‘Add-in Express for Office and .net’ category archive
Working with the Global Address Book for developers
Ty Anderson | June 18th, 2014
Outlook makes it easy to maintain your contacts. The contacts you create in Outlook are the basis for the address book you use when sending emails. Sounds simple enough. But did you know that Outlook, in true Microsoft fashion, is much more complex beneath the hood?... Read the rest of this entry →
Creating and modifying PowerPoint presentations (end-to-end sample)
Ty Anderson | March 17th, 2014
We're drawing our PowerPoint series to a close and it only makes sense to end with an "end-to-end" sample. See what I did there? We've covered the base objects and provided code samples. Today, I'll tie them together in a single add-in that supports a specific business use case... Read the rest of this entry →
Creating Microsoft InfoPath add-ins in Visual Studio with Add-in Express
Pieter van der Westhuizen | March 6th, 2014
Earlier this year, Microsoft has also announced that it will discontinue InfoPath to pursue a more integrated experience for Office forms. So look out for some InfoPath features being integrated into Word, Access and SharePoint in the future!
... Read the rest of this entry →
Creating and modifying MS Project files programmatically
Pieter van der Westhuizen | February 28th, 2014
In my last two articles we looked at the MS Project object model and how to customize the MS Project UI. In this article, we'll take what we've learned and explore how you can use data from other sources to either create or add to your MS Project files.... Read the rest of this entry →
PowerPoint UI Customization: custom ribbons, toolbars, menus
Ty Anderson | February 27th, 2014
In my last article, I discussed the PowerPoint object model. Today, I want to discuss the various ways we can customize the PowerPoint user interface... Read the rest of this entry →
Project 2013 UI customization
Pieter van der Westhuizen | February 21st, 2014
When it comes to developing add-ins for Microsoft Project you cannot be blamed for feeling that MS Project is a bit of a second-rate citizen in the MS Office suite of products. Its object model does not feel quite as polished as the Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel object models... Read the rest of this entry →
Programming for Microsoft Project 2013
Pieter van der Westhuizen | February 14th, 2014
Microsoft Project is a product that not many people realize is part of the Microsoft Office family. It is also a product that most users do not have on their PC. Where you do see it, however, is on the computer of many project managers and herein lies the opportunity for us as Office developers... Read the rest of this entry →
PowerPoint add-in development in Visual Studio: Application and base objects
Ty Anderson | February 12th, 2014
Like all Office apps, the main object in the PowerPoint object model is the Application object. Underneath it we have a few key objects that will allow us to achieve most of our development goals. Here is summary of PowerPoint's base objects... Read the rest of this entry →
Creating a custom Send button in Outlook
Ty Anderson | January 30th, 2014
Microsoft does not provide us with a way to customize the Send button using the Outlook object model. We can't change its caption, size, colors, etc. This is just how it is. Microsoft is happy with the Send button as-is and doesn't want us messing with it... Read the rest of this entry →
How to create WiX custom actions
Pieter van der Westhuizen | January 29th, 2014
The WiX Toolset provides a number of standard actions that are sufficient for most installers. If, however, you need more flexibility over the installation process the WiX toolset provides custom actions... Read the rest of this entry →
Outlook Junk Mail Filter
Ty Anderson | January 17th, 2014
Most likely you are not receiving large amounts of spam on a daily basis. This is thanks to the fact that most organizations install their spam filters or utilize online services to handle it. And if you are using a free email provider like Outlook.com or a paid service like Office 365, these services actively combat spam before it hits your inbox... Read the rest of this entry →
Working with custom Outlook properties: C# code examples
Pieter van der Westhuizen | January 15th, 2014
Microsoft Outlook provides a rich interface for developers to add their own custom properties to Outlook Folders and Items. The Outlook Object model provides two objects when working with custom properties... Read the rest of this entry →
Working with Outlook special folders (Inbox, Outbox, Drafts, Sent Items, Deleted Items)
Pieter van der Westhuizen | January 9th, 2014
Happy 2014 everyone! We'll start this year with an article looking at Outlook special folders. Microsoft Outlook has a number of special folders of which the most common folders are: Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items, Outbox and Deleted Items. Now let's have a closer look at each of the Outlook special folders and see how to work with them in the most efficient manner.... Read the rest of this entry →
How to create and modify Outlook-specific files
Pieter van der Westhuizen | December 20th, 2013
Microsoft Outlook produces and uses a variety of file types. The most common and well known fields are either .pst or .ost files. These two file types are known as Outlook Data Files, the .pst file is known as the Personal Outlook Data file and stores you messages and other Outlook items... Read the rest of this entry →
Create a status report generator using Excel and Outlook: C# sample
Ty Anderson | December 16th, 2013
Today, I'll show you how to create a status report using Excel and Outlook. This add-in sample will run within Excel. The user will have a button to click that starts the report process. Instead of creating a new workbook or worksheet, the add-in will insert the task status report into the existing spreadsheet... Read the rest of this entry →
How to import contacts and appointments from Excel into Outlook and vice-versa
Pieter van der Westhuizen | December 11th, 2013
Importing contacts and appointments into Microsoft Outlook is a feature that has existed in Outlook for a while. In Outlook 2013 you can find the Import/Export function in the File or Backstage view menu, under Open & Export... Read the rest of this entry →