About directory services

Directory services are search tools you can use to look up names and addresses on the Internet. For example, if you want to send e-mail to someone but you don't have his or her e-mail address, you can search for the address in a directory service. You can then send a message to an address that you find or add the address to your Address Book.

Microsoft Outlook Express supports Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), which allows you to search a variety of directories in addition to your Address Book. You can use a pre-configured directory service, or you can set up other directory service accounts. To see available directory service accounts, click the Directory Services triangle in the Folder list.

If your company uses Microsoft Exchange Server, you can also set up a directory service account for your company's Global Address List. Ask your system administrator for help in setting up this type of account.

After you set up a corporate directory service account, you can make it your default directory service. This way Outlook Express checks your corporate directory service for you when you address a message. When you type the name of a recipient in a the To, Cc, or Bcc boxes, Outlook Express looks for the full address in your Address Book. If it can't find the address, Outlook Express then checks your default directory service for the address the next time you connect. You can also click Check Names to initiate a check immediately.

Related topics

Searching for an e-mail address

Adding a directory service entry to your Address Book

Changing search options for a directory service

Setting up a directory service account

Setting up a secure connection to a directory service

About addressing messages

Search for an e-mail address

1. In the Folder list, click the directory service you want to search.

   If the Folder list is hidden, click Folder List on the View menu.

2. In the Search for Name box, type the name of the person whose e-mail address you want to find.
3. Click Find.
4. In the list of search results, double-click an entry to view more information.

	To send a message to a person you find in a directory service, double-click the entry in the results list, and then click New Message To.

Related topics

Adding a directory service entry to your Address Book

Changing search options for a directory service

Add a directory service entry to your Address Book

• In the list of search results, click the entry you want to add to your Address Book, and then click Add to Address Book.

Related topics

Searching for an e-mail address

Change search options for a directory service

1. On the Tools menu, click Accounts.
2. Click the Directory Service tab.
3. Click the directory service you want, and then click Edit.
4. On the Options tab, do one or more of the following:
   • To limit the number of entries that appear, type a value in the Maximum number of searches to return box.
   • To specify the amount of time the server should spend responding to your request, drag the Search timeout slider.
   • To specify the area you want to search, type a value in the Search base box.
   • To use a simpler search query, which may produce better results for some services, select the Use simple search filter check box.

Related topics

Searching for an e-mail address

Setting up a directory service account