IconUrl element fails to appear in Outlook Add-in on Desktop - outlook

For an Outlook Add-in, the IconURL (defined in the Manifest) appears OK when Outlook is running in the Web, but fails to appear for Outlook Desktop
Just in case this might be relevant: the M/S documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/javascript/api/manifest/iconurl?view=common-js-preview is not totally clear: "For content and task pane apps, the image specified must be 32 x 32 pixels. For mail apps, the image resolution must be 64 x 64 pixels" - is an Outlook Add-in a "mail app"? Presumably, as Manifest validation fails on a 32 x 32 pixel image - but is fine with 64 x 64
Screenshots below of Web, with icon, and Desktop, without, in that order, plus part of Manifest
<!-- The display name of your add-in. Used on the store and various places of the Office UI such as the add-ins dialog. -->
<DisplayName DefaultValue="TeamsAssist Help" />
<Description DefaultValue="TeamsAssist Notifications Help"/>
<IconUrl DefaultValue="~remoteAppUrl/Images/TeamsAssistLogo64x64.png"/>
<HighResolutionIconUrl DefaultValue="~remoteAppUrl/Images/TeamsAssistLogo128x128.png"/>

is an Outlook Add-in a "mail app"?
Yes, it is. Outlook add-ins stand separately unlike other Office add-ins. See Microsoft Office - Exploring the JavaScript API for Office: Mail Apps for more information.

Currently we do not use the icon in the taskbar title in Win32. This is one of the differences between the two clients.
We track Outlook add-in feature requests on our Tech Community Page. Please submit your request there and choose the appropriate label(s). Feature requests on Tech Community are considered when we go through our planning process.
Github Label: “Type: product feature request”
https://aka.ms/M365dev-suggestions

Related

Outlook add-in event based activations not working on web browser

I'm working on an outlook add-in I can't get event-based activations to work on the web client (but do actually work on the Mac Outlook app). I've been trying to run the examples hosted on github, both outlook-set-signature and outlook-encrypt-attachments provided by the Microsoft team.
And add-in is correctly loaded. I can manage to open the sidepanel and follow the instructions, but nothing changes. Trying the same thing using the Outlook client on Mac OS works as expected.
Here are my reproduction steps:
Visit https://outlook.live.com/calendar/
New event > Get Add-ins > My Add-ins > "Add Custom Addins" > From URL > Paste "https://officedev.github.io/Office-Add-in-samples/Samples/outlook-encrypt-attachments/manifest.xml"
Go back to the calendar app > Click on the three dots button > click "Event Activation Example" addin > The sidepanel shows as expected
Discard the event and create a new one
Add a new participant to the event and expect a notification / or add any lightweight attachment and expect an automatically generated encrypted version of the attachment
Nothing happens 🤷 . According to the docs, a notification message should be shown
This "unresponsiveness" also happens with my own add-in and also in another example provided by the outlook team https://github.com/OfficeDev/Office-Add-in-samples/tree/main/Samples/outlook-set-signature.
BUT, these add-ins do actually work when I use them on my Mac OS Outlook app (OS Version: Ventura). So I'm wondering if there's any limitation for event-based activations for non-365 users using outlook on a web browser.
I'm wondering if there's any limitation for event-based activations for non-365 users using outlook on a web browser
Classic Outlook UI when connected to Exchange on-premises doesn't support the requirement set 1.10 where the event-based activation was introduced.
Modern Outlook UI when connected to Exchange Online: Microsoft 365 subscription, Outlook.com supports the Outlook add-in API requirement set 1.10.
You can find the Outlook client support for specific requirement sets in MSDN.
Also you may find the Debug your event-based Outlook add-in page helpful.
Event based add-ins are currently supported for commercial accounts as they are only available as part of admin deployment. Supporting event-based activation for user acquired add-ins is on the road map and we will consider this as part of that requirement. We don't have an ETA for this yet.

outlook web addin using icon(logo) only visible through web but not on desktop outlook client. How to make it visible on the outlook client?

Developed an outlook web addin using VS 2022, used custom icon which is only visible through web but not on desktop outlook client. How to make it visible on the outlook client?
any idea or solutions are welcome, thanks
manifest Icon code:
<IconUrl DefaultValue="~remoteAppUrl/Images/icon64.png"/>
I have tried changing it, clearing cache, re publish & redeploy locally Everything works when I run it in chrome, The icon and ribbon changes in browser but it is not reflecting in desktop outlook client
You need to specify the absolute full URL in the manifest.
The IconUrl element allows specifying the full, absolute URL of the image that is used to represent your Office Add-in in the insertion UX, AppSource, and the vertical task pane tab bar.
I can confirm that it works on my side in outlook desktop. Try clearing the browser and application cache, see Clear the Office cache for more information.

