How to cutomize Navigation Pane ?

Question

Hi,

I am using following code to insert a CustomTaskPane in the Navigation Pane :

   

Code Snippet

public partial class ThisAddIn
    {
        private Microsoft.Office.Tools.CustomTaskPane taskPane = null;

        private void ThisAddIn_Startup(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
        {
            Outlook.Explorer explorer = this.Application.ActiveExplorer();
            Outlook.NavigationPane pane = explorer.NavigationPane;
            taskPane = this.CustomTaskPanes.Add(new MyPane(), "Custom My Pane", pane);
            taskPane.DockPosition = Office.MsoCTPDockPosition.msoCTPDockPositionBottom;
            taskPane.DockPositionRestrict = Office.MsoCTPDockPositionRestrict.msoCTPDockPositionRestrictNoChange;
            taskPane.Height = 120;
            taskPane.Visible = true;
            taskPane.VisibleChanged += new EventHandler(taskPane_VisibleChanged);
        }

        void taskPane_VisibleChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            taskPane.Visible = true;
        }

        private void ThisAddIn_Shutdown(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
        {
            this.CustomTaskPanes.Remove(taskPane);
        }

        #region VSTO generated code

        /// <summary>
        /// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
        /// the contents of this method with the code editor.
        /// </summary>
        private void InternalStartup()
        {
            this.Startup += new System.EventHandler(ThisAddIn_Startup);
            this.Shutdown += new System.EventHandler(ThisAddIn_Shutdown);
        }

        #endregion
    }

But i am getting error :

Value does not fall within the expected range.


************** Exception Text **************
System.ArgumentException: Value does not fall within the expected range.
   at Microsoft.Office.Tools.ICustomTaskPaneSite.CreateTaskPane(Object control, String title, Object window)
   at Microsoft.Office.Tools.CustomTaskPaneAdapter..ctor(IRuntimeServiceProvider runtimeServiceProvider, UserControl control, String title, Object window)
   at Microsoft.Office.Tools.CustomTaskPaneFactoryAdapter.Microsoft.Office.Tools.ICustomTaskPaneFactoryContract.Create(UserControl control, String title, Object window)
   at Microsoft.Office.Tools.CustomTaskPaneCollection.AddHelper(UserControl control, String title, Object window)
   at Microsoft.Office.Tools.CustomTaskPaneCollection.Add(UserControl control, String title, Object window)
   at CustomTaskPaneAddIn.ThisAddIn.ThisAddIn_Startup(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\CustomTaskPaneAddIn\CustomTaskPaneAddIn\ThisAddIn.cs:line 17
   at Microsoft.Office.Tools.AddIn.OnStartup()
   at CustomTaskPaneAddIn.ThisAddIn.FinishInitialization() in C:\CustomTaskPaneAddIn\CustomTaskPaneAddIn\ThisAddIn.Designer.cs:line 72
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.AppDomainManagerInternal.ExecutePhase(String methodName)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.AppDomainManagerInternal.ExecuteEntryPointsHelper()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.AppDomainManagerInternal.Microsoft.VisualStudio.Tools.Applications.Runtime.IExecuteCustomization2.ExecuteEntryPoints()

Answer 1

It is not possible to create a task pane inside the navigation pane. The last parameter for CustomTaskPanes.Add must be either an Explorer or an Inspector.

Answer 2

Is there any way by which this can be done ? May be through overriding the core implementation (may be catching some events) by which Outlook renders the UI

Answer 3

There is no mechanism built into Outlook to do this. Whether something like that is possible solely with Windows UI programming probably would take a considerable amount of research to determine, as nothing about how Outlook draws its UI is documented or exposed in an API. I would suggest that you use the CTP mechanism as it's designed.