Outlook Add-in: IE WebBrowser rendering issues

Add-in Express™ Support Service
That's what is more important than anything else

Outlook Add-in: IE WebBrowser rendering issues
 
Jimmie Tyrrell


Guest


I've created an Outlook Add-in using Add-in Express and it's been really easy so far. I want the add-in (a sidebar Outlook Form) to display a web page, so I've added a WinForms WebBrowser control to my main form.

However, whatever page I display in the WebBrowser, I get rendering glitches when Outlook is resized. See the screenshots below:

Before resizing:
User added an image

After resizing:
User added an image

I?Â?Ð?éve tried the following:

  • Outlook 2010 (64-bit) and Outlook 2013 (32-bit)
  • Enabling / disabling Graphics acceleration
  • Enabling / disabling WebBrowser double buffering
  • Attempted to trigger a redraw in various hacky ways....
  • - Invalidated the WebBrowser and/or Form
  • - Changed the WebBrowser?Â?Ð?és Location / size
  • - Triggered Javascript to cause a redraw (Document.Body.Style = ?Â?Ð?ìdisplay:none;?Â?Ð?í; Document.Body.Style = ?Â?Ð?ìdisplay:block;?Â?Ð?í;
  • - Adding and removing the WebBrowser
  • - Disabled / changed Dock values


Interesting things I've noted:


  • Other Controls do not have this problem, only WebBrowser
  • Minimizing then restoring Outlook redraws the WebBrowser properly
  • Adding/Removing WebBrowser during a resize does not cause a redraw. But adding/removing *after* the user has resized (i.e., they've released the mouse button) will trigger a redraw. It's as if IE will not redraw until a ResizeEnd occurs. Unfortunately, I have not found a way to detect the ResizeEnd event on Outlook windows.


My system is:

Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit w/ SP1
Intel i7-4960HQ 2.6 GHz
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M
16 gb ram
IE 11 installed

Has anyone else seen this behavior or have any ideas? Please let me know. Much appreciated!
Posted 03 Dec, 2014 16:46:54 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18829
Joined: 2006-05-11
Hello Jimmie,

It looks like you place the Web Browser component on a form shown in a ReadingPane* layout. If so, we know about this problem. It cannot be fixed in the code of Add-in Express. We suggest using a workaround which significantly improves the situation. Still, it doesn't guarantee that artifacts will disappear completely.

Please check this sample project:
http://temp.add-in-express.com/support/WebBrowserInReadingPane.zip


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 05 Dec, 2014 04:36:28 Top
Jimmie Tyrrell


Guest


Hi Andrei, thanks so much for your suggestion. I didn't realize this problem was specific to the ReadingPane layout. It turns out I actually wanted DockRight anyway. I've since changed this property and the WebBrowser renders just fine. Thanks so much for the information.
Posted 12 Dec, 2014 22:11:23 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18829
Joined: 2006-05-11
You are welcome!


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 15 Dec, 2014 01:40:25 Top