How do you always show the preview pane in a user's mail database?

This has probably been one of the most requested R5 features that never made it in. Some users (mostly Outlook users) are used to having a preview pane always open when viewing mail. The R5 mail template does not have this feature. However, you can add it by adding a profile form and a few actions to your ($Inbox) folder in the mail template.

First, create a profile form named "Custom Configuration". Add a text field named "PreviewPaneDefault".

Now modify the ($Inbox) folder by adding a few actions.

Action "Tools\Set Preview Pane Off":

  @SetProfileField("Custom Configuration"; "PreviewPaneDefault";  @False;@UserName);
  @If(Form!="";
    @Command( [ShowHidePreviewPane] ; @False );
    @Return(0)
  )

For the hide-when on this action, use this formula:

  showOrHide := @GetProfileField("Custom Configuration"; "PreviewPaneDefault"; @UserName);
  @If(@IsError(showOrHide) | showOrHide = 1;
    @False;
    @True
  )

Action "Tools\Set Preview Pane On":

  @SetProfileField("Custom Configuration";"PreviewPaneDefault";@True;@UserName);
  @If(Form!="";
    @Command( [ShowHidePreviewPane] ; @True );
    @Return(0)
  )

For the hide-when on this action, use this formula:

  showOrHide := @GetProfileField("Custom Configuration"; "PreviewPaneDefault"; @UserName);
  @If(showOrHide = 1;
    @True;
    @False
  )

Finally, modify the PostOpen event for the ($Inbox) folder by using this formula to activate the preview pane depending on how the user specifies his/her preference:

  @If(@ViewTitle="($Inbox)";
    @True;
    @Return(0)
  );
  showOrHide := @GetProfileField("Custom Configuration"; "PreviewPaneDefault"; @UserName);
  @Command( [ShowHidePreviewPane] 
    @If(@IsError(showOrHide);
      @False;
      showOrHide
    )
  )

Applies to Notes Versions: 5