Default" W7 operation of the Tool /Task / Quick Launch bars which you don't have "Locked" then -

If you RIGHT CLICK any Icon on the quick Launch bar (assuming normal Right Handed Mouse operation) then a NEW instance will be started.

If you just "Hover" or click on the Icon on the quick launch bar you will get taken into one of the already running instances.

If you click on a Desktop Icon then another instance of the application gets launched.

Can't see what prob is (or am I being typically Thick again after a few Beers on a Sunday Night)

Hi Clunkfish hope you werent inflicted with that pain as well - in having to escape from that DREADFUL TV program showed tonight in UK - The X-FACTOR which was almost impossible to escape from - especially if you prefer Classical Music anyway.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[clunkfish]

Hi Clunkfish hope you werent inflicted with that pain as well - in having to escape from that DREADFUL TV program showed tonight in UK - The X-FACTOR which was almost impossible to escape from - especially if you prefer Classical Music anyway.

Cheers
jimbo

LOL - didn't go anywhere near it Jimbo! As you know, the UK media (radio, TV, newspapers) are full of it all the time but I really couldn't give a monkey's

I think inetMark is accepting that 7 does behave differently from Vista and that the behaviours you describe for the various ways of launching Outlook seem hard-wired. The way to make sure you have one instance only at any one time is, as you say, to control it from the task bar or the tray, and I think inetMark said that the tray will be the option of choice.

 

[Zardoc]

Now get this,

Office creates a little shortcut that some users will delete with multiple instances of a shortcut.

So inetMark (polish??) just curious.

Right click on your desktop ''new'' Choose new shortcut browse to:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\outlook.exe

Click next and call it Outlook.

Right click on the shortcut and add this command /recycle

So your shortcut should look like this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\outlook.exe /recycle

Voila!!! Only one instance of Outlook.

 

[inetMark]

Amazing.
Excelent advice.
Thank you very much for christmas gift .

 

[Zardoc]

My pleasure!!

 

[leeq]

Thanks, Zardoc ! You made my life much easier.
I think there are some sort of people who need to strengthen their imaginative power, such as replying as "why should you do that?".
I also use my shortcut to open outlook instead of clicking the tiny tray icon, which is ABSOLUTELY more convenient, and it was always bugging me when it opens new instances.
Thanks to the questioner as well for opening this nice thread.

 

[Zardoc]

You're welcome.

 

[slypython]

Not quite solved:

Here's what I found, and also the quandary I now find myself in.

The application link for Outlook does not contain the /recycle switch so every time you click the taskbar icon, a new instance of Outlook is opened (exactly what OP describes)

Looking into solutions, I found that I could generate myself a new shortcut directly from the OUTLOOK.exe file and alter the shortcut by appending /recycle on the end. Then pinning this shortcut to my taskbar always guarantees that when I click it, it opens the existing instance of Outlook.

The problem with this is that the Windows 7 taskbar grouping won't work. Rather than opening the application on top of my shortcut, it puts it off to the right of my quick link buttons. For me, this doesn't work as I've hyper-organized my taskbar and am dependent upon the applications opening where their button exists.

So the summary is that there are 3 solutions:
1. Only re-open Outlook from the tray
2. Uncheck the "Hide When Minimized" option
3. Create a new shortcut with the /recycle switch

Overall, it doesn't seem like I get an option to meet what I would really like to do (only have 1 instance of outlook no matter where it's opened from, and also have the taskbar grouping work as expected). I'll try out not having the program hide when minimized but it just doesn't quite feel the same.