Mobile Connection for Outlook - administration

Mobile Connection for Outlook allows users to have an access to their mailbox, calendar, contacts etc., including replying e-mails, forwarding, meeting creation etc., via SMS and their cell phone.

Mobile Connection for Outlook is instaled automatically during the "Express" setup. You can select not to install MCfO in "Custom" setup mode - in this case you may start MCfO setup later in Start Menu -> Programs -> MobilChange -> Setup -> Mobile Connection for Outlook installation.

Mobile Connection for Outlook is included in MobilChange Standard and Enterprise.

All configuration files important for administration are located in the registry of the computer where the script is running. These informations are being read when the application starts so if some change goes through, we goes as follows in the settings update. The only exception is function of logging which can be changed anytime, even though the script is running, and the change is processed by the first of next incoming messages.

Registry items

All registry items of the script are located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Datasys\MobilChange\outlook\ key.

AdminName - the name of an account under which the script will access MS Exchange server that contains user accounts and which has to have access rights for these user accounts. Further, this account has to have access rights for the Public contacts folder (see PublicContacts). This item is required. Name of the server is set in the item ServerName.
CityCode - calling code of the city where the script is running (without zero). This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value is used – calling code for Prague is 2.
CityPrefix - prefix for interstate calling code which is used in the country where the script is running. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value is used – prefix in Czech republic is 0.
Confirmation - the flag of turning on/off sending confirmation SMS about successful command forward resp. reply ("?f", "?r"). Numeric value 1/0. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 1 is used – to send.
ContactFormat - the format of sending founded contacts. Possible values are "full" (default) or "short". In the case of the format "short" the display name of a contact is shown and at the other line are next informations. In the case of the format "full" the display name and the full name are compared. If these values are the same the result is same as in the case of the format "short". If these values are different the display name is shown and in brackets the full name is shown. At the other line are next informations.
CountryCode - international calling code of the country where the script is running (without "plus", resp. without two zeros). This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value is used – calling code for the Czech republic is 420.
CountryPrefix - prefix for international calling code which is used in the country where the script is running. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value is used – prefix in the Czech republic is 00.
DictList - the list of libraries (.dll files) separated by comma = dictionaries for SMS formatting (removing redundant spaces and free lines, replacing some words by shortcuts). The default value is "abbrev.dll,whitesp.dll".
LogEnabled - the flag of turning on/off the logging – numeric value 1/0. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 0 is used – logging off.
LogFileName - name of logging file where the script writes its activity. The state of logging is set in the item LogEnabled. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value is used "C:\MobilChange\log\outlook.txt".
LogLevel - the logging level – numeric value 0-5 – setting the amount of written informations into the log file. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 1 is used (description follows). The change of the value by this item is valid for the first of following SMS messages. Log level description follows:
- 0 - logging disabled; no messages, the log file is open anyway. If we want to turn of the logging, we use the item LogEnabled. If we want to delete the log file and the logging is enabled, we go further according to "setting update".
- 1 - input/output and error messages (input/output are the information about received/sent SMS messages).
- 2 - basic level of logging; basic information about SMS processing. It is used when solving user's problems.
- 3 - enhanced logging; detailed informations about SMS processing. This level increases written data amount. It is used when searching for script errors.
- 4 - logging of all searched records; information about all searched records. Can mean really drastic increasing of written data (ex. if company contacts folder contains 1500 records). It is used in the case when the script reports wrong results and it is needed to verify the range of searched values. After this intervence is recommended to move the log - when disabling the script - file somewhere else.
- 5 - complete logging; record of every script function. It is not required to use this level and regarding to the amount of written data is not recommended though.
MaxContacts - maximum amount of found contacts that are being returned as separated SMS (one SMS = one contact). If is exceeded only the information about count of matching contacts is being sent. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 5 contacts is used.
MaxSmsLen - maximal length of SMS message that is used in the case when the script should send only one SMS (e.g. Meeting information is being cut into one SMS). This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 160 characters is used.
MaxUnreadMessages - maximal number of unread messages returned after "?m" question. More unread messages is possible to get repeating same question. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 16 unread messages is used.
PublicContacts - name of folders (in the MAPI hierarchy), including full path to them, containing company's contacts that should be searched in the case of "?g" command. The root folder is "All Public Folders" in the folder "Public Folders" (eventualy regional equivalents). The name of folders in the path are separated with backslash "\". Each path is separated with comma. This item is optional. If does not exist or its value is an empty string, all folders with "contacts" type are being searched. This operation is taking a lot of time so it is recommended to set the names of searched folders. Sample: "Datasys\Contacts\HelpDesk"“.
ReplyQuote - character (characters) at the beginning of the message, resp. each of lines, including space and the beginning character (characters) and the line beginning if is required. This item is optional. Default vaule is "> " (greater then and space).
SearchGAL - the flag of turning on/off 1/0) searching in the Global Address List in the case of searching in the public contacts (question "?g"). The default value is turned on (1).
SearchGALFirst - the flag of turning on/off (1/0) searching in the Global Address List before searching in the Public Folders in the case of searching in the public contacts (question "?g"). The default value is turned on (1).
SearchPubFolds - the flag of turning on/off (1/0) searching in the Public Folders List in the case of searching in the public contacts (question "?g"). The default value is turned on (1).
SearchMethod - the selection of a search method for searching an user account by a mobile phone number. Two methods are available now:
- 1 - default, all accounts are enumerated and phone numbers are formatted before the comparison. This method can be very time demanding on big GAL.
- 2 - new one method, it use a filter on mobile phone numbers. The condition is a standard format of mobile phone numbers in MS Exchange (e.g. +420603123456). This method is slow on the small GAL, however, on the big GAL it can be significantly better.
If you have GAL with very much entries, try both methods.
ServerName - name of the server where MS Exchange server containing user accounts is located. This item is optional. If does not exist, the name of computer is used where the script is running.
UnreadAge - the maximal age of showed unread messages (in days). Used in the case of query "?m" to stop of automatic sendind of all unread messages in the case of first access to inbox. The default value is 14 days.
UnknownUser - the flag of turning on/off sending SMS "unknown user". This answer is sent in the case of a question from an unknown cell phone, typically user sent private SMS starting with char '?' and matching MCfO script rule. Numeric value 1/0. This item is optional. If does not exist, the default value of 1 is used – to send.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Datasys\MobilChange\outlook\

lng - default language for new MCO users. Default 0 (English), other values 1 (Czech), 2 (Polish).
Subkeys contain various settings for individual users (subkey name is created from user's mobile phone number).

Log file

The location of the log file is set in registry item LogFileName. State and logging level is set in the registry in items LogEnabled and LogLevel. Log file is a text file, which is easily read. If the logging is enabled (LogEnabled = 1), the log file is read-only. If we want to delete the log file, we go further according to "setting update".

Setting update

If the changes made in registry entries should become visible or it is needed to delete the log file when logging is enabled, it is needed to stop and start again the UMS.TaskManager task or the service – but this restarts all administrated tasks.

Help files

Users can send themselves the brief help. It is a text file "help.txt" which is located in the folder "MobilChange\script\txt". This file can be easily customized regarding to the maximal length of SMS message.