I have a Windows XP machine with Microsoft Outlook XP on the same LAN as an iMac running Jaguar with Microsoft Entourage X. Samba is currently set up to share files between the two computers with no problem. Is it possible to synchronize my address book, e-mail, and calendar among the two Microsoft applications? I currently use Totalidea's OutsourceXP (http://www.totalidea.com/frameset-outsource.htm) to create regular Outlook backups on my XP machine.

The easiest and cleanest way is if you had Exchange Server. Someone told me Exchange Server includes a web based version of Outlook. Here are some dirty ways you can try:
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/sync.htm

I seriously would like to know what version of Outlook this is:
http://63.99.220.20/lycos/step/1,,71...+10688,00.html

This is Microsoft Exchange 2003's Web Access:
http://tekmaven.dizla.com/outlookweb.jpg

That's really cool, but I really don't want to do something web-based like that. I'd really like to just import my Outlook data into Entourage.

Yeah, the typical answers by those who totally misunderstood what you really wanted to do :-)

Well, welcome Microsoft's excellent support for cross-platforms - NOT!

Unfortunately, WinOutlook and MacOutlook use very different databses to store all of their information in, so right out of the box, you really can't do what you want :-(

On the other hand, if your mail is on an IMAP server, you can connect from either platform via IMAP. Regarding synchronizing your Contacts - Palm can come to the rescue, if you have some Palm device. Just synch to your Palm on both, and you have your contacts ion order. The same might work with your calendar as well. Yeah, annoyingly complicated, but it can be done.

Hope this helps. Maybe the next version of Entourage will offer more compatibility.

Harry

It's ridiculous how difficult this appears to be, but apparently it is. And until recently it was much harder. Here's what I've been able to find:

Apparently the latest version of Mozilla will extract Outlook mails, turning them into MBOX (plain text) files. See: < http://weblog.infoworld.com/udell/2002/06/28.html >. It will also extract contact info into plain text files.

Entourage should then be able to import the resulting MBOX files. Not sure how well it will handle a large number of files. You might need to write an AppleScript to tell Entourage to import what Mozilla produces.

Good luck and please tell us of your results. (I'm interested in this myself.)

-- Jeff Rogers

Sorry I haven't gotten back to this thread sooner. I've been very busy lately and have yet to try your suggestion. The thing is, I already have a program to back-up and export Microsoft Outlook to a number of formats (Outsource XP). While your suggestion may be a bit tedious, it would make sense if moving from a Windows platform to a Mac and not wanting to lose data. However, I currently use both computers frequently (i.e. work and play), and I'm looking for more of a continuous synchronization type deal.

So then. I am running Outlook 2000 (Sp-3) at work on XP and Running Entourage at home on my Mac on OS 10.2.8.

I just want to transfer contacts. There has got to be some way to export to a .CSV (DOS delimited?) or a vCard or some magic file format and then import that file into my Mac via Address Book, or Mail, or Entourage... right?

Seriously... I'm with cscgal, this can't possibly be this difficult. How absurd.
I'm not even looking to dynamically keep it updated, just a nice big import one time.

Anybody?

Hi, it seems rather difficult to comprehend that two microsoft products can not talk to each other. I have the same problem (of trying to transfer data from outlook 2002 on XP Prof. to entourage) and i have been struggling to no avail. Seems that this is a regular grouse and there is no foolproof way to move the information. I did try .CSV but it only moved a part of the information. Also, if one tries to move contact information thru Vcards then its only possible, one card at a time :-(
If anyone has a solution, i am VERY interested.

Hi all
just found this link on the microsoft site, am still to check it, but one of you could try it and let me know the results.
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/product...t_contacts.xml
Luck!!!