GetFormRegionIcon isn't called since I have changed the formRegionType to adjoining

Question

Hi,

I have written a FormRegion addin for Outlook (VSTO 2005 SE). It had been working as I expected, but then I change the formRegionType from "replace" to "adjoining" in the manifest. Now GetFormRegionIcon isn't called any more and Outlook doesn't show the my custom icon. What's going wrong? Is this a bug? I only have to change formRegionType...

Thanks, Raul

Answer 1

Adjoining regions appear on the surface of an existing form page and, therefore, don't use icons. Icons apply only to replace and replaceAll regions.

Answer 2

Thank, Sue.

But actually, there is a solution and it's working. I have to register 2 FormRegions. One is only for the icon and one is for the form - declared as adjoining and without any entry for the icon in the manifest:
...
  <exactMessageClass>true</exactMessageClass>
  <formRegionType>adjoining</formRegionType>
  <showInspectorCompose>false</showInspectorCompose>
  <showInspectorRead>true</showInspectorRead>
  <showReadingPane>false</showReadingPane>

...

2. For showing the icon: a "form region" without a form but with a manifest for the icons and as replaceAll
  <exactMessageClass>true</exactMessageClass> 
  <formRegionType>replaceAll</formRegionType> 
  <showInspectorRead>false</showInspectorRead>
  <showReadingPane>false</showReadingPane>
  <showInspectorCompose>false</showInspectorCompose> 
  <icons>
    <default>addin</default>
    <read>addin</read>
    <unread>addin</unread>
    <replied>addin</replied>
    <forwarded>addin</forwarded>
    <unsent>addin</unsent>
    <submitted>addin</submitted>
    <signed>addin</signed>
    <encrypted>addin</encrypted>
    <window>addin</window>
    <recurring>addin</recurring>
    <page>addin</page>
  </icons>

Regards Raul

Answer 3

Brilliant! A typical, sneaky Outlook solution. Looking at your manifest, I presume that there is a specific IPM.Note.Something MessageClass involved?

Answer 4

Yes, of course. Both form regions are registered (registry) for the same message class.

Answer 5

Hi Raul,

the similar functionality we require but till the time we were creating the seperate factory for icons and there we are passing the form region which we have to customize. can you give some more details about how to use the above manifest in code of form region. if you could share some sample code will be very helpful.

Kumar99