Windows Mail (formerly Outlook Express)

Disclaimer

New applications should not use this technology. It exists for backward compatibility with legacy applications. This technology may not be supported in the next version of Windows.

Introduction

Microsoft Windows Mail (formerly Outlook Express) is an online communication tool supplied as part of Windows Vista and later versions.

This documentation is provided for programmers who want to extend the functionality of Windows Mail.

Developer Audience

The Microsoft Visual C++ class-based interface is designed for use by C/C++ programmers. Familiarity with Component Object Model (COM) is required. Additionally, familiarity with the Windows graphical user interface and message-driven architecture may be helpful.

Windows Mail Documentation

This documentation is organized as shown in the following tables.

Overviews

Accounts File SchemaDescribes the mechanism for storing mail, news, and directory service account data.
Extending Windows MailShows tasks and C/C++ programming examples for extending Windows Mail.
What's NewDescribes the latest application features.

References

DatabaseDescribes database-related API.
MessagingDescribes messaging-related API.
NetworkingDescribes network-related API.
AccountsDescribes accounts-related API.
MiscellaneousDescribes miscellaneous API.

Related Topics

Windows Vista provides a mechanism and user interface for storing and retrieving information about people (contacts). For information, see Windows Contacts.

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Community Content

Thomas Lee
Article and Sample code for Outlook Express and Windows Mail API
The "Reading and Writing Messages in Outlook Express" article is at: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/COM/Outlook_Express_Messages.aspx

It contains information & sample code for calling OE & WM APIs.

infomax
about "Do not use"
The article says "Do not use these interfaces and API for Windows Mail (OE)" but nothing says what to use instead of?

I quite often meet requests on creating add-ons to OE, but nowhere yet have found solution (except several quite expensive libraries built on hooks).

could anybody help?


[mikej] I used the COM API in C# details at:
(http://www.i-programmer.info/projects/38-windows/222-hacking-outlook-com-interop.html)
- what else is there and OE and Windows mail is old technology and I doubt anything is going to replace the old COM API.
So use it any any other internal details that you can find in place of any more suported API

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