I want to add custom text in label which will be information to the user who opens email compose window.
I have tried using form regions, but it do not allow adding new forms in IPM.Note at any location. I think there are only 4 ways to add form regions like adjoining, replace, replace all and separate.
Is there any other way using which I can add this label/message below the subject? I know we can do it using add-in express but I do not want to use it.
Unfortunately, the adjoining layout doesn't allow placing a form region on top of the window. The best what you can do is to create an adjucent Outlook window, see Creating Adjacent Windows In Outlook for more information.
And yes, an alternative way is to use Add-in Express which supports the required layout - TopSubpane.
Related
On folder selection (Inbox, Deleted, Sent, etc.) the Outlook email items are shown listed in the explorer view as a list of Outlook items.
For each Outlook items, some icons (attach, etc.) are show on the right. How can I add new icons there for each outlook item? I want to do the same as explained here or here, but instead of changing an existing one, I would like to add a new one/s.
Additionally (this is optional) it would be great if I could execute some code when user clicks on it but I am ok if I can just show it.
UPDATE 05/10/2022
There are two posibilities:
Add new columns to the message grid preview in the explorer view, I mean put more columns at the beginning or after the last column (flag one). This view is obtained when you resize the width of the messages grid:
Use the existing last column of the messages grid preview, marked with a flag, and put there more icons with its click event handlers.
Is it possible to implement both above solutions?
There is no trivial way to inject custom icons there. The best what you could do is to use the PR_ICON_INDEX property with a set of predefined icons. The property contains a number that indicates which icon to use when you display a group of email objects.
As explained in the articles mentioned in your post you can use the PropertyAccessor.SetProperty to set up an icon for Outlook items.
Additionally (this is optional) it would be great if I could execute some code when user clicks on it but I am ok if I can just show it.
You can handle the SelectionChange event of the Explorer class which is fired when the user selects a different or additional Microsoft Outlook item programmatically or by interacting with the user interface. The Outlook object model doesn't provide any other events for that.
There is no way to add a new icon next to the old one - the message view in Outlook does not support that level of customization.
The only way to replace a build-in icon with a truly custom one (instead of using one from a few dozen predefined icons) is to create a custom form (even if exposes no customization) and specify an icon for that form. If the message class (MailItem.MessageClass) matches that of a custom form, Outlook will show your custom icon. Not ideal at all.
When you open an email by doing double click on it, I would like to know is the top panel of the email (header - indicate in the screenshot with a blue rectangle -) can be customized by adding text or other controls. Also in the context menu that appears when you click on the three dots button, I would like to know if I can add some options there. If that possible. Below I attach a screenshot and I indicate there the places where I would like to place these things (see blue arrows).
Also I would like to do the same in the preview area where the mail is shown when you select it from the messages list.
The Outlook extensibility model doesn't provide anything for customizing these bits. There is no trivial way to get the job done. The best what you could do is to develop a form region (Replacement or Replace-All) which can substitute the whole inspector UI, so you could re-build it from scratch. Read more about Outlook form regions in the Walkthrough: Design an Outlook form region article.
Also you may consider putting a form region with your custom information at the top of the window, but right below this pane. See Advanced Outlook view and form regions from Add-in Express.
I have to modify existing entries in a database. My Addition entry dialog uses edit controls in order to get values and a submit button to update in database.
I have the need to create a modify dialog that should be able to modify entries when needed by user. Is there appropriate mfc control that can be used for my task?
If you do not want to edit directly on the list control, you can use CListCtrl or CMFCListCtrl.
I think MFC does not provide a list control for editing directly. So, if you want to do it, consider using a 3rd party, like the free Ultimate Grid.
With a VSTO add-in, is it possible to replace the Outlook 2013 new email body editor with something custom?
(What I want is MarkdownOutlook which is a good start but I want it to show side-by-side preview and better keystroke handling (like tab) closer to http://dillinger.io/)
Thanks!
You'd have to use custom forms to edit the UI of the IPM.Note message class and replace the Body control with another editor control. This is not a trivial thing to do as Word is the default editor and there is a very tight coupling with Outlook for message viewing/editing functionality.
Another alternative to customizing the message class is to create an Add-in Express or Outlook Form Region that replaces the default form UI entirely with your .NET Windows Form. But that's even more work as you'd need to recreate the message envelope controls for sending.
I have a custom task pane I've made in VSTO for Outlook 2007, but it needs a fair amount of screen real estate to be functional. I'd like to just take over the place of the Reading Pane, as it won't really be needed when this addon is active. It's also a really great spot since this addon relies on drag-and-drop from mail folders to this task pane, and the closer I can get it to the folder pane, the better.
Any way to replace the Reading Pane, or at least toggle it's visibility?
I dont think there is a way in OOM to do this .. I you can change the size of you region though.
I have seen it done though with add-in-express tool http://www.add-in-express.com but that may be 2 much work for you to change to that model.
Take a look at the Replacement or Replace All Form Region options. Both of these options allow to replace the display of form region.
The Replacement form region let's you build a custom first page of your own.
The Replace All form region let's you build all form pages.
These are not simple options as you must provide all Outlook capabilities the user expects. This is why the Adjoining form region option is the popular choice.
You can read more here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/dd492010(v=office.12).aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/bb206784.aspx