How to add a custom contact source to Outlook?

[Sebastian Gingter]

I've been given a customer address database.

Now I should write a data source that brings this contatcs from the database
into outlook (like the personal address book).

I never developed an office extension so I absolutely have no idea where to
look first.

Can you please give me a hint at where to look first to make such a addon
for Outlook and what time/effort that would be to implement in average (just
for enabling outlook to pick a adress out of the lot), so that I can get a
rough overview about the task?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What you are describing is a MAPI information store. To write one, you'll need to use the Extended MAPI library and C++ or Delphi. See http://www.outlookcode.com/d/mapi.htm This is an advanced programming project.

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

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

 

[Hollis Paul]

Now I should write a data source that brings this contatcs from the database
into outlook (like the personal address book).

I never developed an office extension so I absolutely have no idea where to
look first.

You do not really want to bring them into a personal address book. You want to
bring them into a contacts folder. The "address book" that you see in Outlook
is a "view" of a contact folder.

I presume that you have fields in your database that do not match up with
Outlook fields. In that case you will want to display them in a custom form.
You cannot use the Outlook import wizards to import data to a custom contact
form. However, you can use code (vbscript) behind an "Action Item" to do this.
(An "Action Item" is a custom form that is used to run code behind a command
button, but you can name it so it is displayed as the first item in the folder
list.) Go to www.outlookcode.com and search for an example of importing
contact data into a custom form, and also for setting that custom form to be
the default form for that folder.

 

[Sebastian Gingter]

I think I didn't point out exactly what I wanted.

The contacts should not get imported or anything.
They just schould show up in outlook to be selectable.

The programming language I have to use (by customer demand) is Delphi, the
contacts come from a firebird database.

I thought about somethling like a COM addin, but i dont know where to look
in the com object model to find the objects suitable for me.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Again, an Outlook add-in cannot do what you're asking. You would need to write a MAPI information store.

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

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

I think I didn't point out exactly what I wanted.

The contacts should not get imported or anything.
They just schould show up in outlook to be selectable.

The programming language I have to use (by customer demand) is Delphi, the
contacts come from a firebird database.

I thought about somethling like a COM addin, but i dont know where to look
in the com object model to find the objects suitable for me.

 

[Hollis Paul]

I thought about somethling like a COM addin, but i dont know where to look
in the com object model to find the objects suitable for me.

You really want to be talking with Ken Slovak, who has several books about
all this. Go rummage on his web site, and see if he has a forum there,
through which you can make contact. He might not see this thread here for a
while. Below is his signature plate from a recent message:

Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Sorry, I know nothing about writing a MAPI store provider. What the OP wants
cannot be done using a COM addin, as Sue mentioned. It can only be done
using a custom store provider.

I thought about somethling like a COM addin, but i dont know where to
look
in the com object model to find the objects suitable for me.

You really want to be talking with Ken Slovak, who has several books about
all this. Go rummage on his web site, and see if he has a forum there,
through which you can make contact. He might not see this thread here for
a
while. Below is his signature plate from a recent message:

Ken Slovak
[MVP - Outlook]
http://www.slovaktech.com
Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options
http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm