Program Settings
CodeTwo Public Folders consists of two modules: the Syncing Master and the Outlook Add-in. The Syncing Master handles communication and data synchronization between the Outlook Add-ins and it should be installed on one of the computers in the local network. The Outlook Add-ins should be installed on the computers in the local network that will be used for public folders in Microsoft Outlook. If you want to use public folders in Outlook on a computer hosting CodeTwo Public Folders Syncing Master, you also need to install the Outlook Add-in of the program on that computer. Read installation walkthrough

A detailed description of the program settings is presented below:

Syncing Master settings
C2PublicFolders system service configuration
Outlook Add-in settings
Adding public folders to the Outlook profile
Removing public folders from the Outlook profile
Outlook Add-ins connected in a network with the Syncing Master

Syncing Master settings

To change the Syncing Master settings, click Start, choose Programs | CodeTwo | Public Folders Syncing Master from the menu and select Configuration.

The configuration of the Syncing Master consists of two steps. The first one is to configure the TCP port, used to communicate between the Outlook Add-ins and the Syncing Master (Fig.1). The default port number is 5002. We recommend you to keep the default setting unless there is a need to change it. If you change the port number, you must remember to change it in all the Outlook Add-ins in the network:

Syncing Master settings - the TCP port configuration
Fig.1. Syncing Master settings - the TCP port configuration.

Once you have confirmed the selection and clicked the Next button, you will see the dialog box in which you select the logging level of the log files (Fig.2). This should be set to Standard unless there are problems in communication between the Outlook Addins and the Syncing Master. The Detailed settings will help to diagnose the problem more easily.

Syncing Master settings - the log level configuration
Fig.2. Syncing Master settings - the log level configuration.

C2PublicFolders system service configuration

The Syncing Master is developed as a system service. If the Outlook Add-ins have difficulties connecting to the Syncing Master, you must check the C2PublicFolders system service configuration using the Services console in the Administrative Tools program group.

If the Outlook Add-ins cannot connect to the Syncing Master, check whether the C2PublicFolders system service is started. In order to do that, open the Services console and make sure that the C2PublicFolders service is started. If it isn't, click the right mouse button on the service and select Start from the popup menu. If the service cannot be started and the login error message is displayed, click the right mouse button on the service, choose Properties from the popup menu, go to Log On and check if the Local System account option is selected.

If the C2PublicFolders service does not start at the computer start up, make sure that Startup Type for the C2PublicFolders service is set to Automatic. Click the right mouse button on the service, select Properties, and on the General tab set the start up type to Automatic.

C2PublicFolders system service configuration (Syncing Master)
Fig.3. C2PublicFolders system service configuration (Syncing Master)

Outlook Add-in settings

If you want to check or change the current Outlook Add-in settings, choose Public Folders | Options from the Outlook menu and the settings dialog box will be displayed.

Syncing Master tab

The Syncing Master tab (Fig.4) informs you whether what you are using is the demo or your own Syncing Master. If Connect to the Syncing Master hosted on CodeTwo Internet Demo Server option is checked, your Outlook will display the public folders and their contents from our internet demo server. Please note that the demo server should be used for testing purposes only, as the data will be visible to everyone over the internet. Read more about using the internet demo server.

If you have already installed the Syncing Master of CodeTwo Public Folders, check the Connect to your Syncing Master option, provide its name (or IP) and you will be able to use it on a day-to-day basis and keep important and confidential data. To find the computer in the network, you can also use the Browse button. If you have set a non-default TCP port number on the Syncing Master, click the TCP port button to provide its new number.
To check the connection with the Syncing Master, use the Test button.

Outlook Add-in settings - the Syncing Master tab
Fig.4. Outlook Add-in settings - the Syncing Master tab.

Log files tab

The Log files tab (Fig.5) includes the Location field. It shows the path to the log files (text files containing some diagnostic information). The Logging level should be set to Standard. It should be set to Detailed only if data synchronization errors occur. Click Send to send the logging files to technical support.

Outlook Add-in settings - the Log files tab
Fig.5. Outlook Add-in settings - the Log files tab.

Other tab

In the Other tab (Fig.6) the Automatically display the synchronization window option lets you decide whether the data synchronization status dialog should by displayed while synchronizing data in the shared folders. The window is automatically shown during the initial synchronization when you're running Outlook for the first time after the installation of CodeTwo Public Folders.

Synchronize read / unread status of messages makes the Syncing Master synchronize information whether a message has been read by any user in public folders. See how to activate the synchronization of read/unread status of messages.

By selecting the Compress data prior to sending to the Syncing Master option you decide whether the data send from the Outlook Add-in to the Syncing Master undergoes compression. Compression will improve the speed of synchronization between the Outlook Add-in and the Syncing Master.

The Local data file field shows the path to the PST file, where the local copy of the shared folders data is stored. The advantage of a local copy is that the program will synchronize only the data, changed while the Outlook Add-in was not connected to the Syncing Master. This makes synchronization much faster and more effective. The local copy makes it possible to work in the offline mode when there's no connection to the Syncing Master.

The Logged user field shows the username of the currently logged-in Windows user. That name is used by the administration application of CodeTwo Public Folders to manage access rights for users to the public folders and shared personal folders.

Outlook Add-in settings - Other tab
Fig.6. Outlook Add-in settings - Other tab.

Adding public folders to the Outlook profile

Once the CodeTwo Public Folders Outlook Add-in is installed, the default Outlook profile of the user displays a new C2PublicFolders tree, in which users can create public folders (Fig.7). To display the C2PublicFolders list, click Show All Public Folders on the CodeTwo Public Folders toolbar. Alternatively, to display the list of folders in Outlook 2000/XP, choose View | Folder List from the main menu. In Outlook 2003 choose Go | Folder List or press Ctrl+6:

Public Folders on the Folder List in Outlook
Fig.7. Public Folders on the Folder List in Outlook

When the software is installed, start Microsoft Outlook using another profile; the software will display the dialog box asking you whether you want to add public folders to that profile:

A dialog box asking you whether you want to add public folders to a non-default profile
Fig.8. A dialog box asking you whether you want to add public folders to a non-default profile.

If you click No and don't ask me again, the public folders will not be added to the profile and the dialog box won't pop-up anymore. If you want to add public folders to the profile later, follow the tips below:

Outlook 98/2000
1. Start Outlook using the profile in which you wish to add public folders.
2. Choose Tools | Services from the Outlook main menu.
3. In the Services dialog box click Add.
4. In the Adding a service to the profile dialog box select the C2PublicFolders service and click OK.
5. The above-described configuration dialog box of the CodeTwo Public Folders will display. If the name of the computer hosting the Syncing Master is correct, click OK.
6. Click OK to close the Services dialog box.

Outlook XP/2003/2007
1. Start Outlook using the profile in which you wish to add public folders.
2. In the Outlook main menu choose File | New | Outlook Data File.
or
In the Outlook main menu choose Tools | Options | Mail Setup, click Data Files and then Add.
3. In the Outlook Data Files dialog box select the C2PublicFolders service and click OK.
4. The above-described configuration dialog box of the CodeTwo Public Folders will appear. If the name of the computer hosting the Syncing Master is correct, click OK.
5. Click Close and then OK.

How to create a new public folder (Outlook 2003/2007) ?
How to create a new public folder (Outlook 98/2000/XP) ?

Removing public folders from the Outlook profile

If you want to remove public folders from the current Outlook profile, click the right mouse button on the C2PublicFolders folder and select Close the folder: C2PublicFolders command from the popup menu.