This panel displays Microsoft Outlook contacts.
NeilN released the code for his outdated Outlook Contacts panel which was no more compatible with the newer builds, so I changed it a bit and made it ready for release again.

Note that the panel is far from being feature-complete, this is just a conversion of the old panel. I will update it once I have some time.

INSTALLATION:
Please download the DSPACKAGE file from the Fileforum page and open it when DS is running (make sure it is saved as a DSPACKAGE and not a ZIP file). Once installed the panel should be visible in the Add Panel dialog, inside the Outlook category.

Got an error when pressing Go (running Outlook 2002).

System.IO.FileNotFoundException: File or assembly name Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook, or one of its dependencies, was not found.
File name: "Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook"
at OutlookContacts.OutlookConnector..ctor()
at OutlookContacts.Panel.btnGo_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

Oh yeah I remember I had to include another file in the install.

Interop.Outlook.dll

Thanks for this plugin!

Is it right that only the local contacts are searched?
Maybe an option to define where you want to search, because I want to search the contacts on the exchange server (Global Address List).
Maybe you can open the default Address Book from Outlook, instead of viewing the contacts in a grid?!

Greets
/tap

I could be wrong, but if I remember right...easier GAL access would require the Exchange server to be setup for LDAP.

Thanks, Neil. I've updated the package, can you check it out again?
tapufd - I don't know of a way to do a global exchange server search, and also I think opening the Outlook Address Book is not possible. Sorry

OK, I think I've found a way to get the addresses from the Global Address List. However, I don't have a way to test this. tapufd - is it OK if I'll send you the updated panel and you'll tell me if it's working? If yes, please PM me you email address. Thanks.
EDIT: Forget that, I didn't find a way. Sorry about that.

Works great now.

Note to kdam: It'd be really nice if Outlook Contact searching could be incorporated into the super-duper Command Line panel.

Happy it's working now.
I think once kdam said something about "programmatic" command line searches, I don't know.

P.S.
Your code uses a very cumbersome method of enumerating contacts, I will change it to a "foreach" statement, and that will also allow me to (hopefully) enumerate GAL entries.

I've checked Indian_Mayhem's reply on the LDAP thing, and he is right. The easy way is using LDAP.
I checked this, and our exchange server supports LDAP. I've even managed to do a LDAP search and find the contacts --> Windows Address Book under Accessories has the option to do a search through LDAP. See in Windows Address Book under Tools, Accounts what I mean.
Maybe this LDAP option can be added in the Contacts plugin?

Thanks already for your research into this.

Greets,
/tap

I tried For Each but ran into a problem (can't remember what). Hope you have better luck.

yipie!!!!!!!!!!!!! my prayers have been answered. thank you go(d)ma! ) lol

I ventured into the world of LDAP not to long ago when I upgraded all our Macs to OS X and Office 2004. Entourage can connect to an Exchange server but has to resolve the GAL using LDAP. OWA uses it as well, which would be probably the coolest thing for corporate users AND college kids that don't have Outlook but on the university Exchange server. It would be pimping if DS could read OWA.

But back to LDAP. Check out cdolive.com for some different tips on that.

I just installed Desktopside Toolbar with Outlook Contacts panel. I receive the following error, as NeilN, when clicking on Go. I tested both with Outlook running and not.

I downloaded the plugin from here, but I see v1.0 and not (minimum) 1.1 as expected after the "updated package" by GoMa.

Nothing also happens when choosing Panel Properties.

What's wrong?

ps my config: WinXp SP2 italian P4M 2.0Ghz 768Mb Ram, Office 2003 italian

Which Outlook version are you using?

As I wrote, I'm using Office 2003 ita (alias Outlook 2003 ita).

Sorry, didn't notice that.
Can you please check the plugin directory (usually c:\Documents and Settings\[USER NAME]\Application Data\Desktop Sidebar\plugins\OutlookContacts\) and tell me if you see a file called Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.dll there?

GoMa,
don't worry, you're welcome!

Regarding the DLL file, it's exactly there where you indicated, it is a file 408176 byte lenght dated 10/08/2004 15.03.52.

The error I receive is titled Microsoft .net Framework and the text gives me an exception. Below the full debug information given (please note their in italian language):

Hello,

I'm also very interested with extending the search to LDAP account set in Outlook. It works great with adress book in Outlook. Are you working on it ? and do you have an estimation date for this feature ?
Thanks

Estimation of date - don't have one at all and don't like deadlines. ;p
Working on it - I am trying to find a way, anybody with code samples could post a link and that would help.

