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OeLibrary 1.0

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22 Aug 2013GPL33 min read 131.4K   2.5K   56   52
Opensource Outlook Express automation library

Introduction

OELibrary is open source COM based component written in C++. I have created this component long back when I used to work with EfExtra e-solution pvt ltd. There it used to be closed source, paid software, but due to some personal and professional reason, this component has not able to see light of day. After around three year, when I enquired about the same, Saurabh (Director, EfExtra) happily agreed to launch project open source, rather then just lying idle in backup of computer.

His thinking behind this is that, at least programmer community gets benefited of it and the project might get more robust and feature rich after receiving feedback and working (multiple mind instead of single) . This component is released under GPL license. This component is RELEASE AS IS, without any warranties and guarantees.

This component is dedicated to My Mother Late Mrs. Saroj Gupta.

The Objective

The aim of this project is to create a programming library which enables automating, or in other words, providing programmatic access to certain tasks in Outlook Express.
The central idea is to provide an easy to use object model to developers who wish to interact and control Outlook Express from their applications. Some of the functions this library aims to provide are:

Features

  • Add, Delete, & Enumerate mail folders in Outlook Express.
  • Enumerate, Read, and Delete messages in a given folder.
  • Move messages from one folder to another.
  • Get selected folder.
  • Notifications for certain events (e.g. new mail).
  • Adding a custom toolbar to Outlook Express and responding to click events on it.
  • Reading OEAccount information.
  • Manipulating the Window Address book!

Where it could be used ?

Outlook Express is a free email client and comes preinstalled with Microsoft Windows Operating Systems. Outlook Express is the most commonly used email client today.
Outlook Express does not support automation by itself unlike Microsoft Outlook, which comes as a part of Microsoft’s Office suite. Microsoft Outlook provides a feature rich and easy to use object model allowing developers to automate most tasks in it.


Many developers who want to develop applications/plug-ins/add-ins for Outlook Express can’t do so because of its lack of any automation interface.
The goal of this project is to fill this void and provide a library that can use used by developers to automate Outlook Express from their applications.

The library can be developed as a COM component (ActiveX DLL) that can be referenced by developers in their projects. The ActiveX component will provide a expose an object model similar to the automation interface of Microsoft Outlook. This insures that the developers who have already worked with Microsoft Outlook automation feel at ease working with our Outlook Express Automation Library. The ActiveX DLL will be developed as an ATL COM component so that it does not have any additional dependencies.

Using the code and some example

I am assuming that you already have the reference of EfOeLibrary in your Projects!. object model is quite simple, you just have to create the object of the Application and all thing what ever you want come from it.

1. Getting Inbox folder !

VB.NET
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim app As New OELib.Application
Dim inboxFolder, rootFolder As OELib.MailFolder

' CREATE THE OBJECT OF root folder
Set rootFolder = app.GetLocalFolder

' retrieve Inbox special folder
Set inboxFolder = rootFolder.GetSpecialFolder(SF_FOLDER_INBOX)


If inboxFolder Is Nothing Then
 MsgBox " error getting reference of inbox folder"
Else
MsgBox " Yo! man, you recv reference of inbox folder"
End If
End Sub

2. Getting Messages !

VB.NET
Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim app As New OELib.Application
Dim inboxFolder, rootFolder As OELib.MailFolder
Dim IMsg As MailItem


' CREATE THE OBJECT OF root folder
Set rootFolder = app.GetLocalFolder

' retrieve Inbox special folder
Set inboxFolder = rootFolder.GetSpecialFolder(SF_FOLDER_INBOX)


If inboxFolder Is Nothing Then
 MsgBox " error getting reference of inbox folder"
Else
MsgBox " Yo! man, you recv reference of inbox folder"
End If

' get first message
Set IMsg = inboxFolder.GetFirstMessage

' check weather you recv same of not
If Not IMsg Is Nothing Then
MsgBox IMsg.From
End If


End Sub

3. Creating Toolband

VB.NET
Private Sub Command2_Click()
Dim app As New OELib.Application
Dim ptoolband As OELib.OEToolBand

' get the obejct

Set ptoolband = app.GetToolBand

'add button
ptoolband.AddButton OE_TYPE_BUTTON, "Alok Gupta"

End Sub

4. Reading OeAccount Information!

VB.NET
Private Sub Command3_Click()
Dim app As New OELib.Application
Dim oeacctmgr As OEAccountMgr
Dim oeacct As OEAccount

' get account mgr object
Set oeacctmgr = app.GetOEAccounts


If Not oeacctmgr Is Nothing Then
 ' get news account
  Set oeacct = oeacctmgr.GetFirstAccount(OE_SRV_NNTP)

  If Not oeacct Is Nothing Then
   MsgBox oeacct.AccountName
  End If

End If

End Sub

Object Model...!

1. Folder - Message Object Model :-

EfOelibrary/image10_0.jpg

2. Toolband Object Model :-

EfOelibrary/image10_1.jpg

Installation Guide...!

