XCLN: Custom Form with AutoSignature Cannot Be Modified to Remove the Signature

You cannot remove the AutoSignature from the MESSAGE control of a custom form that was created from the default New Message form (Ipm.note) and that has an AutoSignature applied to it. Deleting and re-inserting the MESSAGE control puts the AutoSignature back in the MESSAGE control. Even when you are using the .oft file associated with the form, the same behavior occurs.

The MESSAGE control is a special control/field combination that cannot be modified.

There are two possible workarounds:

• Recreate the form using a new Ipm.note form with AutoSignature disabled. -or-
  
  
• Open the form, delete the AutoSignature text from the message body, and then republish the form with the same name.

Outlook forms contain both fields and controls. Examples of controls are the MESSAGE control, the SUBJECT control, and so on. Controls do not store any data. The data is stored in Outlook fields. Consequently, deleting controls (TEXT BOX, BUTTON, MESSAGE controls, and so on) doesn't change anything except the visual part of the form. If there is a field bound to the control that is deleted, the field still exists in the form and still contains its data. You can see this data on the All Fields page of the form. With normal TEXT BOX controls, you can choose which Outlook field stores the data that is entered into the control. The control is just used for entering data into or displaying data from the field. If you right-click a control (for example, the SUBJECT control) and click Properties, the Value tab shows you which field is currently bound to the control.

The MESSAGE control, however, is a special control/field combination and doesn't have a Value tab. Most of the controls/fields on a mail item are special MESSAGE or RECIPIENT controls that can't really be modified.