Q&A: Microsoft Announces Availability of XML Schema for Microsoft Office Visio 2003 (Apr 15)
Microsoft today announced the addition of the Microsoft Office Visio 2003 XML Reference Schema to its open and royalty-free documentation and license program that was initially unveiled in November 2003. Microsoft Office Visio 2003 is the diagramming and data visualization tool in Microsoft Office 2003.
Microsoft is providing the complete description of the Visio Extensible Markup Language (XML) file format to enable organizations to access information captures in their Visio diagrams and to integrate with other XML-enabled applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Extensive support of XML in the Microsoft Office suite will allow Office applications to create, view and edit structured data stored in disparate systems.
To learn more about how XML will impact users of Visio 2003, PressPass spoke with Jean Paoli, an XML architect at Microsoft. Paoli is one of the co-creators of the XML 1.0 standard with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and has played a significant role in the XML community since 1985. He has helped accelerate XML activity at Microsoft by creating and managing the team that delivered the software that XML-enabled both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Windows.
View full Press Release: Q&A: Microsoft Announces Availability of XML Schema for Microsoft Office Visio 2003
Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas (Apr 15)
This download contains the Microsoft Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas and related documentation and now includes:
Overview articles on WordprocessingML (the XML file format for Microsoft Office Word 2003), SpreadsheetML (Microsoft Office Excel 2003), FormTemplate XML schemas (Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003) and DataDiagramingML (Microsoft Office Visio 2003).
Reference documentation on the Microsoft Office 2003 schemas, detailing every element and types.
Download: Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas
Office XP Document: Update Deployment White Paper (Apr 15)
Three service packs for Office XP (and the stand-alone versions of Office XP programs) are available from Microsoft. This white paper describes how to distribute and install these service packs and other Office XP fixes and updates. It describes the different types of admin and client Windows Installer patches that you can use when you deploy updates and it covers methods for managing these updates.
Dowload: Office XP Document: Update Deployment White Paper
Microsoft Office XP Document: Pictures in Earlier Office Documents Appear Flipped WhitePaper (Apr 15)
Now this is a funny one!
In Microsoft Office XP, many users see flipped images in their documents. These images may be inverted, upside-down, or both inverted and upside-down. Most users can fix this issue quickly if it occurs in only a handful of their documents. However, this problem can be pervasive in organizations because of document-sharing and template sharing; therefore, the issue becomes more complex and sometimes confusing to resolve. Microsoft has released a fix to help correct the problem (Microsoft Knowledge Base article 312838), but the fix and its implementation have in some cases added to the confusion.
This white paper gives an in-depth history of the issue, in addition to a detailed explanation of the fix, its caveats, various scenarios in which to use its settings, and information about how to educate the organizational end user about this issue.
Download: Microsoft Office XP Document: Pictures in Earlier Office Documents Appear Flipped WhitePaper
Excel White Paper: OLAP PivotTable Considerations (Apr 15)
Microsoft® Excel 2002 and Microsoft Office Excel 2003 provide more OLAP PivotTable® functionality than earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, but the extra functionality may have a performance cost when you are using large data sets. This white paper describes these performance issues and some ways to minimize them.
Download: Excel White Paper: OLAP PivotTable Considerations
Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Guides (Apr 15)
Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Administrator’s Guide
Guide for installing, configuring, managing, and maintaining Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003.
Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Help
Help for using the features of Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003.
New and updated Security Bulletins (Apr 13)
Critical: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-011.mspx
Critical: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-012.mspx
Critical: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-013.mspx
Important: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS04-014.mspx
Bulletins updated to advise of the availability of an update for Exchange Server 5.0
Re-released: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS00-082.mspx
Re-released: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS01-041.mspx
Re-released: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS02-011.mspx
Re-released: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-046.mspx
Exchange 2000 Server Upgrade Series – Job Aids (Apr 13)
The Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server Upgrade Series is specifically created to assist you in the process of planning, deploying, and operating Exchange 2000 Server. Whether you are part of a large multinational organization with branch offices all over the world or a small company based in one location, the information and best practices contained in this guide should save you considerable time and effort.
Download: Exchange 2000 Server Upgrade Series – Job Aids
Project 2003 Software Development Kit (SDK) (Apr 13)
The Microsoft Office Project 2003 Software Development Kit (SDK) contains documentation, tools, and samples called Solution Starters to help customize Project 2003, and to extend Microsoft Office Project Server 2003 and integrate with other applications.
