Outlook 2003 Custom Forms/Custom Actions

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Duncan McCreadie - 11 Feb 2004 20:00 GMT

I have some custom forms with custom actions that run fine in Ol2000 and
2002 but not so in 2003. I get error messages saying that "could not
install the custom actions". However, it is not consistent across all
instances.

I have tried flushing the forms cache which has a temporary effect on some
errors (like where it loses the custom form altogether) but nothing seems to
fix this one.

Any ideas? I am running stand-alone not in an Exchange type environment.

Thanks

Duncan

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Sue Mosher [MVP] - 11 Feb 2004 20:25 GMT

You're not alone. I've seen several custom action issues, but none
unfortunately that I can reproduce. If you can narrow down the cause, then
we're halfway toward getting it fixed.

Signature

Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

> I have some custom forms with custom actions that run fine in Ol2000 and
> 2002 but not so in 2003. I get error messages saying that "could not
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Duncan

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Duncan McCreadie - 12 Feb 2004 10:56 GMT

Thanks for the feedback.

I have "fixed" my problem (I think).

There are three types of contact form that I use that are interlinked for
various reasons. The problem was only consistently apparent in one type of
form - so I looked in detail at the custom actions on this form. One of the
custom actions created a form type that no longer existed! (It had been
renamed). As the other forms sometimes reference this record they were
triggering the error in their scripts so it looked like they were failing as
well. Sorting the custom action out so it was correct and all has gone
away.

I had a similar issue when transferring my forms into 2002 from 2000 as it
was much less forgiving of errors in things like the Outlook View Control.
Seems like each new version tightens up its requirements (no bad thing)
Mind you there is also a "bug" in 2002 that still seems apparent in 2003 wrt
formatting views - it seems impossible to use the MessageClass to trigger
formatting in 2002/2003 whereas it works beautifully in 2000. I don't think
that can be seen as tightening things up - do you?

So now I am only left with my mysterious ActiveX control problem (see other
posting in this newsgroup).

Duncan

> You're not alone. I've seen several custom action issues, but none
> unfortunately that I can reproduce. If you can narrow down the cause, then
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> >
> > Duncan

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Duncan McCreadie - 12 Feb 2004 13:48 GMT

A bit of clarity on the custom action problem now....

I checked the other forms and they also had a naming error but did not give
rise to the problem! It is the descriptive name rather than the
messageclass that was wrong in each case.

For now it works even if I can't prove why!

Duncan

> You're not alone. I've seen several custom action issues, but none
> unfortunately that I can reproduce. If you can narrow down the cause, then
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> >
> > Duncan

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Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook] - 25 Feb 2004 22:00 GMT

Duncan, I am trying to collect more information on this error. Were all the
forms that display the custom actions error created in Outlook 2002? Are
these message forms? Do they contain any voting buttons or other actions
other than the standard actions? Where are the forms published?

Signature

Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@outlookcode.com> wrote in message news:...

> You're not alone. I've seen several custom action issues, but none
> unfortunately that I can reproduce. If you can narrow down the cause, then
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> >
> > I have tried flushing the forms cache which has a temporary effect on

some

> > errors (like where it loses the custom form altogether) but nothing

seems

> to
> > fix this one.
> >
> > Any ideas? I am running stand-alone not in an Exchange type

environment.

> > Thanks
> >
> > Duncan

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Duncan McCreadie - 03 Mar 2004 19:04 GMT

Sorry for the delay.

The forms were all created in Outlook 2000 and are published in the folder
on which my addin/forms work. The actions are almost all to create a new
record of a specific (non-standard) messageclass. I have three types of
contact record form which can variously create each other.

If you need more info or examples please let me know.

Thanks

Duncan

PS is it possible to create trusted .net addins for Outlook that do NOT run
on Exchange server? If so how do you "trust" them?

> Duncan, I am trying to collect more information on this error. Were all the
> forms that display the custom actions error created in Outlook 2002? Are
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> > >
> > > Duncan

Reply to this Message

Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook] - 03 Mar 2004 19:44 GMT

Outlook COM addins never run on the Exchange Server. They're client
applications. In Outlook 2003, all objects derived from the Application
object passed by the OnConnection event handler are inherently trusted by
default.

Signature

Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

> PS is it possible to create trusted .net addins for Outlook that do NOT run
> on Exchange server? If so how do you "trust" them?

Reply to this Message

Duncan McCreadie - 03 Mar 2004 21:29 GMT

Thanks - I misspoke - I meant that the articles around all talk about using
the Exchange Server admin role to "trust" a COM Addin - as a one man band I
don't run an Exchange Server so wondered about alternatives. All the
research I have done so far points to using Redemption or MAPI as the only
way round the trust issue for OL2000,2002.

Thanks again,

Duncan

> Outlook COM addins never run on the Exchange Server. They're client
> applications. In Outlook 2003, all objects derived from the Application
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> run
> > on Exchange server? If so how do you "trust" them?

Reply to this Message

Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook] - 03 Mar 2004 21:57 GMT

That's correct.

Signature

Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

> Thanks - I misspoke - I meant that the articles around all talk about using
> the Exchange Server admin role to "trust" a COM Addin - as a one man band I
> don't run an Exchange Server so wondered about alternatives. All the
> research I have done so far points to using Redemption or MAPI as the only
> way round the trust issue for OL2000,2002.

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