Outlook 2002 C# COM Add-In build with VS2008 does not start - outlook

Question

I am facing a curious problem:
I am trying to build a Add-In for Outlook 2002 with Visual Studio 2008 using the shared add-in template.
I want a simple hello world within the OnStartUpComplete method.
That works pefectly on my development machine, but not at all on a clean machine with outlook 2002.
I used the generated setup project to install the add in.
Load behavior changed back from 3 to 2 after starting outlook, but there neither comes an exception nor any other error.
What do I have to do to get the Add-In working on other than the dev machine?
Thanks a lot,
Michael

Answer 1

i believe your are a lockback policy victim.
add a bypass key to registry, then it works. modern office versions or vsto creates the key while installation. the effect is: install a modern office too and the adddin now are also loaded in older office. please take a look
code snippet taken from NetOffice http://netoffice.codeplex.com
public static void RegisterFunction(Type type)
{
try
{
// add codebase value
Assembly thisAssembly = Assembly.GetAssembly(typeof(ExampleClassicAddin));
RegistryKey key = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey("CLSID\\{" + type.GUID.ToString().ToUpper() + "}\\InprocServer32\\1.0.0.0");
key.SetValue("CodeBase", thisAssembly.CodeBase);
key.Close();
key = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey("CLSID\\{" + type.GUID.ToString().ToUpper() + "}\\InprocServer32");
key.SetValue("CodeBase", thisAssembly.CodeBase);
key.Close();
// add bypass key
// http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948461
key = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey("Interface\\{000C0601-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}");
string defaultValue = key.GetValue("") as string;
if (null == defaultValue)
key.SetValue("", "Office .NET Framework Lockback Bypass Key");
key.Close();
// add addin key
Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(#"CLSID\{" + type.GUID.ToString().ToUpper() + #"}\Programmable");
Registry.CurrentUser.CreateSubKey(_addinRegistryKey + _prodId);
RegistryKey rk = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(_addinRegistryKey + _prodId, true);
rk.SetValue("LoadBehavior", Convert.ToInt32(3));
rk.SetValue("FriendlyName", _addinName);
rk.SetValue("Description", "NetOffice COMAddinExample with classic UI");
rk.Close();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
string details = string.Format("{1}{1}Details:{1}{1}{0}", ex.Message, Environment.NewLine);
MessageBox.Show("An error occured." + details, "Register " + _addinName, MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
}
}