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36

answers:

1

Just wondering, do I really have to use Visual Studio to create a simple add-in/toolbar in Outlook 2007? I created a simple toolbar with a button that opens a form. Then I created some macro code in there and run it clicking the button. But now I want to save this thing and deploy it on other computers. How do I do such a thing?

+1  A: 

Have a look at this article from MSDN Library. Its title is "Deploying a Visual Studio Tools for the Office System 3.0 Solution for the 2007 Microsoft Office System Using Windows Installer (Part 1 of 2)"

Hope this helps

Giovanni

maggix
Really? You have to use Visual Studio? Why does Microsoft do this, have completely different ways of doing these things in the Office suite? This is pretty simple in Word, Excel and even Powerpoint. But Outlook, no you need Visual Studio. Ok, I'll give it a go.
Kenny Bones
Well I developed an Outlook plug-in (although it was an Outlook 2003 one) and I remember I used VS and deployed the add-in using a Visual Studio Solution for creating an installer.
maggix
Ok, so was it a lot of hassle to do this? The installer can just be run on the target computer and that's it?
Kenny Bones
Once the add-in is finished and working properly, the "Setup" Visual Studio Solution is quite easy to make. The output should be a Setup.exe file and a ProjectName.msi file which will be the ones the users will need to install/uninstall the software. On the link I posted, in the "Creating a basic installer" part, you should get all the info you need. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc563937.aspx#VSTO3SolutionPart1_CreatingaBasicInstallerGood luck with your project
maggix
Btw, I can't really figure out how I actually make the form and the custom toolbar. Any quick pointers?
Kenny Bones