Dear George: When I try to print messages from Outlook or Outlook Express, I get a runtime error. The message states "unspecified error." When it asks if I want to debug, I say "yes." Then I get a message that says an "unknown exception" was not handled. The application will not debug. I have tried re-installing Outlook Express. It still doesn't print. These are the only programs from which I get that error. Can you help? -- Alabama Real Estate Agent

Dear Alabama: You have told me you are able to print to your local printer from other applications. Only Outlook as well as Outlook Express returns the "Runtime Error."

My first thought is that you have a print format or "view" setting that is affecting both applications. Since your OS ("Operating System") is Windows 98, try running the Windows 98 "Print Troubleshooting Wizard." First, click on Start, then Help. Help should be located immediately above the "Run" hyperlink. Enter "printer" as your keyword under the Search tab. Click on the List Topics button. Select the Microsoft Print Troubleshooting Wizard. Do not skip any steps in the Wizard by clicking on the "I'd like to skip this step and try something else" option.

Dear George: Do you know of a service that provides email addresses of all the members of a local or state association of Realtors? Obviously I can obtain individual e-mail addresses for many members. I'm looking for a service that already has the addresses. -- Inquiring Mind

Dear Inquiring: As of today, I know of no such service. I suggest contacting the National Association of Realtors Database System ("NRDS") at 800-874-6500. NRDS is probably the most complete database available, although it does not yet include 100 percent of all NAR members.

Dear George: I'm committed to being thoroughly modern. I'm in the commercial real estate loan brokerage business. I use a high-speed cable service. I've discovered that the most frustrating problem with "being modern' is scanning documents to email or store them. It seems to me that Adobe Acrobat's PDF is the best software solution. I would like your advice regarding hardware. I need the following equipment: Laser printer; fax machine; and, flatbed scanner. What hardware is the most compatible with Adobe? Are there multi-purpose machines that can perform all the functions I require? Price is secondary. -- Thoroughly Modern

Dear Thoroughly: Since price is secondary to you, I suggest acquiring separate machines. Multi-purpose machines take up less desktop space. They are less expensive. But they also pose the potential of multi-function failures if one element fails. Is a multi-million dollar commercial loan origination worth saving a few hundred dollars?

I agree that Adobe Acrobat's Portable Document Format ("PDF") is an excellent software choice.

Dear George: I've paid for a very nice "iLEAD" website on Realtor.com. Can somebody explain to me why I must upload my own listings to my "iLEAD" site in addition to my local MLS? -- Incredulous

Dear Incredulous: I've received several conflicting reports from agents about this same question. Some agents state that their listings appear automatically on their agent iLead websites. Others state that they have to upload their listings twice: Once to their local MLS and another time to their iLead website.

Steve Finney with Realtor.com explains that "not only does an agent not have to load the listings twice, it is actually impossible to direct load a listing to Realtor.com. There may be some confusion over loading listings and enhancing listings. The original load comes from the MLS and only the MLS. An iLEAD customer can then enhance the listing with five extra pictures (six if they over-ride the MLS picture), a Showcase Home headline and additional ad copy.

"There may also be additional confusion over the fact that in some MLS services, the agent can load additional pictures into the MLS data. Those additional pictures do not upload to Realtor.com so the agent must add them to the Realtor.com ad."

George Stephens welcomes your tech questions by e-mail. Because of the volume of mail received, questions cannot be answered individually.

Published: June 8, 2001

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

George C. Stephens, CRB is the Broker of deRaat Stephens, Inc. dba ERA Stephens Properties and the Director of Compliance for eRealty, Inc. Stephens served as 1998 Chairman of the 13,000+ member Houston Association of REALTORS® and is the Vice Chairman of HAR’s wholly owned subsidiary, e-Har, Inc. He is the 2001 Secretary/Treasurer of the 50,000+ member Texas Association of REALTORS® and TAR’s 2002 Chairman-Elect. Stephens holds a Texas Real Estate Broker license as well as a Texas Mortgage Broker License.