Microsoft Outlook/Tracks Integration

Features

• Create a new Tracks todo directly from Microsoft Outlook.
• Inserts an ‘Add to Tracks’ option in the right-click context menu for email items.
• A popup dialog box allows the context and project of the item to be set.

• Uses the RESTful API.

  Requirements:

  Outlook 2003 (tested).
  Outlook 2007 (tested).

  Todo:

  Due By/Show From

  Author

  Greg Jarman.

  I’m not a VBA coder – No guarantees on this software. I hope it works for you.

  Installation:

  Download Required Files

  1. Download the file: TodoForm10.zip. Unzip the contents to a temporary directory – which can be removed after the import in the next step.

  User Form Creation

  2. Open Outlook. Go to the Tools menu, select Macro->Visual Basic Editor.
  3. The Virtual Basic Editor will open.
  4. Select File->Import…
  5. Import the TodoForm.frm file.
  6. Verify that you have a new item created under the Forms folder in your Project window.

  User Form Configuration

  7. From the Project box, expand Forms.
  8. Right-click TodoForm and select View Code.
  9. Edit the file and set appropriate values for the following things:

• sURL: The address of your tracks installation.
• sUsername: Your tracks username.
• sPassword: Your tracks password.

• sProxy: If required, configure the address and port of your proxy server. Otherwise, leave it blank.

  Outlook Integration

  10. Still in Visual Basic: From the Project box, expand “Microsoft Office Outlook” to find “ThisOutlookSession”.
  11. Right-click ThisOutlookSession and select “View Code”.
  12. If you have anything existing in there called ‘Private Sub Application_Startup()’ STOP NOW and seek expert advice. Continuing may interrupt access to pre-existing customisations already present in your Oulook configuration.
  13. Otherwise, copy and paste the following into the Window:

  ' greg jarman   20080821   v1.0     initial version
'
'

Option Explicit

Private WithEvents explorer As Outlook.explorer
Private WithEvents mailItem As Outlook.mailItem

Const MENUITEM_TEXT = "Add To Tracks..."

Private Sub Application_Startup()
  ' CheckLibrary
  
  Set explorer = Application.ActiveExplorer
  Application.ActiveExplorer
End Sub

Public Sub mailItem_CustomAction(ByVal Action As Object, _
      ByVal Response As Object, ByRef Cancel As Boolean)
  Select Case Action.Name
    Case MENUITEM_TEXT
      TodoForm.DescriptionTextBox.Text = mailItem.Subject
      TodoForm.NotesTextBox.Text = mailItem.Body
      TodoForm.Show
      Cancel = True
    Case Else
  End Select
End Sub


Private Sub explorer_SelectionChange()
  Dim selectedItem As Object
  
  For Each selectedItem In explorer.Selection
    If selectedItem.Class = olMail Then
      Dim newAction As Outlook.Action
      
      Set mailItem = selectedItem
      Set newAction = mailItem.Actions.Item(MENUITEM_TEXT)
      If newAction Is Nothing Then
        Set newAction = mailItem.Actions.Add
        newAction.Name = MENUITEM_TEXT
        newAction.ShowOn = Outlook.OlActionShowOn.olMenu
        newAction.Enabled = True
        mailItem.Save
      End If
    End If
  Next
End Sub 

  Outlook Macro Security

  14. Close the Visual Basic editor window.
  15. From the main Outlook menu, select Tools->Macro->Security. Ensure the Security Level setting is on Medium. You’ll be prompted when a macro wishes to run, see below for an optional change to remove this warning.

  Testing Outlook Integration

  16. Close Outlook and reopen it.
  17. Select Enable Macro to allow the Tracks macro to start up.
  18. Right click a mail message and select ‘Add To Tracks…’
  19. Edit the fields, and hit ‘Add Todo’
  20. Verify the new item is visible in your Tracks browser interface.

  Self-signing the Macro

  It is possible to sign the VBA code in order to prevent the Macro Security warning popups whenever you start Outlook. This section is optional – the functionality of the addon is not otherwise enhanced by this change.

  1. Browse to Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder (Office12 for a 2007 installation).
  2. Locate a program called ‘selfcert.exe’. If it is not present you’ll need to rerun office setup and add Digital Signature for VBA Projects from the Office Tools section.
  3. Execute selfcert.exe.
  4. Type your name into the field provided. This will generate a self-signed certificate for you, you can look it up in Control Panel->Internet->Content->Certificates.
  5. Next, open Outlook and go to Tools->Macro->Visual Basic Editor.
  6. Go to the Tools menu, and select Digital Signature.
  7. Press the Choose button, select your new certificate from the list and hit okay.

1. Close Outlook and re-open it. You may be prompted to trust the certificate the first time you use it, but after that you should not see any further security warnings on startup.