GUI when using COM Addins

[Daws]

Hello:
I am considering building a COM Addin for Outlook, however I also need a
visual interface to be used with the Addin. What are my options for this?
Do most people use Outlook Forms for the interface? even if they are using a
COM Addin?

I realize I could use a MessageBox or Windows Form developed in .NET, but I
want to maintain an interface that is consistent with the Outlook Forms.
Also, if Forms are the easiest way to go, how can i communicate between the
Outlook Form and my COM Addin?

Thanks for the help,
Daws

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Generally one uses a property page, which is displayed using the Tools,
Options dialog. That is an OCX (ActiveX control) that is called by the addin
DLL for either the Tools, Options dialog or the folder property pages.
Outlook property pages are COM objects.

See the information on the Resources page at www.microeye.com for
information about Outlook addins and property pages and also about
developing for Outlook using .NET languages.

The Outlook KB page at microeye has articles about how to communicate
between your addin and the property page.

 

[Daws]

Hi Ken:
Suppose I need more functionality than just a property page. For example, I
have the following scenario:

My COM Addin adds a button to the Toolbar of Outlook. When you click this
button it launches an interface that allows the user to enter an "order".
This "order" should be treated as "outlook item" and stored in the exchange
DB.
In this scenario, what technology do you think would be appropriate? Am I
approaching this properly?

From what I understand, COM Addins provide more functionality and allow you
to customize Outlook Toolbars, where as Outlook Forms just allow a user to
enter / retrieve data. This is why I'm thinking that a combination of the
two may be most appropriate?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

In that case I'd do it one of two ways. I'd either create a custom Outlook
form for the data and create an instance of that form when the button was
clicked, or I'd bring up a VB form (I program my addins using VB 6) and let
the user enter data in that form. When they clicked on OK I'd then save the
data into an Outlook item.

I prefer the second method because VB forms are more stable than Outlook
custom forms and you have more control over any code behind the form since
you don't have to use VBScript as you do in Outlook forms.

 

[Daws]

On the other hand, I'd like to take advantage or the re-use and simplicity of
using Outlook forms. Also, I want my forms to maintain a consistency with
the outlook forms. If I go the outlook forms route, is there any way i can
make a call from my form back to my com addin? I'd like to do this so that I
can "hide" all my code / logic in the com addin. Do you have an example of
how to do this?
Thanks.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Yeah, you can call into a public method in the COM addin from the VBScript
code in an Outlook form. See http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=240768