Building Custom Applications in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

Ty Anderson, Damon ArmstrongCogent CompanySession Code: OFC325

RDG IndexProject success validation metric

Rounds of Disc Golf Success Curve

Futility Curve

Death March

Minim

um Success Threshold

Minim

um Failure Threshold

Project Success

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Session ObjectivesWhat you should walk away knowing

Learn the different methods available for customizing the Outlook UI

Form RegionsOffice Fluent UI (a.k.a. the ribbon)Task Panes

Learn about the VSTO Power ToysTask Panes with the UI Manager

Session Objectives (Continued)

What you should walk away knowing

Learn how to work with the Outlook Object Model using VSTO

Learn to integrate a process into Outlook that coordinates the different UI elements

Learn a bit about using WPF in a VSTO project

Today's Scenario Task Management in Outlook

Outlook supports task lists

out of the box

But we want to manage task hierarchically

(i.e. sub-tasks)

Today's Scenario Task Management in Outlook

ID 001

ParentID NULL

ID 002

ParentID 001

ID 003

ParentID 001

ID 004

ParentID 002

Customizing The Outlook UIThe Main Window (aka Explorer)

CommandBars

Form Region(adjoining)

Task Panes

Form Region(separate,

replacement, replace-all )

Customizing The Outlook UIThe Outlook Item (aka Inspector)

Task Panes

Form Region(adjoining)

The Ribbon

Form Region(separate, replacement, replace-all)

Demo System Requirements

Office 2007 (Required)

Preferably an installation that includes Outlook :)Visual Studio 2008 (Required)

Preferably with the VSTO option :)VSTO Power Tools v1.0.0.0 (Required)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=46B6BF86-E35D-4870-B214-4D7B72B02BF9&displaylang=en

A cold one (Recommended)

WPF and OutlookDamon ArmstrongSenior ArchitectCogent Company

demo

Key Points About WPF

Wrap Outlook objects to enable binding notification support

INotifyPropertyIObservable

Building a Form Region that Displays Related Tasks

Ty AndersonPartnerCogent Company

demo

Key Points About Form Regions

Four typesSeparateAdjoiningReplacementReplace-all

Key class and objectsThis.OutlookItemThis.OutlookFormRegoinGlobals

Building and Managing Task Panes

Ty AndersonPartnerCogent Company

demo

Key Points About Task Panes

The VSTO Power Tools UI Manager is your friendManages task panes attached to explorers and inspectorsProvides access to ribbons and form regions as strongly-typed objects

Implementing the UI Manager is easy4 step process to implement it in your code

Task Panes are really just user controls

Customizing the Office Fluent UI and Re-Purposing Ribbon Button ActionsTy AndersonPartnerCogent Company

demo

Key Points About Custom RibbonsTwo methods for designing custom ribbons

Ribbon Visual DesignerRibbon XML

Use Ribbon Visual Designer template for:WinForm-esque design experience

Ribbon XML template enable advanced stuff:Adding built-in groups to a custom tabAdding built-in control to a custom groupCustomizing the quick access toolbarRe-purposing button action events

You can always export a visual ribbon to Ribbon XML

Avoid the Top 7 Outlook Dev Gotchas

Let go of your pride and steal code from Outlook’s VBA help fileBecome proficient with Explorers and InspectorsStart with adjoining form regionsLikewise, start with the Ribbon Visual DesignerUse the VSTO Power ToolsSave properly and release your COM Objects to avoid orphan InspectorsDo not attempt an “Extreme Makeover: Outlook Edition”

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