Truncated Outlook tasks

buzzzqwert · 03-29-06, 08:11 PM

I use my PC's Outlook tasks as sort of a diary of projects that I work on and some of the data goes back several years. I use tasks because I can sync them to my 4700 and review the information at meetings. I was suurprised to find out today that tasks that I've kept up to date for a long time have been truncated in Wm5. The beginning is there and it goes on for awhile and then there is a "truncated message" and no more information appears (it's still in the PC's Outlook, thankfully). It's kind of like there is 6 inches of space on a task and once that's used up....the end.

Now to be perfectly honest maybe PPC tasks were this way on PPC2002 and 2003SE, but I don't remember seeing this before. I also noticed in Activesync 4.1 that there aren't any options for tasks (used to be "all" or certain ones, or whatever, now in AS 4.1, no options)

Does anyone know of a limitation on tasks on PPC's or is this new in Wm5 ?

DavesPPC · 03-29-06, 08:19 PM

Don't know about WM5, but I can tell you that there is no limit using Mobile2003.
I use tasks extensively as well, for many different things other than tasks.
My Outlook task list dates back 6 years and all messages appear correct on my ipaq (at least all those that I've viewed/edited).
I attached a picture that shows the settings using ActiveSync 3.8

buzzzqwert · 03-30-06, 06:00 AM

Yes, I remember the Activesync options while using 2003SE. When Activesync 4.1 options in Wm5 is opened, the "settings" is grayed out for tasks. When you open a task there are some options, but none that would help with this problem. I guess I'm going to have to find some other application that syncs with my PC that I can use instead of tasks. The message at the end of task is [Text truncated on device. Modification of these items on the device will overwrite full text on desktop.] (scary statement)

I just realized that I also cannot edit a task, in other words, I cannot type anything. I don't know if this is just me or not. I cannot believe Microsoft would make task detail "read only". Can any Wm5 users verify whether or not they can edit a task ?

Update: You can update a note but you have to hit "edit" first and then it's OK. So, I'm back to my original truncated issue.

StowAway · 03-30-06, 10:08 AM

Thanks for posting this issue with syncing tasks on 4700 with WM5. I have been waiting to order and watching whether WM5 was going to create more problems for me before I do anything. This goes on the list!!! :(

buzzzqwert · 03-30-06, 11:48 AM

I also found this information over at Chris DeHerrera's forums on a thread about Wm5 Contacts having problems with truncation:

For anyone else out there who is having the same trouble but with Tasks,
thought I'd give you a post with "task" as a search term along with "[Text
truncated on device. Modification of these items on the device will overwrite
full text on desktop.]"

Beware, the same is true of Task notes, which are the lifeblood of my
business, tracking what I do for clients. Fortunately, I only lost data in
two Tasks. BTW, you can at least survey the damage by searching your Outlook
Tasks/Contacts/whatever for the word "truncate." The chopped-off records
should emerge.

I've seen it suggested that this was the case in previous versions. Not so.
Be sure to see rhotic's post on 2/15/06 in this thread for possible hope,
though it's through that dark, scary place called the registry. Funny--system
& storage space is more plentiful than ever before, and now this truncation
is implemented.
When there's a fix, someone please share!!

ken

"Grace 2 U" wrote:

MS Mobile 2005 Truncated Contacts Issue

Hundreds of my contacts have many pages of text in the "Notes" section.
Unfortunately, Active Sync 4._ truncates the message on the PDA. I am a PR
guy and this is one of the fundamental components for which I use a PDA (to
access a contact's info before a meeting for example and to update
immediately following a meeting). The warning reads as follows:

"[Text truncated on device. Modification of these items on the device will
overwrite full text on desktop.]"

Furthermore, if one's note histories are large, they would never realize the
note had edited and would lose everything on the Desktop and the handheld.

Please help!

Cordially,
Scott

StowAway · 03-30-06, 04:07 PM

Thanks Scott,
I assumed that notes attached to contacts were probably going to be destroyed as well since tasks are simple text forms.

This is just too much to imagine after waiting so long for WM5!!!!

Don't they have anyone testing new releases??

buzzzqwert · 03-30-06, 06:57 PM

I did make the registry change and lengthier tasks now work. I had to delete 11 tasks from my PPC and then copy them back, but at least they aren't lost or incomplete. It also appears as though "unlimited" length task or contact notes aren't possible. When I increased the space allowance beyond the suggested size Activesync wouldn't work. The stupid part about this is that you will have to change the registry before you sync tasks or contacts the first time.

Frank Garcia should make this a Tweaks2k2 fix.

I have no idea why MS could have allowed this to happen but they did.

I forgot to mention that many of my task notes were over the Wm5 limit because I had copies of pdf files, emails and other assorted attachments on the PC version. Even though the text was within the boundaries of Wm5 they truncated because the attachments put them over the top.