Outlook developing with Vb.Net

[Sanjay Singh]

I have been doing Outlook addin developing with VB 6 for a while and am
considering making the move to VB.Net.

I had a look at MicroEye but would appreciate some answers to the following.

I have a few questions that will hopefully get me started in the right
direction.

1. Do we still need Explorer Wrap and Inspector Wrap classes in dotNet.

2. If we use Vb.Net 2003 (or the newer VB 2005), will the same addin work
for Outlook 2002 and 2003.

3. Will the same addin work for Outlook 2000. Is it even possible to develop
Outlook 2000 addins using VB.Net.

4. When developing with VB6, I had to do my development on a computer setup
with Outlook 2000 so that the addin would work with Outlook 2000 (and
later). Is this also true with dotNet i.e. do I need to develop on a
computer with the oldest version of Outlook that I need to support (It would
be great to develop on Outlook 2003 and still have the compiled code run on
Outlook 2002 - I realise that I will not be able to use any Outlook 2003
commands that are not supported in Outlook 2002.)

5. Is there code for a sample addin that can be used as a starting point?

6. Any other hints, tips etc to do this right.

Thanks in advance.

Sanjay

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Inline.

I have been doing Outlook addin developing with VB 6 for a while and am
considering making the move to VB.Net.

I had a look at MicroEye but would appreciate some answers to the
following.

I have a few questions that will hopefully get me started in the right
direction.

1. Do we still need Explorer Wrap and Inspector Wrap classes in dotNet.
Yes.


2. If we use Vb.Net 2003 (or the newer VB 2005), will the same addin work
for Outlook 2002 and 2003.

Only if you only use methods, properties and events that are in the oldest
version of Outlook you want to support. And you must include PIA's for every
version you want to support.

3. Will the same addin work for Outlook 2000. Is it even possible to
develop Outlook 2000 addins using VB.Net.

See the information at Microeye about altering the Outlook 2002 PIA to be
used for Outlook 2000 and the information about shimming.

4. When developing with VB6, I had to do my development on a computer
setup with Outlook 2000 so that the addin would work with Outlook 2000
(and later). Is this also true with dotNet i.e. do I need to develop on a
computer with the oldest version of Outlook that I need to support (It
would be great to develop on Outlook 2003 and still have the compiled code
run on Outlook 2002 - I realise that I will not be able to use any Outlook
2003 commands that are not supported in Outlook 2002.)

Read all the information at Microeye.

5. Is there code for a sample addin that can be used as a starting point?

See the information at Microeye and samples and so on at
www.outlookcode.com.

 

[Andrei Smolin]

See Lots of sample COM add-ins in VB.NET, C#, J# and C++.NET as well as
Delphi.NET at
http://www.add-in-express.com/support/add-in-express-howto.php.

Regards from Belarus,
Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader