Resources for Developing Outlook-Addins with Delphi

[deutsche Fassung dieses Artikels: siehe voriger Eintrag]

Here’s a commented list of links that accumulated during the preparation for my talk on developing Outlook-addins with Delphi at last weekend’s Delphi-Tage event in Hamburg (also containing some information that I did not end up covering for various reasons):

Official API-References and related Information:

• Outlook Object Model Reference:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb176619.aspx
• Extended MAPI Reference:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc765775.aspx
• Security Notes for Outlook Developers:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa211242.aspx
  (detailed description of Outlook 2003’s security model from a developer’s point of view)
• Code Security Changes in Outlook 2007:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb226709.aspx
  (among other things contains a complete list of all properties and objects protected by the Outlook Object Model Guard)
• Outlook Developer Portal:
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/aa905455(en-us).aspx

Source code, Tutorials and Example-Addins:

• Extended MAPI-Headers for Delphi:
  http://dimastr.com/outspy/download/MAPI_headers.zip
  (indispensable for any kind of Extended MAPI development, also when combined with Redemption – see below)
• BabelFish for Outlook:
  http://dimastr.com/babelfish/
  (the required target WebService is no longer online but the source code of this addin works very well as a starting point for new addins)
• Trust Filter for MS Outlook:
  http://www.benziegler.com/TrustFilter/
  (a non-trivial Outlook-Addin with freely available source code, written in Delphi)
• OutlookCode.com – Developer Learning Center for Microsoft Outlook
  http://outlookcode.com
  (Heaps of examples, articles, tutorials, links, etc. – mostly VB(A/S) or C# rather than Delphi, though)
• Slipstick.com – Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center
  http://slipstick.com
  (the definitive information portal for all things Outlook and Exchange)

Products presented or used:

• Add-in Express:
  http://add-in-express.com
  (Framework for true RAD-development of addins for Office, especially helps with integrating seamlessly with the Office-UI, Shareware)
• Redemption:
  http://dimastr.com/redemption
  (COM utility library written in Delphi that massively simplifies working with Extended MAPI and which thus bypasses security prompts in older versions of Outlook or when accessing Outlook from anything other than a COM-addin, Shareware)
• OutlookSpy:
  http://dimastr.com/outspy
  (Developer-utility for live-inspection and manipulation of all relevant Outlook-APIs, written in Delphi, Shareware)
• GExperts:
  http://www.gexperts.org/
  (really powerful plugin for the Delphi-IDE, which should need no further introduction, Open Source)
• DDevExtensions:
  http://andy.jgknet.de/blog/?page_id=10
  (another great Delphi IDE-plugin from Andreas Hausladen, Freeware)
• IDE Fix Pack:
  http://andy.jgknet.de/blog/?page_id=246
  (semi-official bugfixes for the Delphi-IDE from Andreas Hausladen, Freeware)
• MachMichAdmin (“Make me admin”):
  http://www.heise.de/software/download/machmichadmin/31780
  (Batch-file for starting applications using your own user account but with temporarily applied admin privileges; needs some minor tweaks to work on non-German operating systems, Open Source)
• PrivBar:
  http://blogs.msdn.com/aaron_margosis/archive/2004/07/24/195350.aspx
  (Custom toolbar for Windows Explorer that indicates the permission level in effect for a given Explorer instance, Freeware)
• Launchy:
  http://www.launchy.net/
  (application quick launcher for keyboard enthusiasts, Open Source)

Miscellaneous:

(Attention! Time for a quick commercial break. 😉 )

• Lucatec GmbH:
  http://www.lucatec.de
  (my “hand that feeds”, without whom this talk wouldn’t have happened)
• Lucatec^® Mask:
  http://lucatec.net/mask/
  (our addin for automating several tasks related to the use of shared mailboxes or Public Folders in a team, Shareware)

(end of commercial break)

• techvanguards.com
  http://www.techvanguards.com/
  (extensive articles and tutorials all about COM programming with Delphi and C++-Builder by Binh Ly – a real eye-opener for anyone that has been struggling with this topic so far)

• You can use the following .reg-file to perform registration and unregistration of COM-DLLs directly from the Explorer context menu:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell]
@="openas"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\Register]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\Register\command]
@="regsvr32.exe \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\Unregister]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\dllfile\shell\Unregister\command]
@="regsvr32.exe /u \"%1\""

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