Outlook integration with custom .Net application?

[Bhavin Shah]

Hi there,

I've been surfing the net for couple of questions regarding outlook
integration with a custom vb.net application..
I am a newbee to outlook development.. and I am using VSTO 2008 for my
custom outlook add-in.

I want to develop a .net application which I am trying to integrate with
outlook...
My problem is adding a custom folder as shown below...

I want a custom folder (Filesite for example), which can have customised
icons... and custom menu when i right click on that folder...
as shown below:

---------------------------------------------------------

** Personal Folders
- Inbox
- Outbox
- Sent Items
- ...
- ...

## Filesite
- Node11
- Node22
- Node3

---------------------------------------------------------

Also, I want a customised data file entry as below: (Filesite for example)..
which can have customised settings form!!

---------------------------------------------------------
New Outlook Data File
________________________

Type of Storage:

- FileSite
- Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst)
- Outlook 97-2002 Personal Flders File (.pst)

---------------------------------------------------------
Could you pls let me know if this is possible?


Regards,

Bhavin Shah

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Version of Outlook?

You can add a new folder to a PST using the NameSpace.Folders.Add() method.
That would put your "FileSite" folder at the same level as Inbox. It would
display alphabetically, you cannot place a folder in the folder list where
you want. You can't use a custom icon for it, the icon would depend on the
type of folder.

I assume that Node11, etc. are subfolders, you just add those to your
FileSite folder using the Folders.Add() method to your FileSite MAPIFolder
object.

For custom context menus that's supported well in the object model for
Outlook 2007, for earlier versions you'd need to use the hacks shown at
www.outlookcode.com (search for "context menu" for examples).

Please explain what you mean by "Also, I want a customised data file entry
as below: (Filesite for example)..
which can have customised settings form!!"

You can add a new PST file using the NameSpace.AddStore() method to add an
ANSI PST file, use AddStoreEx() if you want to add a Unicode PST file if
that's what you're asking about.

I have no idea what you mean by a customized data file entry or what a
FileSite is.

 

[Bhavin Shah]

Hi Ken,

Thx for your reply.

I think I didn't explained well!! I want to add a personal store (named
Filesite) .. and currently I am using NameSpace.AddStore method.. But the
problem with this is, it adds the default outlook personal store which has
Deleted Items and Search Folder added and you can't get rid of them
programmatically..?

So I thought of creating a custom personal store and it looks like it can
only be done in C++ or delphi using extended mapi!! I am not sure if there
are any tools available to create customised personal store.. which dosen't
have deleted items folder and we can implement customised contex menu when u
right click on it..

Filesite is a Interwoven product which is doing exactly what I want!! they
have customised personal store and customised icons for each node... and when
I goto control panel -> Mail -> Data Files.. I can see the Filesite entry
above the default outlook datafiles!!


I am using VSTO 2008 and Office 2003... and building a custom vb.net
application which integrates with outlook...

I know Interwoven is doing it so it is possible, but I am not sure if its
possible with vb.net?? Any idea??

Regards,

Bhavin

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

If you use standard Outlook store providers such as a PST file you will
always get the Deleted Items and other default folders. There's nothing you
can do about that. To write your own store provider the only way is to use
C++ or Delphi with Extended MAPI to write a custom store provider, which I
assume is what Interwoven is doing. That's also the way they're showing
custom icons. Use of Extended MAPI with any managed code is not supported.

 

[Bhavin Shah]

Hi Ken,

I am trying to create a custom treeview under my custom personal store!!
with no luck?!?!

Is there any way to add treenodes to mapifolders!!
i.e.

i can create custom personal store and add a custom mapi
folder.. now i want to treenodes to this custom mapi folder!! and capture
the click event of that treenode and get the value of it????

Is this possible?

many thxs...

Bhavin

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

I'm not sure what you mean by "adding treenodes". You can create a folder in
any store that's opened and then create subfolders to that folder and
subfolders to the subfolders, ad infinitum if that's what you want and mean.
You just use the MAPIFolder.Folders.Add() method to add folders.

 

[Bhavin Shah]

Hi Ken,

thx for your reply and sorry about the confusion!!

i can add subfolders to the folders but problem with that is it creates a
folder icon by default (as its a default personal store)!!

what i want is something like window's treeview... (where u add treenodes
and u don't actually get any icons!!)

Is this possible??

Regards,

Bhavin

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Not possible. Any folder will show a folder icon in the folder list, the
folder type will determine the exact icon you see.

 

[Bhavin Shah]

Hi Ken,

After spending two days to get my outlook addin to work for ALL USERS with
no luck, I m really frustrated..!!

I've followed all the instructions from the Microsoft website
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb332051.aspx) and

set registry for HKLM and I still can't get my outlook add-in to work for
all users??

I've set InstallAllUsers property to True, I've copied the reg keys from
Current User to Local Machine in my project, I've added custom actions as per
the Microsoft Project(SetSecurity) given on the above link...

And no luck at all!!

If I install the add-in as an Administrator, it works for the administrator
but as soon as I log off and log back in as another user(with admin rights or
without admin rights), it dosen't work??

I am using Windows XP with Office 2003..


-- Also check this out --


Scenario-1
-----------

* when I install the software as an "Administrator" for every one, it will
be installed for everyone and works fine when i launch outlook ...

* then I logoff and login as one of the domain user "Test1", and run
outlook... the add-in dosen't load...

* if "Test1" has administrative rights, the addin load behaviour
(HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Office\<App>\AddIns) will change from 3 to 2 and
if "Test1" dosesn't have administrative rights, the load behaviour will
not change..



Scenario-2
----------

* now if I login as administrator and uninstall software and reinstall it
when I login as "Test1" .. the addin works for "Test1"...

* and if I uninstall the software .. and go back to scenario-1..

Where I install the software as an "Administrator" and then log back in as
"Test1", it works!!


i guess i m missing some entry, either in registry or in the somefile in
current (default!!) user

Could u pls help me out!!

I can send you my sample project, for your reference (but don't have ur
direct email or no option to add attachment)...

Regards,

Bhavin

 

[Bhavin Shah]

Hi Ken,

I forgot to mention that I am developing outlook add-in using VSTO 2008 and
I've custom addin from Add-in-express... (in relation to my previous post)

Regards,

Bhavin

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

See if the information in Misha Shneerson's blog (he's a member of the VSTO
team) at
http://blogs.msdn.com/mshneer/archive/2007/09/04/deploying-your-vsto-add-in-to-all-users-part-i.aspx
helps with deploying for all users.

If Add-In Express is involved you might also want to contact them or review
their FAQ's or KB articles to see if they have any information.