Add-in not loading ... at all ... in Outlook 365

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Add-in not loading ... at all ... in Outlook 365
 
Dave Thompson




Posts: 13
Joined: 2017-11-16
Good Afternoon!

We've got a client that installed our add-in for Outlook - Version 1807 build 10325.20118 . Looking at adxregistrator.log and the registry nothing seems to be out of the ordinary ( I can send adxregistrator.log and a screenshot of the registry via pm ). After Outlook loads, when I go to manage the com add-ins, ours is mysteriously absent. It isn't even present in the disabled add-ins list. The registry has the usual entries under HKEY_CURRENT_USER, but I noticed that our 'user.config' file never gets created. The usual folder location for user.config 'C:\Users\<some user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft_Corporation' isn't found either. I've tried disabling the McAfee AntiVirus software they've got running and the McAfee AV add-in for Outlook they had was already disabled.
The LoadBehavior entry is set to '3' in the registry.

This seems to be an isolated case, we've dozens of other users with the same windows and Outlook builds running without incident so I'm guessing it is something with user permissions or the registry. We've uninstalled / re-installed with no luck, I'm wondering if maybe there is something in the registry we need to remove (maybe the install got bungled at one point in the past?)... This is a computer that is only about a month old so there were no other users and all the programs on it are either the native bloat-ware that came pre-packaged or other manually installed applications.


Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!



See pertinent details from adxregistrator.log below (with the sensitive info obfuscated)

--------------------adxregistrator.log-----------------------

Registrator version: 8.7.4430.0
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 (build 17134), 64-bit
Process Owner: Administrator
Command Line: "C:\Users\<details>\adxregistrator.exe" /install="<our_add-in-dll>.dll" /privileges=user
Run 'As Administrator': No
Process Elevated: No
Integrity Level: Medium
UAC (User Account Control): On


16:19:56 0524 Starting the add-in registration process.
16:19:56 0524 Loading mscoree.dll
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 .NET Framework installation directory:
16:19:56 0524 The latest version of .NET Framework: 'v4.0.30319'
16:19:56 0524 Loading CLR: v4.0.30319.
16:19:56 0524 Calling CLRCreateInstance method.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Calling GetRuntime method.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Checking if the hosting API of .NET Framework v4.0 beta is installed.
16:19:56 0524 The hosting API is up to date.
16:19:56 0524 Calling GetInterface method for the CorRuntimeHost interface.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Starting CLR...
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Getting the CLR version.
16:19:56 0524 The CLR v4.0.30319 has been initialized successfully.
16:19:56 0524 Creating a new domain setup.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Getting the add-in directory.
16:19:56 0524 Success. The directory is 'C:\Users\<details>\'
16:19:56 0524 The 'shadow copy' is disabled.
16:19:56 0524 Creating a new application domain.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Getting the base directory for the domain.
16:19:56 0524 Success. The directory is 'C:\Users\<details>\'.
16:19:56 0524 Searching for the Add-in Express core library.
16:19:56 0524 Success. The 'AddinExpress.MSO.2005.dll' file is found.
16:19:56 0524 Creating an instance of the 'AddinExpress.Deployment.ADXRegistrator' class.
16:19:56 0524 Assembly identity is 'AddinExpress.MSO.2005'.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Unwrapping the instance of the 'AddinExpress.Deployment.ADXRegistrator' class.
16:19:56 0524 Success.
16:19:56 0524 Calling the managed registration procedure (DISPID = 1610743823).
16:19:56 1044 32 bits. The 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\AddIns\<our_add_in>.AddinModule' registry key was created successfully for the '<our_add_in>.AddinModule' class: LoadBehavior=3
16:19:56 1044 32 bits. The 'HKCU\CLSID\{d638dea3-a91f-4aee-a9ae-790b24cc6299}\InprocServer32' registry key was created successfully for the '<our_add_in>.AddinModule' class: C:\Users\<details>\adxloader.dll
16:19:56 1044 64 bits. The 'HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\AddIns\<our_add_in>.AddinModule' registry key was created successfully for the '<our_add_in>.AddinModule' class: LoadBehavior=3
16:19:56 1044 64 bits. The 'HKCU\CLSID\{d638dea3-a91f-4aee-a9ae-790b24cc6299}\InprocServer32' registry key was created successfully for the '<our_add_in>.AddinModule' class: C:\Users\<details>\adxloader64.dll
16:19:56 0524 Registration success.
16:19:56 0524 The add-in registration process is completed with HRESULT = 0.


