Outlook Add-in issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hello –

I am hoping some of you out there can help me with this one. I will try to
be brief… This is a greatly simplified take on what has been going on.

The background of the issue:
We have an Outlook Add-in that was written in VB6. This add-in will take
the content of an email and use it for some processing. The add-in is in
production and has been used by a large number of people successfully.

There are others, however, that are not as successful. Some people are
getting the following errors:

1. On startup of Outlook
a. An error has occurred. Details: Number=-2147467259; Description=Method
'; Source=' of object '.
b. An error has occurred. Details: Number=15031; Description=Error
occurred while checking for toolbar; Source=CheckExplorerToolbar
2. When an email is opened
a. An error has occurred. Details: Number=-2147467259; Description=Method
'; Source=' of object '.
b. An error has occurred. Details: Number=91; Description=Object variable
or With block variable not set; Source=OutlookAddin.

There is absolutely no pattern to these errors barred from one thing – all
users that experience these errors are running WinXP SP2 and Office 2003
(along with some that have no problems). We have gone through the normal
uninstall and reinstall, removal of other software, recreation of profile,
removal of Word as editor (and much much more) to no avail.

This issue is extremely difficult to reproduce (I personally have never been
able to).

I have been researching this issue and am wondering the following:

1. Has anyone seen these errors before with a similar type of add-in with
the same kind of infrequency?
2. Does anyone know of anything that was added to Office 2003 (security
update, SP, etc) that could be the cause?
3. We have considered rewriting the add-in using managed code and the new
Outlook add-in model. Do you think that these errors will go away if we do?
Why?
4. We have also considered using the shim concept on the existing VB6 add-in
(basically writing a C++ dll to then instantiate the VB dll). Is this
viable? Why?

My gut-feel is that the issue is caused by another installed component(s)
infringing in the Outlook add-in space. According to my research:
1. A VB6 shared add-in uses the same application space as the rest of
Outlook and anything else that is running along with Outlook (like word if it
is the editor and any other add-ins).
2. A Managed add-in (pre VS2005) would also run in the same appdomain which
is why the concept of shim-ing an add-on came to be as it allowed the add-in
to run in it’s own space
3. The new Outlook add-in support in VS2005 handles the shim automatically
making each add-in run within it’s own space.

Is this an accurate representation?

I appreciate all of your responses and look forward to when I can return the
favor.

Thanks
-Steve
 
Am Thu, 13 Oct 2005 21:22:59 -0700 schrieb Steve Wooster:

Steve, I´d add more detailed error tracking code to the Add-In and a
function to write an error log file. One of the customers, where the error
occurs, could run that Add-In and send the log file to you.

The error -2147467259 (&H80004005) do I know from ADO where it can have
serveral causes. If that´s the case then you´d probably have to check the
Connection.Errors collection for detailed information.
 
Hi Michael -

Thanks for the reply.

We have added quite a bit of error tracking. The interesting thing is one
of the errors happens when the add-in loads an icon. It is strange and
difficult to repro since the machines are at a client location, it also makes
it difficult to send them an update.

The crux of the post was to get some info on the questiosn I asked in the
end of it. With the errors in mond, will we see any improvement by upgrading
the add-in to managed code?

I do appreciate your help. Many thanks
 
Am Sun, 16 Oct 2005 14:58:02 -0700 schrieb Steve Wooster:

Maybe the CommandBar isn´t available by the time you´re trying to add a
button with an icon?

You can use any other language you want to build a new Add-In - and if *you*
don´t make errors then, yes, your problem will be solved. In other words: VB
created Add-Ins have no problems at all with CommandBars or Icons.
 
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