About MapiTable Error 0x80040403

All ContactGenie programs utilize multiple approaches to retrieving Outlook contact data.

The most efficient and quickest approach is by using MAPI processes to read contact information via the underlying contact folder's MAPITable. Unfortunately, this is only possible if no errors are returned for any of the fields included in the data that needs to be read. For most people, this is not an issue but if an error is returned for a single field, it is no longer possible to read the contact folder via this approach.

The most common field error that is returned is <0x80040403 - MAPI_E_TABLE_TOO_BIG>. This error indicates that there is an underlying structural error in the MAPITable. There is nothing that can be done programmatically to circumvent the problem. When this error occurs, the only options are to exclude the affected field from the field map or the contact folder must be read on an item by item basis which is a significantly slower process which when involving very large contact folders, can become a very time-consuming process.

When this error situation is encountered, a message will be displayed indicating same and advising what fields are found to be problematic at which point, a decision can be made to proceed using the alternate retrieval process or changing which fields are included in the <mapped fields> list.

Generally, this error is reported for user-defined fields most commonly, in custom forms. Based on numerous tests, this error is also not data related. It occurs when interrogating the contact folder whether or not any contact items remain in the folder.

This issue has no impact on the day to day operation of Outlook via the user-interface so that fact that no issues are encountered when working with Outlook directly does not mean that this particular does not exist since MAPI data retrieval is done outside of Outlook.

Cause of error 0x80040403

The actual <definitive> cause of the problem is unknown. What is known is that after some contact creation processes have completed such as some <sync> activities, the error gets reported in the folder. Additionally, publishing the same custom form to multiple contact folders can result in either no errors occurring or different fields in different folders reporting the error. It also appears that the likelihood of encountering this error increases the more a custom form has been modified. Whether this is indeed fact or just coincidence is unknown.