-------------------------------------------
Posted 23 Aug, 2018 16:15:37 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18793
Joined: 2006-05-11
Hello Dave,

So, you install the add-in and start Outlook. Is your add-in listed in File | Options |Add-ins? If yes, restart Outlook and check if the add-in is there. If yes, restart the machine. When you find the add-in missing, check the registry keys mentioned in adxloader.log. I suppose HKCU and probably the user profile get cleaned when you start this machine.


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 24 Aug, 2018 01:01:26 Top
Jonathan Gilpin




Posts: 50
Joined: 2012-12-11
We are having the same problem. I think it may be related to 'Click to Run' installation and where Outlook is searching the registry for the keys that define add-ins.

Adxregistrator must not be creating the keys in the right spot.

I think C2R uses keys like this:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\REGISTRY\MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins for perMachine location

But Adxregistrator generates keys at this location:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins

Does this make sense Andrei?
Posted 24 Aug, 2018 11:54:29 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18793
Joined: 2006-05-11
Hello Jonathan,

I have Office Click-to-Run myself. I strongly believe HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins is a correct key.

I suggest that you check the other keys that the installer creates on a machine where the add-in works; make sure these keys are present on the machine in question. Also, please provide adxregistrator.log.


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 27 Aug, 2018 07:02:20 Top
Dave Thompson




Posts: 13
Joined: 2017-11-16
Hi Andrei,

None of the following caused the add-in to be listed in File | Options | Add-ins

  • Uninstalling / Re-installing the add-in
  • Closing and restarting Outlook (prior to or after installation/re-installation)
  • Restarting the machin


I am fairly certain the HKCU registry items are correct

[img]https://imgur.com/a/jN8jyeH[/img]

The only thing I didn't think to check yet is whether they've set Outlook to run under a different user automatically (compatibility settings I think?).

Any other ideas?
Posted 27 Aug, 2018 10:02:27 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18793
Joined: 2006-05-11
Hello Dave,

I would like to access that PC remotely. Is this possible? If yes, I suggest using TeamViewer; in this case you'll need to send me your session ID and password to the support email address; see {Add-in Express installation folder}\readme.txt. Please make sure your email contains a link to this topic.


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 28 Aug, 2018 04:58:52 Top
Dave Thompson




Posts: 13
Joined: 2017-11-16
Hi Andrei,

It will take some coordination, but I think we should be able to do set that up. We're GMT-6 and I think our client is GMT-5. I'll send an email and include our support representative as well.

Thanks!
Posted 28 Aug, 2018 09:20:21 Top
Dave Thompson




Posts: 13
Joined: 2017-11-16
Thank you Andrei for joining our meeting today.

For anyone following this thread here are some details that may help someone else.

Short term solution:
- The specific build is "1807 build 10325.20118 Microsoft Store". While in outlook using "file | options | Add-Ins | Manage COM Add-ins | Add ... " I was able to manually navigate to and add ~\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Our Company\ Our
Add-in\adxloader.dll to Outlook.


Now the add-in loads, I'm going to find out where this ended up being saved in the registry and will report back here once I find out where the entries were made.

I'm guessing this is similar to click-to-run, albeit different, when I browsed through the available MS Office installer options via the client's Microsoft Account there were quite a few different options available. I'll try to setup a follow up meeting that should allow us to obtain more detailed information about the various conditions around their MS Office environment/installation.
Posted 29 Aug, 2018 08:50:59 Top
Andrei Smolin


Add-in Express team


Posts: 18793
Joined: 2006-05-11
Thank you Dave for these details! Very interesting!

To all. While checking the add-ins that Outlook lists in File | Options Add-ins, I've noticed that all the add-ins are per-machine; they were installed to Program Files. That is, the issue can also be bypassed by deploying your add-in as per-machine. It looks like the key point in the information above is "Microsoft Store" in the version string; "Click-to-Run" versions load per-user add-ins all right.


Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
Posted 29 Aug, 2018 08:57:25 Top