mandatory properties for Add to Contact

[Eric]

I'm developing a MAPI Address Book Provider. When I have addresses in the
Address Book I can click on the icon "Add to contacts" and I get some calls
on IMailUser::GetProps and then a Contact opens with the supported
properties filled in. But when I open the detail dialog I get calls to all
the properties from the dialog and when the dialog box is open I've got a
button "Contacts" (beside "Add to:"). When I click there, I get a call to
IMailUser::GetProps with PR_ENTRYID and then the Outlook error message "Some
names could not be added to Contacts. The action could not be completed.".

On the detail dialog I've got almost all properties which I don't support
yet (returning PT_ERROR / MAPI_E_NOT_FOUND in the property. Only the display
name is supported yet. Is there a minimum required property set that this
works?

In the same context I've got another design question:
My backend database returns me a flag "business/private" and many
properties. Should I display the detail dialog with a custom property like
PR_GENERAL_PHONE_NUMBER (which contains the business or private phone number
depending on the flag) or should I duplicate all fields (using
PR_HOME_PHONE_NUMBER and PR_BUSINESS_PHONE_NUMBER) and fill in the received
phone number into the correct field. (This applies to address, URL, etc.
too). I would prefer the first way (custom properties) because otherwise one
of both would always be empty. But if this makes trouble later adding them
to a Contact etc. I'm willing to duplicate them. What is better?

Eric Bauersachs

[Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)]

1. Off the top of my head, PR_EMAIL_ADDRESS and PR_ENTRYID must be
supported.
2. I'd go with the fixed properties if I were you.

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool

"Eric" <bauer...@kull.ch.nospam.me.com> wrote in message
news:cl65n1$cki$1...@newshispeed.ch...

[Eric]

Hi Dmitry

Thanks for your answer.

1. I'm supporting these two properties already and still receive

"Some names could not be added to Contacts.
The action could not be completed."

What's the difference between the two methods to add an entry into a new
contact? In both cases I support the same properties. Using the icon in the
list it works, but with the button on the details it doesn't work. In the
meantime I almost support all properties that exist - same error. Any ideas?

2. With fixed properties you mean the defined properties from the header
files? Ok, I'll go that way. Thank you for your advice.

Eric

"Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)" <dmi...@dimastr.com> wrote in message
news:ugScNKtt...@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...

[Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)]

1. So what are the properties that Outlook requests? Is it only PR_ENTRYID?
2. Yes, this way Outlook will know what each property means.

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool

"Eric" <bauer...@kull.ch.nospam.me.com> wrote in message

news:cl6k6n$dg5$1...@newshispeed.ch...

[Eric]

1. Well, when opening the dialog, Outlook requests all the properties on the
dialog (about one hundred props like Email, First Name, Last Name, Phone,
etc. and some own properties). When clicking on the "Add to Contacts"
button, Outlook only requests PR_ENTRYID, nothing more (perhaps because
Outlook has sufficient infos already). And then the error message appears.

My next step: I'm gonna try to make a new dialog (instead of the big one)
with only one private property and try what Outlook then requests
afterwards. I'll post the results here. But if you have any other idea, just
let me know...

2. Ok, thanks again! This part closed.

Eric

"Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)" <dmi...@dimastr.com> wrote in message

news:uDj#FBvtEH...@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

[Eric]

Test results with simple dialog: Didn't change a thing.
With the Add button the following properties are being asked: (before
opening the dialog): PR_INITIAL_DETAILS_PANE (return unsupported;
PT_ERROR/E_NOT_FOUND), the one private property on the simple dialog
(unsupp.), then click an Add button, PR_ENTRYID -> error message.

With the toolbar-icon method I get asked for PR_OBJECT_TYPE (return
MAPI_MAILUSER), PR_DISPLAY_NAME, PropertyTag=1 (?, unsupported), PR_COMMENT
(unsupported), PR_EMAIL_ADDRESS, PR_ADDRTYPE (return "SMTP"),
PR_ORIGINAL_DISPLAY_NAME (unsupp.), PR_ENTRYID, 0x8005001E, 0x8CCA1102,
PR_ACCOUNT (all unsupp.), etc.
Actually no real difference.

In the meantime I found out what the problem was: The property PR_ENTRYID
was a pointer to a local variable on the stack. In one case it was already
destroyed, in the other case it worked...
Now I made a CEntryIdProperty class with all memory handling etc. (like a
CStringProperty class I've got already) and everything works. Thanks for
your help anyway.

Eric

[Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)]

Whatever you return from GetProps does not belong to you anymore, you cannot
use local (stack) variables or any memory allocated using your private
(class constructors etc) memory management functions.
You must allocate SPropValueArray using MAPIAllocateBuffer, then allocate
all child pointers (such as SPropValue.Value.bin.lpb for the PR_ENTRYID
property) using MAPIAllocateMore. This is the only way to do it.

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool

"Eric" <bauer...@kull.ch.nospam.me.com> wrote in message

news:cl8qrr$lt3$1...@newshispeed.ch...