• Copy and paste not working correctly in Outlook

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    #472495

    There are some cases in Outlook 2003 where “Ctrl C” and “Ctrl V” do not work but I had been able to get around it by using the Copy and Paste commands from the file drop down menu. I can’t find these commands in Outlook 2010. Searching google for them they seem to want you to use “Ctrl C” and “Ctrl V” which also don’t work in Outlook 2010 in some instances where I need them to. Are there menu commands for Copy and Paste in Outlook that I am not finding so far?

    Thanks

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    • #1251195

      Short answer is yes, but I’m at work with 2003 and can’t tell you offhand where they are in 2010. The Ribbon moved everything around. You should be able to search Help in 2010 on the copy command though.

      Microsoft also has excellent (IMO) videos and help files for command transition from the 2003 world to 2007/2010 on their Office website.

      Copy > Message | Clipboard | Copy
      Copy > Discussion | Clipboard | Copy
      Copy > Format Text | Clipboard | Copy
      Cut > Message | Clipboard | Cut
      Cut > Discussion | Clipboard | Cut
      Cut > Format Text | Clipboard | Cut

      Okay, found one of the files. Command on left above is 2003, those on right 2007/10. Paste should be in the same area.

    • #1251196

      If you select an object or some text and right click “copy” should be one of your choices in the context menu. “Paste” should appear in the context menu when you are in an editable field.

      Joe

      --Joe

    • #1251331

      I have searched help before I posted here and what I came up with was to use the shortcut keys I mentioned or the context menu. I occasionally want to copy an email as it comes to me and paste it into My Documents folder as a file that only opens when Outlook is on the machine. I have stored may emails this way in the past with Outlook 2003 by using the commands from the Edit drop down menu but I can find no such menu commands in Outlook 2010 and the “Ctrl C” and “Ctrl V” do not allow me to copy the emails as I want to do. I have used transition sites to show the new commands by using the old ones in Outlook 2003 and all it shows is the Right click and then the context menu, which I should have also mentioned in my original post, but it doesn’t work either. In the past the only way I have accomplished copying these emails was to use the Edit – Copy and Edit Paste commands and that is what I cannot find in Outlook 2010. I was hoping someone knew for sure if they were there and if so where because believe me I have searched high and low for them and haven’t found them.

      BTW the Right click and Cut or “Ctrl X” do not work either for the emails I want to save in My Documents.

      • #1251399

        I occasionally want to copy an email as it comes to me and paste it into My Documents folder as a file that only opens when Outlook is on the machine. I have stored may emails this way in the past with Outlook 2003 by using the commands from the Edit drop down menu but I can find no such menu commands in Outlook 2010 and the “Ctrl C” and “Ctrl V” do not allow me to copy the emails as I want to do.

        For what it’s worth, Ctrl+c Ctrl+v works in Outlook 2007 on Windows XP.

        As a workaround, is there an equivalent to selecting the message in the Inbox and then choosing File > Save As, then choosing the Outlook MSG format?

        • #1251423

          For what it’s worth, Ctrl+c Ctrl+v works in Outlook 2007 on Windows XP.

          As a workaround, is there an equivalent to selecting the message in the Inbox and then choosing File > Save As, then choosing the Outlook MSG format?

          Thanks for the suggestion. And I hope I am not being misunderstood. Ctrl C & Ctrl V & Ctrl X all work in Outlook 2010 but not how I want to use them. They work fine on text, hyperlinks, etc. . Maybe this will help if I explain in a little more detail. Here is what I have been doing where Ctrl C & Ctrl X do not work – I click on the email without opening it. Then I am able to use the Edit – Copy from the Edit menu where I am not able to use Ctrl C. I then can Paste that file into My Documents. Actually I probably should not have included the Ctrl V because once I have it copied there are multiple ways I can paste it. It is just getting it copied that really is the problem.

          I am not familiar with your suggestion but I am going to go try it as soon as I post this. Again, thank you but I have a hard time understanding why MS would take those commands away that is why I was wondering if maybe it was just me not being able to find them.

          I lied I tried it before posting and it is a GREAT work around. It does the same thing I was able to accomplish in Outlook 2003 by copying it. BTW while trying your suggestion I found out that the way I was doing it also created the file extension of *.msg. Many thanks.

    • #1251437

      I just tried this on my Windows 7 64 Bit Laptop Outlook 2007 machine and it worked here are my steps:

      1. Click on an email in my inbox to select w/o opening.
      2. Press Ctrl+c
      3. Open Windows Explorer via icon on Task Bar.
      4. Opened the Transfer directory under the Documents Library.
      5. Clicked in the right hand {contents pane}
      6. Press Ctrl+v

      The email shows up as type Outlook Item see picture.

      Addendum: I just tried this on my desktop with Win 7 64 Bit & Outlook 2003 and it also worked. However, the first time it failed because I have outlook configured to allow me to edit the subjects. If the edit cursor is in the subject line it would not copy!

      May the Forces of good computing be with you!

      RG

      PowerShell & VBA Rule!
      Computer Specs

    • #1251447

      You’re right that did work and that is how I tried to do it but I believe I got myself all screwed up because I had often tried the Right click method instead and ended up using the drop down menu since it always worked for me. On my machines the Copy command is not even on the Right click menu when you click on an email without opening it. So when I tried and screwed up, obviously, trying to use the Crtl C I wrongly assumed it did not work. Maybe I didn’t hold the Ctrl key down long enough when pressing the C key I don’t really know.

      Sorry for all the confusion. Maybe I did something wrong because before posting this subject I did all the steps you just went through and for some reason it did not work but it does now. Thanks a lot.

    • #1251594

      It appears you are trying to copy emails to your hard drive as standalone files. Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V aren’t active that way for entire Outlook items – you need to use Outlook commands to File | Save As the items as *.msg (as JScher2000 noted), or as *.htm or *.txt messages – the save format option varies based on whether you are selecting a single item or multiple items.

    • #1251595

      Thank you John. I knew I wasn’t crazy. I had always tried it with multiple items before and was fairly certain that the Ctrl C hadn’t worked but when I tried it on a single item it did work and I was really wondering what was going on. I’m glad you explained it to me.

      It would have been nice had MS left the menu commands because I was able to copy multiple items using them.

      • #1251709

        Thank you John. I knew I wasn’t crazy. I had always tried it with multiple items before and was fairly certain that the Ctrl C hadn’t worked but when I tried it on a single item it did work and I was really wondering what was going on. I’m glad you explained it to me.

        It would have been nice had MS left the menu commands because I was able to copy multiple items using them.

        In my Outlook 2010, I am able to select multiple items, right click, and select “Copy”. Then I can paste wherever I want with Windows Explorer. The items as saved as .msg files.

        Joe

        --Joe

    • #1251625

      Funny, multiple items worked for me.

      May the Forces of good computing be with you!

      RG

      PowerShell & VBA Rule!
      Computer Specs

    • #1251729

      Thanks to you both for the posts.

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