Download: Project 2003 Software Development Kit
I’m back from the Summit! (Apr 12)
Alright, so I packed my laptop, I packed my power plug converter for the US (Euro plugs don’t-fit), I had Internet access on my hotel room and just when I thought I had it all I found that my own power plug doesn’t fit in my own converter. How stupid is that? So I had no chance to update my site when I was away; Sorry!
Although without a laptop the Summit was still great! I finally met with some other MVP’s and with the Microsoft Developers who I mail with for some time now.
On the first day was the registration and the product fair where they were showing some new technologies. On the second day we went to the Microsoft campus where we had a Welcome session by Microsoft and some presentations from the other MVP’s on other Office products. Some were good and some were… well… could be better 
On Tuesday it was CEO day and we had presentations by;
Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer
Jim Allchin, vice president of the Platforms Group
Eric Rudder, senior vice president of Servers and Tools
Lori Moore, corporate vice president of Product Support Services (PSS)
Rich Kaplan, corporate vice president of the Content Development and Delivery Group (CDDG)
All presentations were very good but of course Steve Ballmer’s presentation was the best. He can be very hilarious as well. Just like the whole week, but this day in particular, was under NDA so I can’t go into any details.
Wednesday was the last day already. In the morning we had a session with the Exchange MVP’s and Developers were we could give feedback on how Exchange works with Outlook and got info on current development. In the afternoon we had a “Product Deep Dive” with the Outlook Developers were we got more info on the development of Outlook 12 and Outlook 13. Again, I am under NDA so I can’t tell you anything about it but so far it looks promising!
In between the sessions I got myself a new toy: the Acer C302XMi-G Tablet PC! I’m writing on it at the moment and it recognizes my handwriting very nicely (go figure, it’s really awful writing!). It has a 14″ screen so it’s just like writing on A4 paper. Thanks Jeff for taking me to the shop!
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R.I.P. my dearest products…
Outlook 2003/2002 Add-in: Notes Connector (Apr 12)
Outlook Connector for IBM Lotus Domino enables you to use Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2002 to access your e-mail messages, calendar, address book, and To Do (task) items on an IBM Lotus Domino Release 5.x or Release 6.x server.
Download: Outlook 2003/2002 Add-in: Notes Connector
Project 2003: Project Renamer PDS Extender (Apr 12)
The download includes the compiled ProjectRenamer.dll, and the Visual Basic 6.0 source code for the Project Renamer PDS Extender.
Note For an explanation of how to develop and test the Project Renamer, see the Project Renamer PDS Extender topic, under the section Programming Tasks, in the file pj11sdk2003.chm of the Project 2003 SDK Download. The complete Project 2003 SDK also includes the Project Renamer PDS Extender source code.
Download: Project 2003: Project Renamer PDS Extender
Project Server 2003: Project Data Service (PDS) Usage and Methods Reference (Apr 12)
This reference explains how to use the PDS Application Programming Interface (API) to allow client applications to access Project Server portfolio data. Client applications can programmatically log on to Project Server and use SOAP to call PDS API methods. The PDS implements a SOAP listener, which receives method calls in XML format and returns an XML response.
The PDS reference includes sample code and information about the following:
Using the PDS with Multiple Project Server Sites
What’s New in the PDS for Project Server 2003 (points to six updated topics)
Using the Project Data Service
The PDS and Project Server Security Architecture
Writing a PDS Extender
PDS Methods XML
Using SOAP to call PDS methods
Programmatic Logon to Project Server
API Reference (five updated methods)
Service for Enterprise Data Maintenance (EDM)
Error Codes
PDS Permissions (updated)
Field ID Values for Enterprise Custom Fields
Download: Project Server 2003: Project Data Service (PDS) Usage and Methods Reference
MapPoint and Streets & Trips Construction Update (Apr 12)
Download the construction update to keep your maps current in Microsoft MapPoint and Streets & Trip.
MapPoint 2001 and Streets & Trips 2001 Construction Update
MapPoint 2002 and Streets & Trips 2002 Construction Update
MapPoint 2003 and Streets & Trips 2003 Construction Update
MapPoint 2004 and Streets & Trips 2004 Construction Update
I’m off to the MVP Summit (Apr 2)
Well I’m off to Seattle for the Global MVP Summit where I’ll also be meeting the other MVP’s. Since we have a full schedule I’m probably not able to update my site daily with the latest news. I will however post pictures of the summit whenever possible so keep checking any way 
For the ones posting in the Outlook newsgroups; not all of the Outlook MVP’s will be at the Summit and they’ll continue posting answers to your questions but be patient with them!
