Add custom pane to Outlook 2003

[Sharanga Dayananda]

Hi

I was wondering what the best method of displaying a custom pane in Outlook
2003 is? I need to display a custom directory tree and when one of these tree
nodes is clicked on, I need to show a custom view.

I found Microsoft's Project Elixir which does this. But it uses a web view
on the folders and embeds an ActiveX control into the web page so that it can
interact with the plugin. My problem is that since ActiveX controls can be
disabled in IE, even if they're locally registered ActiveX controls they
(ActiveX controls) cannot be guaranteed to execute in the folder view. Is
there any way around this problem? Even if the ActiveX controls are signed
it's still possible that ActiveX objects can be disabled.

Is there any way around this problem or is there any other way to render a
custom folder view in Outlook 2003?

Thanks.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Since Outlook has no native capability of showing a custom directory tree, a folder home page (which is the name of the feature that Elixir is using) is the ony approach.

Not only is it possible for IE security to be changed, it's also possible to turn off the FHP. As I see it, these are things you have to live with as a developer, making clear to the client what the prerequisites of the application are.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sharanga Dayananda]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

Would it be possible to stick a custom form view for a folder?

There's a developer tool called Add In Express

http://www.add-in-express.com/outlook-extension/

which seems to support custom views of existing folders
(http://www.add-in-express.com/images/2007/outlook-form-region/index/form-regions.gif).

I don't know how they do what they're doing, but if they can render custom
GUI elements in there it must be possible to add custom GUI elements in
there?

Cheers
Sharanga

Since Outlook has no native capability of showing a custom directory tree, a
folder home page (which is the name of the feature that Elixir is using) is
the ony approach.

Not only is it possible for IE security to be changed, it's also possible to
turn off the FHP. As I see it, these are things you have to live with as a
developer, making clear to the client what the prerequisites of the
application are.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Either they're using the same technique as Elixir, only in a more extensible fashion, or they've used low-level Windows API techniques to engineer an approach that allows for extensible panes that overlay Outlook's built-in panes. If you're handy with Windows API and have the time, you could in theory do something similar, but don't expect to find a ready-made project to get you started. All such solutions that I know about are highly proprietary.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sharanga Dayananda]

Thanks.

Either they're using the same technique as Elixir, only in a more extensible
fashion, or they've used low-level Windows API techniques to engineer an
approach that allows for extensible panes that overlay Outlook's built-in
panes. If you're handy with Windows API and have the time, you could in
theory do something similar, but don't expect to find a ready-made project
to get you started. All such solutions that I know about are highly
proprietary.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers