how to build a COM add-in with VB express ?

[cedric]

Hello all,

I am currently (and desperately) trying to build an Outlook add-in, as a
freeware, that can be installed by any interested user.
As this is a freeware, I don't intend to spend money on any development
tool, so I am only using VB Express. Therefore, I don't have access to the
setup projects, but that's not my main concern at the moment.

In order to build the COM add-in, I tried to build a simple add-in based on
the Microsoft explanations there:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302896/en-us
I created the project, implemented IDTExtensibility2 (copy/paste of the
given code), got a strong name and ProgID, added missing declarations of
applicationObject and addInInstance, built my project, successfully
registered it with Regasm.exe, launched outlook and.... nothing.
according to Outlook feedbacks in tbe COM add-ins mgt dialog, my add-in
didn't load properly (usual failure message).
I have searched for the name of my DLL in the registry, but didn't find
anything. So I guess Outlook simply can't find it neither !

Do you have any idea of what I have done wrong?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that COM addins
using VB Express are supported.

 

[cedric]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that COM addins
using VB Express are supported.

Hi Ken, and thanks for your involvement.

I believe it is possible to build COM add-ins in VB Express, as the assembly
information dialog has a checkbox "Make the assembly visible for COM".
Still, everything must be done manually, so I guess it's easy to miss
something.

cheers

Cedric.

 

[cedric]

I got it!

on the page linked in the first post, it is said that one has to register
the COM add-in with RegAsm.exe.
By the way, this exe is in the Framework directory, usually in
c:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v2.0.50727\
The thing is, you have to register it with the codebase option:
RegAsm MyCOM.dll /codebase

Actually, I registered my component twice: once without the option and once
with it. So I'm not sure whether both are required or not.

Anyway, it works!

cheers!