OL97: New Mail Notification Disables Next/Previous Item

• Microsoft Outlook 97

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Outlook 97, you have the option to display a notification message when mail arrives. If you choose to read a new message by clicking Yes, the next and previous item buttons do not work, and the view previous and next menu items are not available.

CAUSE

This is by design. The message notification feature is not intended to give access to other messages.

RESOLUTION

To open previous or next messages, click No in the notification dialog box, switch to Outlook, and then open the message from the Inbox. The next and previous item buttons and menu items will work at this point.

MORE INFORMATION

This same behavior is exhibited when the notification message is generated by the Inbox Assistant, the Rules Wizard, or on the E-mail tab under Options on the Tools menu (the "Display a notification message" option illustrated below).

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. On the E-mail tab click to select the "Display a notification message" check box and click OK.

3. Compose a new message to yourself and send it.

4. When the message arrives in your Inbox, the new mail notification will be displayed.

5. Click Yes to read the message.

NOTE: If in step 4 above, you do not receive a new message notification, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q163667
   TITLE     : OL97: No Notification Given for Arriving E-Mail Message