Outlook Add-in installed but it does not launch

[Tom]

Windows XP SP2 - Outlook 2003 - installed Outlook Add-in but it does not launch

On other XP systems it launches with no problems.

1. C# Outlook addin, compiled with the 1.1 .Net Framework.
2. We have a Connect class that implements the
Extensibility.IDTExtensibility2 interface.
3. This addin loads fine in 99% of our workstations.
4. We have tracing in our code that writes to the debug stream in all the
entry points of our Connect class (i.e. constructor, destructor, and all
implemented methods). In the cases where our Add-in's toolbar does not show
up in Outlook we do not see any logging. So we don't think the Outlook
Add-in is being called.
5. The environments with this problem:
• Have the 1.1 .Net framework
• Have the LoadBehavior in the registry set to the correct value (3) to
enable the plug-in to be loaded by Outlook. After opening and closing
Outlook the value stays the same (3), so Outlook is not failing to load the
plug-in
• Have had the 1.1 .Net Framework uninstalled and re-installed to see if
this would help
• Have other 1.1 .Net applications that work.
• We uninstalled and reinstalled Office.
• We cleared out the registry entries.
• We don't see an entry for our Add-in in Outlook-->View-->Toolbar

Main questions: Is there a way to get debug trace from Outlook that gives us
some info about the plug-in loading process? What plug-ins did outlook try
to load? Which ones failed and why? etc...

These are some things we have already tried in Outlook:
1. Setting the Tools->Marco-->Security level to low and un-checking the
check box in the Trusted Source tab.
2. Setting permissions on all the Add-in code installation files to
include everyone with all rights.
3. Turning debug on for Outlook --> There is no logging for Add-in loading.

Recommendations?

Tom

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

If OnConnection isn't firing then there's no other event you can catch for
logging or debugging. I'd take a look at Tools, Options, Other tab, Advanced
Options, COM Add-Ins and see if the addin is listed and checked. That
denotes a successful load for an addin registered in HKCU. Addins registered
in HKLM don't show up there though, since they're admin installations.

My guess is that a pre-requisite isn't installed on the problem machine. It
could be the Office or Outlook PIA or Extensibility.dll or stdole.dll.
Office 2003 doesn't install the PIA's in many cases, nor are Extensibility
or stdole installed. See if those are in the GAC and if not include them in
your setup as pre-requisites or requirements. I usually install or check for
installation of all those in my installer setups.

 

[hav]

Its possible that once you check all the prerequisites that you'll be
in the same boat. If this is the case you may need to look into the
security models and have your setup ask the target system to allow
your add-in to run. This is a major learning curve especially if you
need to deploy quickly. You could begin by looking at your assembly
metadata - have you set the CAS security?
hth
Henz