Manage Email Signatures Centrally - For All Users

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

We are moving to a new Terminal Server and starting afresh with a whole new set of Group Policies. The sign.exe runs correctly on login, and the appropriate signatures are deployed to the correct users, but the default signature settings in Outlook (for new messages and for replies/forwards) reset back to "none" each time. The users can change the defaults to be the correct ones each time they log on, but understandably would prefer it to be like it used to be!

Is there anything in a Group Policy that might cause this to happen, and if not is there anything else that I can try?

Many thanks, Adrian

Jesper Frier · Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:31 am Post subject:

This symptom will occur if users have no email signatures created in their Outlook. Thus, their Outlook profile does not have the folders where eMailSignature deploys the signature files.

If this is not your case, please post your Status Monitor log for one user with the symptom.

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

Not sure quite where the signature files would be posted in the Outlook folders, but the signatures themselves are definitely accessible from Tools->Options, they are just not being selected by default, so here is a copy of the log file as requested. Many thanks, Adrian

---------------- eMailSignature LOG file -------------------
- Started at 06/03/2008 08:42:17
- sign.exe version 4.9.2 has been run for this user.
------------------------------------------------------------

Connection string to settings database:
Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=\\momerath\emailsignatures\settings.mdb
06/03/2008 08:42:20 Begin finding user DN
User path: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
06/03/2008 08:42:20 End Finddistinguishedname
User: adrianh (CN=Adrian Howe,OU=Board Users,DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk)
06/03/2008 08:42:23 License Key valid. Licensed version detected. No modules. License issued to Xiros PLC (UK) for 50 users.
Distinguished name set to CN=Adrian Howe,OU=Board Users,DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signatures from group 'Meeting Room Administrators' chosen due to group membership but it is not a priority group.
Signatures from group 'Marketing' chosen due to group membership but it is not a priority group.

------------------- Signatures to deploy: -------------------
Default signature: Xiros Default
Reply/forward signature: Internal
Signatures to deploy: Internal,Neoligaments,Xiros Default
Origin ID (Internal): 2

-------------------------------------------------------------
Office version 2003 detected.
There will be deployed 3 signatures.

-> Signature Internal in htm format (06/03/2008 08:42:23)
Number of parameters in signature: 1
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
((First_name))

Signature result:
Adrian

-> Signature Internal in rtf format (06/03/2008 08:42:23)
Number of parameters in signature: 1
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\par \cf1\b\f0\fs16 ((First_name))\cf0\b0\f1\fs24\par
\par \cf1\b\f0\fs16
}

Signature result:
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\par \cf1\b\f0\fs16 Adrian\cf0\b0\f1\fs24\par
\par \cf1\b\f0\fs16
}

-> Signature Internal in txt format (06/03/2008 08:42:23)
Number of parameters in signature: 1
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
((First_name))

Signature result:
Adrian

-> Signature Neoligaments in htm format (06/03/2008 08:42:23)
Number of parameters in signature: 6
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
<DIV>
((Display_name)) ((Description)) ((Title)) ((E-mail)) Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7202  Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201 <IMG src="Neolig.png"> a division of Xiros plc  Springfield House  Whitehouse Lane  Leeds  LS19 7UE  UK Registered in England No. 1664824 <A href="http://www.neoligaments.com/">www.neoligaments.com</A> </DIV>

Signature result:
<DIV>
Adrian Howe PhD CSci BSc (Hons) FBOA MIPEM MANAGING DIRECTOR adrian.howe@xiros.eu.com Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7202  Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201 <IMG src="Neolig.png"> a division of Xiros plc  Springfield House  Whitehouse Lane  Leeds  LS19 7UE  UK Registered in England No. 1664824 <A href="http://www.neoligaments.com/">www.neoligaments.com</A> </DIV>

-> Signature Neoligaments in txt format (06/03/2008 08:42:24)
Number of parameters in signature: 6
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
((Display_name)) ((Description))
((Title))

((E-mail))
Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7202 Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201

Neoligaments - a division of
Xiros plc Springfield House Whitehouse Lane Leeds LS19 7UE UK
Registered in England No. 1664824

www.neoligaments.com

Signature result:
Adrian Howe PhD CSci BSc (Hons) FBOA MIPEM
MANAGING DIRECTOR

adrian.howe@xiros.eu.com
Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7202 Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201

