Exchange 2007 master category list

Question

We are constructing an application that will be interacting with Exchange 2007 calendar functions. We will be using the Outlook Redemption Objects dll’s. Our design relies upon the outlook 2007 meeting Category features. We would like to ensure that specific mailboxes have a standard set of category names and colors.

We can’t rely on users to set these up. We also can’t rely on users running the exchange client, many users will be on MAC’s and will be using OWA to manage their calendar. As I understand it the master category list is stored in each users mailbox in an hidden message in a property named IPM.Configuration.CategoryList. I haven’t found any reference on how to set this yet.

The only things that I have found to help us are:

• Group policy objects: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc179073.aspx As I understand this, it won’t manage the color’s and relies upon the exchange client.
• A third party tool - http://www.vboffice.net/product.html?id=2006063&cmd=detail&lang=en&pub=6 The enterprise edition appears to do what we want but is expensive for a once per mailbox operation on 100 or so mailboxes.

Basically, our preferred solution is to be able to produce a script that accepts a mailbox name and sets up a standard master category list.

Answer 1

AFAIK, the categories for mail box items are stored in local outlook profile and not on the exchange server.Before Ol 2K7, these were stored in registry so I doubt if category master list can be set on E2K7.

Answer 2

we were able to accomplish our task using the code at http://gsexdev.blogspot.com/2007/08/adding-categories-to-master-categories.html