MAPIInitialize 0x80004005

[simone]

I wrote a huge program which reads outlook contacts and works
perfectly... almost. On one computer MAPIInitialize returned
0x80004005. Now, I know that there is an issue regarding the version
of Outlook used. However, this cannot be the case because Outlook Spy
works fine on the same system. Any ideas why?

On other matters, I understand that Extended MAPI allowed me to read
the contacts from the Outlook Corporate Edition. Can this code also
get the WAB?

 

[Dmitry Streblechenko]

Is Outlook set as the default mail client?

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool

 

[simone]

Turns out that was the problem. Outlook was not the default client. I
understand that a program such as Outlook Spy actually uses the EMAPI
DLL rather then the DLL specified by the default client. My program
failed because it was using the DLL of the default client, which was
Outlook Express at the time. Which leads me to ask... how do I set my
program to always use the EMAPI DLL?

Also, if anyone can help:
1) Can EMAPI code be used to read the contact from Outlook Express,
namely the WAB?
2) Can the same EMAPI code read the contact lists from a Notes client?
I have no such client and hence cannot even test.

 

[Dmitry Streblechenko]

You need to set a registry key - see below for an MSDN topic.
1. Strictly speaking, no. But there is WAB API which looks exactly like
Extended MAPI (see WABOpen on MSDN)
2. Yes, if you have Notes MAPI providers (store, Address Book, etc)
installed so that Outlook can connect to a Notes DB. If not, you can use the
Notes API - it is fairly powerful, but very low level and much uglier than
Extended MAPI IMHO.

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool

Explicitly Mapping MAPI Calls to MAPI DLLs
In some cases, MAPI calls made from a particular DLL or executable file need
to be routed to the system MAPI DLL (called Mapi32x.dll) or another custom
MAPI DLL even though the default mail client supports the call. Such DLLs or
executables files can be listed as string registry values in the
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\MSMapiApps key. The
registry value for these keys can be empty or identify a mail client key
that resides under HKLM\Software\Clients\Mail.

When the stub library resolves a MAPI call, it first enumerates the DLL and
executable files listed under the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging
Subsystem\MSMapiApps key checking to see if the DLL or executable file is
currently in process. If there is a match, the stub library gets the string
value. If the value is the empty string, the stub library routes the call to
the system MAPI DLL, Mapi32x.dll. If the string is not empty, the stub uses
the string value to find the key below HKLM\Software\Clients\Mail where it
can find the appropriate registry value to dispatch the call, one of
DLLPath, DLLPathEx, or MSIComponentID values. For example:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\MSMapiApps::exchng32.exe
= ""
(route call directly to Mapi32x.dll)

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows Messaging Subsystem\MSMapiApps::msspc32.dll
= "Microsoft Outlook"
(route call using Microsoft Outlook key under HKLM\Software\Clients\Mail)

 

[Tom Delany]

Nothing could be uglier than extended MAPI. ;-)

The Notes C++ API is much better than the C API. In some areas, it (the C++
API) is a little flaky, however (IMHO). Alas, the Notes APIs will do you
absolutely no good if you do not have the Notes client, as they use DLLs
from the client to do their job.

Tom Delany

 

[simone]

2. Yes, if you have Notes MAPI providers (store, Address Book, etc)

installed so that Outlook can connect to a Notes DB. If not, you can use the
Notes API - it is fairly powerful, but very low level and much uglier than
Extended MAPI IMHO.

Thanks Dimitry. I recently got hold of Notes and I am running it now.
There is a DLL called nmailman.dll which looks similar to the Extended
MAPI from Outlook that I've been using. For starters, this DLL has
MAPIInitialize. My understanding was that my current code gets
rerouted to whichever DLL is running on our client. In which case,
when Notes is the default mail client then I would expect that my code
would be rerouted (via the registry) to the Notes MAPI DLL. But on
testing, MAPIInitialize fails... hence either I am calling the wrong
DLL or else I am completely misunderstanding how to hook into Lotus
Notes. Advice?

BTW, your OutlookSpy is excellent and we recently got ourselves a
copy. I *HIGHLY* recommend it to all developers.

 

[Dmitry Streblechenko]

The MAPI redirection works for Simple MAPI calls mostly. If you are using
the Notes provider, you still need to call the regular msmapi32.dll. If
Notes provider is installed in the current MAPI session, your calls to any
store related objects (IMsgStore, IMAPIFolder, IMessage, etc) will go to the
Notes implementation of these object, no extra coding on your part required.

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool