OL2000: Error Message: "The recurrence pattern is not valid"

• Microsoft Outlook 2000

SYMPTOMS

You may receive the following error message when attempting to set up a recurring appointment in Outlook:

The recurrence pattern is not valid.

CAUSE

This problem can occur when the sequence of the day, month, and year elements found in the system's Short date style and Long date style do not match. For example, one of the styles may place the year first in the sequence, and the other may place the year last.

RESOLUTION

Set the the short and long date styles so that their day, month, and year elements are in the same sequence.

To Set the Date Styles

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and click Control Panel.



2. In Control Panel, click Regional Settings.



3. On the Date tab, set the Short date style and the Long date style so that their day, month, and year elements are in the same sequence.




Correct year in same position in both:

    Short - MM/dd/yyy               05/26/1999
    Long  - dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy     Wednesday, May 26, 1999 

Incorrect year first in one and last in the other:

    Short - yyyy/MM/dd              1999/05/26
    Long  - dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy     Wednesday, May 26, 1999 

4. Click Apply and OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: OL2K

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug