4406 Extending Outlook 2000 with COM Addins, Visual Basic for Applications, and the Outlook Object M

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Extending Outlook 2000 with COM Add-ins, Visual
Basic for Applications, and the Outlook Object
Model (Part 2) Randy ByrnePresident/CEO Micro
Eye, Inc.http//www.microeye.com
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(No Transcript)
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Agenda

• Demo COM Add-in and drill down into VB 6.0 code
• What is IDTExtensibility2?
• Using COM Add-in template in VB6
• Adding PropertyPages to your Add-in
• Debugging COM Add-ins
• Security and deployment
• Plus tips and tricks along the way!

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Items Command BarCOM Add-in demo

• Simple - Create all Item types from Command Bar
• Intermediate - Create HTML Messages from Word,
  Excel, PowerPoint
• Advanced - Use CDO to display drop-down combo box
  of custom forms

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IDTExtensibility2

• OnConnection
• Called when Add-in is first loaded
• Passed the Outlook application object
• OnDisconnection
• Clean up object references and remove command
  bars if necessary
• OnStartupComplete
• Called when Outlook has finished booting

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IDTExtensibility2

• OnBeginShutdown
• Called when Outlook is about to shutdown
• Entire Object Model is still available
• Persist settings to registry if necessary
• OnAddInsUpdate
• Called whenever the COMAddIns collection oject
  changes
• Use to determine status of other Add-ins

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COMAddIns Object
Application
COMAddIns
Count
COMAddIn
Description
Connect
Guid
ProgID
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COMAddIns Object

• Member of Office 2000 Object Model
• Determine installed Add-ins
• Toggle Connect state of an Add-in
• Disconnect an Add-in during OnConnection event
  depending upon other installed applications
• Disconnect Add-in during update of DLL while
  Outlook is running

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COMAddIns Object

• Set colAddIns Application.COMAddIns
• intAddIns colAddIns.Count
• If intAddIns Then
• ReDim avarArray(intAddIns - 1, 2)
• For intCount 1 To intAddIns
• Set objAddIn colAddIns.Item(intCount)
• avarArray(intCount - 1, 0) _
• objAddIn.Description
• If objAddIn.Connect True Then
• avarArray(intCount - 1, 1) "True"
• Else
• avarArray(intCount - 1, 1) "False"
• End If
• avarArray(intCount - 1, 2)
  objAddIn.ProgId
• Next
• lstAddIns.List avarArray
• End If

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COM Add-In Template

• Available on Conference CD
• References
• Outlook 9.0 Object Library
• Add-In Designer Object Library
• Office 9.0 Object Library (CommandBars)
• Other Object Libraries as required (CDO, ADO,
  ADSI, Routing Objects)
• Provides Code framework for declaring events at
  the Item level
• Connect and OutAddIn classes

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Dual Class COM Add-ins

• Pro
• Plug-in Architecture
• Connect class for COM Add-in plumbing
• OutAddIn class can expose Public properties
  and methods for VBScript in Outlook Forms
• Con
• Added Complexity
• VB Only (not available using MOD)

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COM Add-In Template
_Connect
IUnknown
COM Add-In
_OutAddIn
IDispatch
Connect (Add-In Designer)
OutAddIn (Base Class)
_IDTExtensibility2
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Connect Class

• Implements IDTExtensibility2
• Use OnConnection event to create a new instance
  of base class (OutAddIn)
• Pass Application object to InitHandler
• Pass ProgID to InitHandler
• ProgID needed for COM Add-in CommandBarButton and
  CommandBarComboBox objects

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OnConnection Event

• 'Declarations
• Implements IDTExtensibility2
• Private gBaseClass As New OutAddIn
• Private Sub IDTExtensibility2_OnConnection _
• (ByVal Application As Object, _
• ByVal ConnectMode As _
• AddInDesignerObjects.ext_ConnectMode, _
• ByVal AddInInst As Object, custom() As
  Variant)
• 'Create and Initialize a base class
• gBaseClass.InitHandler _
• Application, AddInInst.ProgId
• End Sub

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InitHandler Procedure

• Analogous to Application_Startup
• Use friend instead of public or private
• Instantiate object variables declared WithEvents
• Important objects for InitHandler
• Application
• NameSpace
• Explorers
• Explorer
• Inspectors

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InitHandler Procedure

• Friend Sub InitHandler(olApp As
  Outlook.Application, _ strProgID As String)
• 'Declared WithEvents
• Set objOutlook olApp
• 'Instantiate a public module-level Outlook
• 'application variable
• Set golApp olApp
• gstrProgID strProgID
• 'Declared WithEvents
• Set objNS objOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")
• Set colExpl objOutlook.Explorers
• Set colInsp objOutlook.Inspectors
• Set objExpl objOutlook.ActiveExplorer
• End Sub

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OutAddIn Class

• Contains the working code for your COM Add-in
• NewInspector Event lets you raise events at the
  Item Level
• Be sure to tear down objects in this class during
  OnDisconnection event
• Set golApp Nothing

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Cleanup Tips

• Prevent Outlook from remaining in memory due to
  your COM Add-in
• Call UnInitHandler procedure
• Set Object Variables to Nothing
• Use Explorer_Close event to call UnInitHandler
• Use Inspector_Close event to call UnInitHandler

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UnInitHandler

• Friend Sub UnInitHandler()
• 'You must dereference all objects in this
  proc
• 'or Outlook will remain in memory
• 'If you have created an objMailItem variable,
• 'be sure to Set objMailItem Nothing
• Set objInsp Nothing
• Set objExpl Nothing
• Set colInsp Nothing
• Set colExpl Nothing
• Set objNS Nothing
• Set golApp Nothing
• Set objOutlook Nothing
• End Sub

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Command Bars (Recipe 1)

• Private WithEvents CBBMyButton As
  Office.CommandBarButton
• Use InitHandler to call a procedure that adds
  button to Explorer object
• Use Item-level open event to call a procedure
  that adds button to Inspector object
• Create Click Procedure for CBBMyButton
• Write code in Click Procedure

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Command Bars (Recipe 2)

• Call CreateAddInCommandBarButton or
• CreateAddInCommandBarComboBox
• Be sure to pass ProgID
• Notice that .OnAction lt! and strProgID and
  gt

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Command Bars (Recipe 3)

• Use Explorers collection for Explorer Command
  Bars that maintain state
• See ExplWrap.cls in Items Command Bar example
• Use SelectionChange event to establish state when
  New Explorer window first opens
• Be sure to destroy collection objects

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Property Pages

• Application OptionsPagesAdd Event adds Property
  Page to Tools Options dialog box
• Namespace OptionsPagesAdd Event adds Property
  Page to Folder Properties dialog box
• Use Windows registry to persist settings for your
  COM Add-in

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Property Pages (Recipe)

• Create Visual Basic ActiveX control project
• Implements Outlook.PropertyPage
• PropertyPage Events
• Apply
• Dirty
• GetPageInfo
• Read settings from Registry (InitProperties)
• Write settings to Registry (Apply)

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Add-in Registry Settings

• COM server settings in HKCR
• COM Add-In specific settings
• HKLM HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\A
  ddins\ProgID
• FriendlyName (String)
• FileName (String)
• LoadBehavior (DWORD bit mask)determines
  connection mode
• Custom settings as required

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Property Pages Demo
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Debugging COM Add-ins

• Load COM Add-in project in Visual Basic
• Insert breakpoints, stop statements, or watches
• Press CTRL F5 to start with full compile
• Launch Outlook

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Debugging Tips

• Check Version Compatibility Option in Project
  Properties
• Binary compatibility
• Project compatibility
• Use COM Add-Ins dialog box to unload and reload
  your COM Add-In
• Make sure you are in run mode

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Deployment

• Use Package and Deployment Wizard
• Standard Setup
• Uses Add/Remove programs
• Web-based Setup
• Add/Remove not available
• URL on corporate intranet
• CODEBASE tags in Folder Home Page

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Deployment Plus Installer

• Use Windows Installer to add components for your
  COM Add-in
• CDO 1.21 not installed by standard Office 2000
  Setup
• Reference Windows Installer Object Library for
  programmatic install
• Install additional components during
  On_Connection event
• Consider Installer failure strategy
• See modInstaller code in Items Command Bar sample
  code

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Security

• Security level defaults to medium
• Outlook security levels
• Low - No security
• Medium - Signed Add-in runs, user prompted when
  unsigned Add-in loaded
• High - Add-Ins must be signed, unsigned Add-Ins
  wont load
• Exception All COM Add-ins trusted by default

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Security Settings

• Manually configured with registry key
• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Outlook\Securi
  ty
• Level (DWORD, 1 Low, 2 Medium,3 High)
• DontTrustInstalledFiles (DWORD)(0 Trust, 1
  Dont trust)
• No UI for DontTrustInstalledFiles in Outlook
• Use a code-signing certificate to sign the
  released version of your Add-in

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Where To Go From Here

• Chapter 9, Raise Events and Move to the Head of
  the Class
• Chapter 13, Creating COM Add-Ins with Visual
  Basic

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Additional Sessions

• 4-320 Using, Building and Extending Outlook 2000
  Team Folders
• 4-417 Building Applications with Microsoft
  Exchange "Platinum" (Part 1)
• 4-418 Building Applications with Microsoft
  Exchange "Platinum" (Part 2)  
• 2-315 Integrating Messaging Into Your Solutions
  Using Microsoft Outlook 2000
• 4-315 New Tools for Microsoft Exchange
  Application Development
• 4-425 Integrating Data from SQL Server and
  Exchange into Microsoft Outlook 2000 Applications

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Questions And Answers
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