  • Register Efoexxxx.dll using regsvr32.exe
  • copy efinject.dll and oehook.dll in windows directory

Special Thanks...!

  • My Parents
  • Saurabh Gupta, [Director EfExtra ESolution Pvt. Ltd.]
  • Mumtaz Zaheer for Hook source code
  • My Friends Ankit and Gaurav for there support in white box testing and creating help!
  • Vizacc freeware helpmaker

History

March 2, 2008 :- First Release for OeLibrary 1.0

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The GNU General Public License (GPLv3)


Written By
Software Developer (Senior)
India India
He used to have biography here Smile | :) , but now he will hire someone (for free offcourse Big Grin | :-D ), Who writes his biography on his behalf Smile | :)

He is Great Fan of Mr. Johan Rosengren (his idol),Lim Bio Liong, Nishant S and DavidCrow and Believes that, he will EXCEL in his life by following there steps!!!

He started with Visual C++ then moved to C# then he become language agnostic, you give him task,tell him the language or platform, he we start immediately, if he knows the language otherwise he quickly learn it and start contributing productively

Last but not the least, For good 8 years he was Visual CPP MSMVP!

Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionCeate New DBX Pin
john56328-Sep-11 23:05
john56328-Sep-11 23:05 
Generalfailed to creat toolbar Pin
nikle_li23-Apr-10 20:15
nikle_li23-Apr-10 20:15 
GeneralRe: failed to creat toolbar Pin
nikle_li23-Apr-10 20:29
nikle_li23-Apr-10 20:29 
GeneralVS2005/2008 Version Pin
miky8024-Mar-10 12:29
miky8024-Mar-10 12:29 
QuestionMemory leak? Pin
garzooma27-Oct-09 14:53
garzooma27-Oct-09 14:53 
AnswerRe: Memory leak? Pin
ThatsAlok15-Sep-11 0:01
ThatsAlok15-Sep-11 0:01 
Generalcrash when fast user switch Pin
sunrise201122-Sep-09 22:18
sunrise201122-Sep-09 22:18 
GeneralGreat article ! Pin
sunrise201118-Aug-09 16:27
sunrise201118-Aug-09 16:27 
Questionhow to use this library in C#.NET Pin
sureshwings11-May-09 19:21
sureshwings11-May-09 19:21 
AnswerRe: how to use this library in C#.NET Pin
ThatsAlok18-Aug-09 18:03
ThatsAlok18-Aug-09 18:03 
QuestionMailItem ReceivedTime property missing? Pin
Sujit D'Mello9-Feb-09 5:54
Sujit D'Mello9-Feb-09 5:54 
AnswerRe: MailItem ReceivedTime property missing? Pin
ThatsAlok1-May-09 0:52
ThatsAlok1-May-09 0:52 
GeneralThanks very much Pin
David xiao20-Nov-08 15:24
David xiao20-Nov-08 15:24 
GeneralWAB Support Pin
seniorandre16-Nov-08 10:56
seniorandre16-Nov-08 10:56 
QuestionDoes it support Windows Mail ? Pin
hsn_salhi9-Oct-08 6:09
hsn_salhi9-Oct-08 6:09 
AnswerRe: Does it support Windows Mail ? Pin
ThatsAlok9-Oct-08 16:19
ThatsAlok9-Oct-08 16:19 
Hi Thanks for reply!, i havn't check same for Windows Mail(Vista). could you please do me favour by testing same on vista! thanks!

"Opinions are neither right nor wrong. I cannot change your opinion. I can, however, change what influences your opinion." - David Crow
Never mind - my own stupidity is the source of every "problem" - Mixture


cheers,
Alok Gupta
VC Forum Q&A :- I/IV
Support CRY- Child Relief and You/xml>

GeneralRe: Does it support Windows Mail ? Pin
hsn_salhi9-Oct-08 23:02
hsn_salhi9-Oct-08 23:02 
GeneralRe: Does it support Windows Mail ? Pin
ThatsAlok9-Oct-08 23:46
ThatsAlok9-Oct-08 23:46 
GeneralRe: Does it support Windows Mail ? Pin
ThatsAlok9-Oct-08 23:52
ThatsAlok9-Oct-08 23:52 
GeneralRe: Does it support Windows Mail ? Pin
hsn_salhi11-Oct-08 9:31
hsn_salhi11-Oct-08 9:31 
QuestionWABContact???? Pin
bendbock8-Oct-08 14:10
bendbock8-Oct-08 14:10 
AnswerRe: WABContact???? Pin
bendbock8-Oct-08 14:35
bendbock8-Oct-08 14:35 
GeneralRe: WABContact???? Pin
ThatsAlok8-Oct-08 15:59
ThatsAlok8-Oct-08 15:59 
GeneralpInboxFolder_NewMsg Event Not Firing in VBExample NewMessage Project Pin
chaines325-Jun-08 11:37
chaines325-Jun-08 11:37 
QuestionRelated to Block sender Pin
pakistan16-Jun-08 2:51
pakistan16-Jun-08 2:51 

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