Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form newToOutlookProgramming 4/30/2007 11:32:00 PM This question is for Outlook 2003 specifically. I have a requirement to extend native Appointment form and add couple of fields on it. It is not possible using design custom form. Choices I have for above requirement is : (1) Design tab P-2 using custom form, hide original appoinment tab and ship this custom oft plus bunch of activex controls to achieve to near-same usability as native form (2) Add 2 fields in native outlook form by subclassing it Second option seems better because it is better usability-wise, maintenance-wise, deployment-wise, keeping-users-customizations etc. Question: ----------- Did you come across details of implementing subclassing. Basic logic involves Getting hwnd from an appointment inspector and Replacing the window procedure with your own code ( SetWindowLong ). I am looking for details/codesnippet of implementing this subclassing. Appreciate all pointers / code snippets / links.

Re: Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslovak[ at ]mvps.org> 5/1/2007 1:23:07 PM I wouldn't do that. It's a great way to one-off your form. I'd either add a control to open a separate form to show the 2 needed fields to the menus of the Outlook item or I'd proxy the original Outlook form by handling NewInspector and not displaying the Outlook form and displaying an alternate form that has all the UI you want. -- Ken Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm "newToOutlookProgramming" <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:1C2A9B2E-DE66-4580-951D-20943BAB606C[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > This question is for Outlook 2003 specifically. > > I have a requirement to extend native Appointment form and add couple of > fields on it. It is not possible using design custom form. > > Choices I have for above requirement is : > (1) Design tab P-2 using custom form, hide original appoinment tab and > ship > this custom oft plus bunch of activex controls to achieve to near-same > usability as native form > (2) Add 2 fields in native outlook form by subclassing it > > Second option seems better because it is better usability-wise, > maintenance-wise, deployment-wise, keeping-users-customizations etc. > > > Question: > ----------- > Did you come across details of implementing subclassing. > > Basic logic involves Getting hwnd from an appointment inspector and > Replacing the window procedure with your own code ( SetWindowLong ). > > I am looking for details/codesnippet of implementing this subclassing. > > Appreciate all pointers / code snippets / links. >

Re: Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form newToOutlookProgramming 5/1/2007 5:36:01 PM Hi, I did consider adding a control to open a separate form , but it has usability issue. I also prototyped displaying an alternate form, but it also involves rebuilding a lot of functionality which comes free in native outlook form like all the menus (File ....etc), Scheduling Tab etc. Also considered hiding just appointment tab, and building tab P-2 & renaming it. this requires lot of activex controls for date-time, reminder, sound, label etc etc fields because these are not in custom form toolbox. So, Prototyping using Subclassing mechanism is atleast worth trying. Why would a form be one-offed by this? My requirement is to add few fields on appoitnment from from local database, and NOT loose any native functionality at the same time. Hence, looking for details/codesnippet of implementing subclassing appointment form. thanks "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" wrote: [Quoted Text] > I wouldn't do that. It's a great way to one-off your form. > > I'd either add a control to open a separate form to show the 2 needed fields > to the menus of the Outlook item or I'd proxy the original Outlook form by > handling NewInspector and not displaying the Outlook form and displaying an > alternate form that has all the UI you want. > > -- > Ken Slovak > [MVP - Outlook] > http://www.slovaktech.com > Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 > Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options > http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm > > > "newToOutlookProgramming" > <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:1C2A9B2E-DE66-4580-951D-20943BAB606C[ at ]microsoft.com... > > This question is for Outlook 2003 specifically. > > > > I have a requirement to extend native Appointment form and add couple of > > fields on it. It is not possible using design custom form. > > > > Choices I have for above requirement is : > > (1) Design tab P-2 using custom form, hide original appoinment tab and > > ship > > this custom oft plus bunch of activex controls to achieve to near-same > > usability as native form > > (2) Add 2 fields in native outlook form by subclassing it > > > > Second option seems better because it is better usability-wise, > > maintenance-wise, deployment-wise, keeping-users-customizations etc. > > > > > > Question: > > ----------- > > Did you come across details of implementing subclassing. > > > > Basic logic involves Getting hwnd from an appointment inspector and > > Replacing the window procedure with your own code ( SetWindowLong ). > > > > I am looking for details/codesnippet of implementing this subclassing. > > > > Appreciate all pointers / code snippets / links. > > > >

Re: Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslovak[ at ]mvps.org> 5/1/2007 7:22:37 PM It would one-off the form because you'd be adding controls to it on the fly. That's guaranteed to do that. If you insist on this method I can't help you any further because it's so wrong. -- Ken Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm "newToOutlookProgramming" <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:F887A179-241E-4B6D-ADC1-0EB4E8029CE5[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > Hi, > > I did consider adding a control to open a separate form , but it has > usability issue. > I also prototyped displaying an alternate form, but it also involves > rebuilding a lot of functionality which comes free in native outlook form > like all the menus (File ....etc), Scheduling Tab etc. > Also considered hiding just appointment tab, and building tab P-2 & > renaming > it. this requires lot of activex controls for date-time, reminder, sound, > label etc etc fields because these are not in custom form toolbox. > > So, Prototyping using Subclassing mechanism is atleast worth trying. Why > would a form be one-offed by this? > > My requirement is to add few fields on appoitnment from from local > database, > and NOT loose any native functionality at the same time. > > Hence, looking for details/codesnippet of implementing subclassing > appointment form. > > thanks

Re: Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form newToOutlookProgramming 5/18/2007 2:25:00 AM ----This question is for outlook 2003------ Hi, (1) Can you help me jot down some cons (actually I need several) for this approach (subclassing) . I did prototype the way you suggested (proxy the original Outlook form by handling NewInspector and not displaying the Outlook form and displaying an alternate form), but it looses a lot of default functionality of the appointment, re-building all of which is a lot of effort. (2) Alternatively, Is it possible to add a 2 editable textboxes in the custom-bar in the apppointment inspector via a addin ? thanks again "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" wrote: [Quoted Text] > It would one-off the form because you'd be adding controls to it on the fly. > That's guaranteed to do that. If you insist on this method I can't help you > any further because it's so wrong. > > -- > Ken Slovak > [MVP - Outlook] > http://www.slovaktech.com > Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 > Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options > http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm > > > "newToOutlookProgramming" > <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:F887A179-241E-4B6D-ADC1-0EB4E8029CE5[ at ]microsoft.com... > > Hi, > > > > I did consider adding a control to open a separate form , but it has > > usability issue. > > I also prototyped displaying an alternate form, but it also involves > > rebuilding a lot of functionality which comes free in native outlook form > > like all the menus (File ....etc), Scheduling Tab etc. > > Also considered hiding just appointment tab, and building tab P-2 & > > renaming > > it. this requires lot of activex controls for date-time, reminder, sound, > > label etc etc fields because these are not in custom form toolbox. > > > > So, Prototyping using Subclassing mechanism is atleast worth trying. Why > > would a form be one-offed by this? > > > > My requirement is to add few fields on appoitnment from from local > > database, > > and NOT loose any native functionality at the same time. > > > > Hence, looking for details/codesnippet of implementing subclassing > > appointment form. > > > > thanks > >

Re: Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form "Andrei Smolin" <andrei dot smolin [ at ] add-in-express dotcom> 5/18/2007 8:26:18 AM Hi, Add-in Express allows COM add-ins to embed a custom NET or Borland VCL form into Outlook Inspector windows. See the second screenshot on http://www.add-in-express.com/outlook-extension/. It is an animated gif, so please wait a little to let it show a message window. This feature works for all Outlook Inspectors (task, appointment, contact, etc) whether they show a built-in form or a custom one. In addition, it allows embedding a custom .NET contol onto Office toolbars. See http://www.add-in-express.com/office-toolbar-controls/. Please note, the web-site provides a Feedback form (say, on the Support page). Please use it if you have any questions. Regards from Belarus, Andrei Smolin Add-in Express Team Leader www.add-in-express.com "newToOutlookProgramming" <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:716299A9-6633-40B0-B2DA-0A28DE3AAAEF[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > ----This question is for outlook 2003------ > > Hi, > > (1) Can you help me jot down some cons (actually I need several) for this > approach (subclassing) . > > I did prototype the way you suggested (proxy the original Outlook form by > handling NewInspector and not displaying the Outlook form and displaying > an > alternate form), but it looses a lot of default functionality of the > appointment, re-building all of which is a lot of effort. > > (2) Alternatively, Is it possible to add a 2 editable textboxes in the > custom-bar in the apppointment inspector via a addin ? > > thanks again > > > "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" wrote: > >> It would one-off the form because you'd be adding controls to it on the >> fly. >> That's guaranteed to do that. If you insist on this method I can't help >> you >> any further because it's so wrong. >> >> -- >> Ken Slovak >> [MVP - Outlook] >> http://www.slovaktech.com >> Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 >> Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options >> http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm >> >> >> "newToOutlookProgramming" >> <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >> news:F887A179-241E-4B6D-ADC1-0EB4E8029CE5[ at ]microsoft.com... >> > Hi, >> > >> > I did consider adding a control to open a separate form , but it has >> > usability issue. >> > I also prototyped displaying an alternate form, but it also involves >> > rebuilding a lot of functionality which comes free in native outlook >> > form >> > like all the menus (File ....etc), Scheduling Tab etc. >> > Also considered hiding just appointment tab, and building tab P-2 & >> > renaming >> > it. this requires lot of activex controls for date-time, reminder, >> > sound, >> > label etc etc fields because these are not in custom form toolbox. >> > >> > So, Prototyping using Subclassing mechanism is atleast worth trying. >> > Why >> > would a form be one-offed by this? >> > >> > My requirement is to add few fields on appoitnment from from local >> > database, >> > and NOT loose any native functionality at the same time. >> > >> > Hence, looking for details/codesnippet of implementing subclassing >> > appointment form. >> > >> > thanks >> >>

Re: Outlook 2003 - Subclassing Appointment Form "Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]" <kenslovak[ at ]mvps.org> 5/18/2007 1:55:14 PM 1. You have to do your own research and decision making about the pros and cons of any approach. 2. Not using CommandBar controls, no. -- Ken Slovak [MVP - Outlook] http://www.slovaktech.com Author: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Reminder Manager, Extended Reminders, Attachment Options http://www.slovaktech.com/products.htm "newToOutlookProgramming" <newToOutlookProgramming[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:716299A9-6633-40B0-B2DA-0A28DE3AAAEF[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > ----This question is for outlook 2003------ > > Hi, > > (1) Can you help me jot down some cons (actually I need several) for this > approach (subclassing) . > > I did prototype the way you suggested (proxy the original Outlook form by > handling NewInspector and not displaying the Outlook form and displaying > an > alternate form), but it looses a lot of default functionality of the > appointment, re-building all of which is a lot of effort. > > (2) Alternatively, Is it possible to add a 2 editable textboxes in the > custom-bar in the apppointment inspector via a addin ? > > thanks again