Are these LDAP contacts in an Outlook folder (i.e. you can see it in the folder tree)? Because I can show the contents of any folder in the panel.

Someone with Exchange that wants to test a totally untested and unguaranteed version which might get the contacts from the GAL, please tell me your email address.

no, LDAP contacts don't appear in an Outlook folder. When you open Outlook and make a search (directly on top of the window), the result of LDAP appears on a popup. If you can just show this popup it will be nice, like Notes or Calendar do. I'll send you my email by PM to test your beta version.

Is someone willing to test the GAL functionality? Email me. Thanks. It's quite a big problem that I don't have any way to test it myself.

A useful feature to add to the Outlook Contacts bar is to add a column in the tabular output of "Details" that would contain a link next to each name that would open that person's detailed (outlook) contact card.

The format for links to specific address book entries is:

Outlook:contacts/~[Firsname]%20[Lastname]

Considering how great the panel is at finding people based on words entered into the contacts folder, then I assume it wouldn't be too much to add a specific link to each person's contact card (since the name would be known, so it would be easy to populate the generic Outlook:contacts/... link as above)

The only possible issue is that when I type the Outlook:contacts... link in a browser window, it will not only display the contact card (which I want) but also creates a new "no page to display" page in the browser. Perhaps this wouldn't be a problem if the link were not launhed from a browser but from the contacts results table itself..?

Then again, perhaps GoMa and other developers already encountered problems / limitations with what I'm suggesting. Alternatively some way of adding columns to the tabular output (like email) could be useful (even without a GUI, like having some XML file to list columns)

In any case, the Outlook Contacts bar is yet another great feature of the DesktopSidebar. So far I haven't encountered any of the problems that other posters on this forum have (using O2002 on XP). Awesome work GoMa and the entire community!

- Eric

I think it will not be a problem to add this feature (it was not requested before). I will try to implement it.

I'm having the same problem with this panel as ilNebbioso above, running Outlook 2003 Pro. I think I've figured out what part of my problem is: the contacts panel must be reading the defualt contacts folder and I don't have any contacts in that folder. All of mine are in another folder (done for other reasons and I can't really change them over). All the other OL panels have the ability to select the folder, but this one does not. Am I missing something here? Thanks!

Hey.. Me would be number three. I have the same probem as ilNebbioso and Vidge using Outlook2000. And I am using German version... but the message I get is the same as ilNebbioso already posted in Italian.

Looks like a bigger problem? :(

Er.. I don't know. I would have thought the problem to be Outlook 2000 but apparently the error occurs with Outlook 2003 too.

Well, while you are working on things, here are some more ideas:

1. Display the company field.
2. Allow searches by company. <-- This would be really great!

You could show the address and search on that, but company is better for us corporate users.

I have a system I developed where the search field looks at first name, last name, company, and street address.

Just some ideas.

Mine is all wacky cause I have my contacts by company in outlook, so using the notes panel to view contacts give me a list of names out of order.

Likewise, it would be nice if the preview pane for that gave you more than just the notes for that contact (like a summary view of their contact info).

I think the real contacts panel is better, but it needs to be able to use company.

Like show me all my contacts at "Ropeadope".

It should give a list of all the people at that company.

Please? With sugar?

Oh, it does have its shortcomings, no doubt. But, until the other contacts panel is fully developed, it is a way of getting to the cards easily.

I would like to see the same layout in the new contacts panel tbh, perhaps with ordering & filter options? Would then still be a nice & quick click to get the details card displayed.

I already asked for it elsewhere, but forgot exactly where... sorry: wasn't the source for this panel available? I cannot find it anywhere (only the source for yyy's panel which doesn't work with Outlook) and I need it to make a few changes.

It was in PM and I already answered you IIRC.
I am almost sure I lost the code of this panel after formatting my drive (forgot to back it up I guess). I'll check again when I'll get home.
See here for Neil's old source. I did not make many modifications.
Sorry.

Right, GoMa, I remembered the "lost" source problem but not that we talked about it in PMs Now, why didn't I find the post you linked to? shame on me... or on the forum's search engine???

Thanks anyway, will get the original code and play with it.

Oh, well, the original source seems to have some missing references and the original panel doesn't work, DS b94 says it was made for an old release, while yours, GoMa, seems to work.

Now, let's start a discussion about backups...

I didn't mean it would work right away. The reason for me "taking over" the panel is an API change and Neil's lack of time (or will ) to update it.
You can probably use .NET Reflector and Reflector.FileDisassembler pretty easily on my panel if you're really desperate.