Neoligaments - a division of
Xiros plc Springfield House Whitehouse Lane Leeds LS19 7UE UK
Registered in England No. 1664824

www.neoligaments.com

-> Signature Neoligaments in rtf format (06/03/2008 08:42:24)
Number of parameters in signature: 5
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Arial;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue255;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\par \b\fs18 ((Display_name)) \b0 ((Description))\b\fs17\par
\b0 ((Title))\b\par
\par
(\fs18 (E-mail))\par
\b0 Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7202 Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201\par
\par
\b\par
Neoligaments \b0 a division of \par
Xiros plc Springfield House Whitehouse Lane Leeds LS19 7UE UK\par
Registered in England No. 1664824\b\fs17\par
\par
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "www.neoligaments.com"}}{\fldrslt{\ul\cf1 www.neoligaments.com}}}\f0\fs17\par
\par
\par
\par
\par \fs18
}

Signature result:
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Arial;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue255;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\par \b\fs18 Adrian Howe \b0 PhD CSci BSc (Hons) FBOA MIPEM\b\fs17\par
\b0 MANAGING DIRECTOR\b\par
\par
(\fs18 (E-mail))\par
\b0 Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7202 Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201\par
\par
\b\par
Neoligaments \b0 a division of \par
Xiros plc Springfield House Whitehouse Lane Leeds LS19 7UE UK\par
Registered in England No. 1664824\b\fs17\par
\par
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "www.neoligaments.com"}}{\fldrslt{\ul\cf1 www.neoligaments.com}}}\f0\fs17\par
\par
\par
\par
\par \fs18
}

-> Signature Xiros Default in htm format (06/03/2008 08:42:24)
Number of parameters in signature: 6
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
<DIV>
((Display_name)) ((Description)) ((Title)) ((E-mail)) Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7200  Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201 Xiros plc Springfield House  Whitehouse Lane  Leeds  LS19 7UE  UK Registered in England No. 1664824 <A href="http://www.xiros.eu.com/">www.xiros.eu.com</A> </DIV>

Signature result:
<DIV>
Adrian Howe PhD CSci BSc (Hons) FBOA MIPEM MANAGING DIRECTOR adrian.howe@xiros.eu.com Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7200  Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201 Xiros plc Springfield House  Whitehouse Lane  Leeds  LS19 7UE  UK Registered in England No. 1664824 <A href="http://www.xiros.eu.com/">www.xiros.eu.com</A> </DIV>

-> Signature Xiros Default in rtf format (06/03/2008 08:42:24)
Number of parameters in signature: 6
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\par \sb100\sa100\b\f0\fs20 ((Display_name))\b0\~((Description))\line\cf1\fs15 ((Title))\line\line\b\fs20 ((E-mail)) \b0\fs15\line\cf0\fs20 Tel. +44 (0) 113 \cf1 238\cf0 7200\~ Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201\line \line\line Xiros plc\line Springfield House\~ Whitehouse Lane\~ Leeds\~ LS19 7UE\~ UK\line Registered in England No. 1664824\line{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.xiros.eu.com/" }}{\fldrslt{\cf2\ul www.xiros.eu.com}}}\cf0\ulnone\f1\fs24\par
\par
\par
\par
\par
\par
\par \b\f0\fs20
}

Signature result:
{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Arial;}{\f1\froman\fprq2\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}}
{\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue0;\red0\green0\blue255;}
{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\par \sb100\sa100\b\f0\fs20 Adrian Howe\b0\~PhD CSci BSc (Hons) FBOA MIPEM\line\cf1\fs15 MANAGING DIRECTOR\line\line\b\fs20 adrian.howe@xiros.eu.com \b0\fs15\line\cf0\fs20 Tel. +44 (0) 113 \cf1 238\cf0 7200\~ Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201\line \line\line Xiros plc\line Springfield House\~ Whitehouse Lane\~ Leeds\~ LS19 7UE\~ UK\line Registered in England No. 1664824\line{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.xiros.eu.com/" }}{\fldrslt{\cf2\ul www.xiros.eu.com}}}\cf0\ulnone\f1\fs24\par
\par
\par
\par
\par
\par
\par \b\f0\fs20
}

