Communicator/OCS 2007 Integrated programs / plugins, How?, When?, What?

Question

I've found the following blog

http://www.modalitysystems.com/blog/?cat=14

but have not had the time to delve deeper into the different aspects described in it. I figured i'd throw out a broad question to you people and get some input :)

What I want to do is integrate some of our buisness applications with Communicator/OCS, e.g. like how some games in windows live messenger works, or in a manner like Live Meeting integrates with Communicator/OCS (getting webcam / microphone / chat input)

Anyone done something along thoose lines before and could kick in with some information on where/how to get further with this idea?

Update:

i'm guessing one solution would be to use "Microsoft Unified Communications Client API SDK": http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=82C468DA-3294-4CA9-BBCC-D455CFD06AF2&displaylang=en

Together with "Integrating a Third-Party Collaboration Program with Communicator 2007": http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb963931.aspx

Answer 1

You could have a look at this project on Sourceforge. It's an OCS plugin for Trillian (multi protocol IM client), developed in C++ and C#. However I don't think it handles audio and video...

Answer 2

You basically have two options to integrate with OCS on the client, using the Microsoft supported APIs - the Office Communicator Automation API, or the Unified Communications Client API.

The first is the simpler option, but relies on having a running instance of Communicator on the target machine.

The second is more complex, but gives you greater flexibility. It doesn't rely on a running instance of Communicator so allows for much cleaner integration - the downside of this is that you have to handle a lot of the plumbing work yourself.

With both options, you will have to get your hands dirty with some COM interop type stuff, much more so with the second option.

I'd recomend diving deeper into the fantastic blog post you mentioned - but then I would say that, as I wrote it ;o)