Outlook 2000 - Shift+Delete

In Outlook 2000 (&97), the SHIFT+DELETE keystork can be used to permanently delete items from inbox without sending them to Deleted Items. It first opens a confirmation window with a Yes or No option

I've tried the Hotkey SHIFT + DELETE, but this just seems to send a normal DELETE, as the highlighted email goes straight to deleted items.

I then tried a Send Keystorke with [SHIFT_DOWN]DELETE[SHIFT_UP] - but this does nothing at all.

Any ideas?

Matt,

Try [SHIFT_DOWN][DELETE][SHIFT_UP]. The brackets around "DELETE" are important.

-- Jeff

Thanks - that makes the command work, but unfortunately it only does the same now as when I tried the hotkey SHIFT + DELETE.... i.e. it puts the mail in Deleted Items as if I had simply pressed the DELETE key...

Yet when I manually press SHIFT + DELETE it gives me the Yes / No dialogue and Yes permanently deletes.

It's very strange....

PS - if anyone else has Outlook 97, 2k or XP, I'd appreciate it if you could see if u have the same prob!! Perhaps it's something inherent to the app?

Perhaps Outlook needs a delay between detecting the SHIFT_DOWN and DELETE, try this:

keystroke: [SHIFT_DOWN]
delay: 100ms
keystrokes: [DELETE][SHIFT_UP]

-- Jeff

I copied your text wholesale and it appeared in the keystroke window as

keystroke: [SHIFT_DOWN]delay: 100mskeystrokes: [DELETE][SHIFT_UP]

I then tried it and it did exactly the same as before :-(

To be sure I increased the delay to 999. This time the delay was visible - but same result.... so not that.

Thanks for the suggest tho... any more? ;-)

PS - I only discovered gestures after using MyIE2 as a web browser, and found a link to StrokeIt on their forum... gotta say - this is the most useful free utility I've come across for quite some time - the last one being Proxomitron mahy moons ago :-)

Keep up the good work!!!

Hi, Matt,

It sounds like you may have misunderstood what I meant. I'm suggesting that you use three separate commands. The first command is the keystroke command that only sends [SHIFT_DOWN]. The second command is the "Utilities - Delay" command set for 100ms. Then the third command is another keystroke command sending [DELETE][SHIFT_UP]

-- Jeff

Sorry, yeah I misunderstood. Tried what you suggested with three seperate commands, but the same thing happens - just executes a DELETE.

I'm trying this at home rather than work now btw - so it's definately not PC-specific.

Hi, Matt,

At this point, I'm out of ideas. I don't use Outlook myself, so I can't test anything for you. It sounds like MS must poll the keyboard state whenever the DELETE key is pressed, and since SHIFT is not physically pushed down at that point, it treats it as just a normal DELETE.

A possible alternative would be using the menus, if there is a Delete Immediately menu item. If you can find out the command ID of the menuitem, you can probably simulate it using the SendMessage command. Otherwise, you could just use the keyboard commands to navigate the menus.

Good luck,

Jeff

Strokeit's Shift+Delete hotkey works fine in Mozilla's Thunderbird Email program (deletes it without putting it in the trash folder), and also works in Outlook Express 6 on XP. Sounds like Outlook is doing something funny.

You might try calling a MacroMaker or AutoIt macro with the run command and seeing if either of those programs have any luck.

Russell

unfortunately there's no menu command for the action - it's one of those typically MS hidden commands....

I found this solution in the meantime - [url=http://www.techhit.com/ezdelete/]http://www.techhit.com/ezdelete/[/url] - which adds a toolbar button to permanently delete items. Unfortunately no menu command with it....

I may try the macro idea when I get the chance to d/l and learn the program!

Thx 4the ideas :-)