-> Signature Xiros Default in txt format (06/03/2008 08:42:24)
Number of parameters in signature: 6
Data will be read from Active Directory
Root context for adrianh: LDAP://DC=xiros,DC=co,DC=uk
Signature source:
((Display_name)) ((Description))
((Title))

((E-mail))
Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7200 Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201

Xiros plc
Springfield House Whitehouse Lane Leeds LS19 7UE UK
Registered in England No. 1664824

www.xiros.eu.com

Signature result:
Adrian Howe PhD CSci BSc (Hons) FBOA MIPEM
MANAGING DIRECTOR

adrian.howe@xiros.eu.com
Tel. +44 (0) 113 238 7200 Fax. +44 (0) 113 238 7201

Xiros plc
Springfield House Whitehouse Lane Leeds LS19 7UE UK
Registered in England No. 1664824

www.xiros.eu.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Word as Editor is accepted. Default mail editor is left unchanged.
Stationery deleted.
Office version 2003: Stationary Removed.
Default Profile: Outlook
Profile 1, Outlook 2003: New Signature set to Xiros Default
Profile 2, Outlook 2003: New Signature set to Xiros Default
Outlook settings changed successfully.
The following pictures will be copied to Outlook:
\\momerath\emailsignatures\Neolig.png copied to Outlook
-------------- eMailSignature END LOG file -----------------
- Finalised at 06/03/2008 08:42:24
------------------------------------------------------------
Status: OK
-------------- eMailSignature END LOG file -----------------
- Finalised at 06/03/2008 08:42:27
------------------------------------------------------------
Status: OK

Jesper Frier

Summary
1) Sign.exe is latest version
2) Sign.exe executed 06/03/2008 08:42:17
3) Default signature set (Xiros Default)
4) Outlook 2003 detected

Should work if one email signature was created manually in Outlook ...

Try this
5) Open Outlook as user adrianh and create one Outlook signature manually and set it as default. Now close and open Outlook and test that you see you test signature.
6) Now deploy your templates from Cockpit.
7) Try the same with the default email templates.

Question

Are the Cockpit signatures now set as default?

General recommendations
- Your HTML is created in Word and copied to the Cockpit editor (Word templates are not HTML). Use the Cockpit editor.
- Delete RTF/TXT formats, except for your reply/forward signature (Internal).

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

Yes, that has cracked it, thanks! But is there a "centralized" way of forcing the creation of the default signature, or creating the necessary subdirectory, or is every user going to have to create a "dummy" signature before the roll out of the cockpit ones will work correctly?
Many thanks, Adrian

Jesper Frier · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:14 am Post subject:

By design Outlook creates the necessary folders (in the profile) during the creation of the first email signature. We cannot change that.

But you can try using the Outlook profiles from your old TS? Or use roaming profiles ...

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

We are using roaming profiles, but the place they are currently migrating from wasn't linked into that policy because of all sorts of legacy issues! If you can just point me at the exact folder that needs to be in place, I'll see if we can a workaround! Many thanks, Adrian

Jesper Frier · Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject:

This is the folder containing the email signatures:

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

Suppose I could have guessed that!! Many thanks for speed resolution of this issue, Adrian

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

Except... that once you log off and back on again, the settings for the default signatures revert to "none" even though sign.exe has obviously run correctly judging from the date/time stamping on the files in the signature folder.

So back to square one, or perhaps two?!? What is sign.exe doing to enable those particular signatures in Outlook - does it update a file in the directory structure somewhere, or is it changing the registry, perhaps?

Thanks! Adrian

Jesper Frier · Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: Signatures revert to "none"

Please open your Cockpit, Available Signatures menu.

Check settings for ...

These settings always have priority ...

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

These settings all look correct, and indeed work correctly for the same users when they log on to a PC, it is only when they log on to the Terminal Server that there are problems. Thanks, Adrian

Jesper Frier · Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject:

Can users save their Outlook signature settings on your TS without using eMailSignature?

I believe this error is related to Outlook profiles being overwritten when logging on to your TS ...

xirosplc · Quite a regular Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

As you suggest, the signature settings are "lost" regardless of whether they are initially specified by emailsignature... curiously, or perhaps not, the administrator's settings are preserved, although giving the users administrator rights makes no difference to them, so it must be more than just a permission thing. Oh well...