How to detect the current account type in a Outlook Web Add-In

We have an Office Web add-in that is targeting the Appointment Items in Outlook (the calendar). It failed validation because, it was not possible to use it with gmail:
Functionality
1120.3.3 Office Compatibililty
The add-in did not pass compatibility tests for Gmail.
I was thinking about if i can we detect what the current account type is from the:
Office.context.mailbox.userProfile
However i am uncertain about what properties are available and if any can tell me if it is an Exahnge Account the user is running on
Please help?
br
Michael

Deploying On-send Outlook Addins on Mac devices

We are working on an Outlook add-in that uses the On-send feature (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/add-ins/outlook-on-send-addins?tabs=unix). We want to know what our options are when it comes to deploying this add-in to actual users, with the focus being on users running Outlook on Mac. Per documentation, On-send Add-ins are not allowed on AppSource. The ideal flow we are looking for is one where there's little to no manual action required on behalf of either the end-users or the Admins.
Is there a way to deploy the add-in automatically on the end-user device (running Mac), with neither any admin-side action required, nor any manual action required by the user -- e.g., by downloading the Add-in manifest, and running a script on the device?
I'm aware user can sideload the manifest once the manifest is downloaded, but this is not acceptable in our case; we are looking for a way where the installation of the add-in is automated, without requiring any manual action on behalf of the user.
If the above is not an option, what is the recommended way to deploy the add-in? I found two links from MS, with possibly conflicting info; which of these two is the right one to try?
The first one is "Publish Office Add-ins using Centralized Deployment via the Office 365 admin center" from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/centralized-deployment#end-user-experience-with-add-ins. Looks like this is supposed to be done from the O365 Admin Console --> Settings > Services & add-ins.
This approach requires (from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/admin/manage/centralized-deployment-of-add-ins?view=o365-worldwide) the following as pre-requisites; are all of them actually required?
"have Exchange Online and active Exchange Online mailboxes" -- is there a difference between "Exchange Online" and "active Exchange Online mailboxes"?
"Version 1701 or later of Office 365 ProPlus." -- does this apply for Mac as well? If so, is there such a version for Mac?
"Your subscription'd directory must either be in, or federated to Azure Active Directory."
Looks like there's a Powershell-based alternative to this: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/enterprise/use-the-centralized-deployment-powershell-cmdlets-to-manage-add-ins. Is this subject to the same requirements as the above?
The second flow, which is more geared towards Outlook (rather than the other Office apps) is https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-online/add-ins-for-outlook/specify-who-can-install-and-manage-add-ins?redirectedfrom=MSDN. This is to be initiated from Exchange admin center under Organization > Add-ins > New Add Icon
Does this work with a non-ProPlus O365 subscription as well?
Does this work outside of Azure AD?
(Assuming Bullet 1. is not an option so we have to go with 2.) After deploying add-in from admin, is further action required to activate it on the end-user device?
Per https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/centralized-deployment#end-user-experience-with-add-ins:"For Outlook 2016 or later, users can do the following: In Outlook, choose Home > Store. Choose the Admin-managed item under the add-in tab. Choose the add-in, and then choose Add."
(Again assuming Bullet 1. is not an option so we have to go with 2.) Is there API support to help automate bullets 2 and 3?

Outlook add-in with global scope (inbox level)

Is there a way to have an outlook add-in that uses a global scope? I want to be able to launch the add-in at any time, but not necessarily relate it to a specific e-mail. According to the documentation I found, the closest thing would be to have it appear as a Module, but then it only works on the desktop version (not the web), and doesn't allow you to view it alongside e-mails. It would be ideal if this could run on the side of the screen, similar to how Skype works on the web version of Outlook, on both the desktop and web versions. Is Skype a special case, or is it possible to build an add-in like that?
Web-based add-ins work in the context of the current item only.
Instead, you may consider developing a browser plug-in which modifies a web page dynamically. And for the desktop editions of Outlook you may consider creating a COM based add-in which allows to customize the UI in the way you need. See Walkthrough: Creating Your First VSTO Add-In for Outlook to get started quickly.

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