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Q176984: XCLN: Send to Alias Name Cannot Be Resolved

Article: Q176984
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): 5.0,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbusage
Last Modified: 15-MAR-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When running applications that use Simple MAPI, such as Microsoft Office or
Microsoft Outlook, you may encounter a problem with resolving an alias name when
sending e-mail if that alias name has a leading space. Either you cannot resolve
the name, or the following error message, or similar error message, may appear:

  Unable to resolve "group"

where group is the name of the alias that has the leading space.

CAUSE
=====

Simple MAPI cannot resolve names that begin with a space. However, Exchange
Server uses Extended MAPI, which allows leading spaces. Therefore, Exchange
Administrators can create names with leading spaces, but Simple MAPI
applications cannot use them.

WORKAROUND
==========

In Microsoft Exchange Server, change the alias name of the distribution list, so
that the alias no longer contains a leading space.

MORE INFORMATION
================

In Exchange Server, a distribution list has two names: the alias name and the
display name. Exchange Server uses the display name for sorting the distribution
lists in the address book, and with a leading space they sort to the beginning
of the list. Changing only the alias name so that it does not have a leading
space allows Exchange Server to resolve the name, because Exchange uses both the
display and alias names to resolve the entry.

Additional query words: Office95 Mail Email Word Excel Access Powerpoint Access Sent To

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Keywords          : kbusage 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange550 kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : 5.0,5.5
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbnofix

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