Developing Web Applications With Microsoft Exchange

Developing Web Applications With ® Microsoft Exchange Tom Rizzo  : thomriz@microsoft.com Objectives     Understand the tools available for collaborative development Understand the infrastructure requirements for web-based apps Learn how to build collaborative applications using Exchange/Outlook/IIS Demos, Demos, Demos, Code, Code, Code The three T‟s  Technologies      OWA CDO/COM Components Outlook HTML Form Converter Routing/Workflow Directory Integration Outlook VID/FrontPage  Tools    Techniques Demo: Some Web Apps        Job Candidates Helpdesk Calendar of Events News Expense Reporting Project Management Directory Management Technologies: OWA     Outlook Web Access is your best tool Code examples, best practices Steal portions for your own applications Provides both anonymous and authenticated access Architecture Browser Exchange Server CDO & CDOHTML Internet Information Server Active Server Pages Upload Lang OWA Scripts Architecture  Script Directory Structure exchsrvr\webdata Global.asa FRN USA JPN constant.inc inbox contacts calendar forms ipm finduser help images lib report schedule note contact document post Custom and converted forms dr ndr ipnnrn ipnrn Setup/Authentication   Setting up Exchange for your Intranet is easy, depending on your authentication needs Two types of authentication:  Basic:    Clear text authentication Can use SSL for encryption All web browers support it Encrypted Can use SSL for further encryption Requires IE  NT Challenge/Response:    Setup/Authentication  Depending on authentication, machine configuration varies:   Basic:  Exchange Server and IIS can be on separate machines or same machine. NT Challenge/Response:  Exchange Server and IIS are required to be on the same machine. Windows 2000 will support separate machines.  You may be wondering why this is necessary. . . . . . Anonymous Web pages Web Browser IIS Server NT Server (separate or same machine) 1 Browser connects to IIS by requesting a web page. 2 IIS automatically is logged on as IUSR_Machin eName account. 3 The IUSR_MachineName account is used to retrieve web page. Basic Authentication Web Browser IIS Server NT Server (separate or same machine) 1 Browser connects to IIS by requesting a web page. 2 IIS automatically is logged on as IUSR_Machin eName account. 3 The NT Account specified is used to retrieve web page. NTLM Authentication Web Browser IIS Server NT Server (must be same machine) You cannot proxy the authentication 1 Browser connects to IIS by requesting a web page. 2 IIS automatically is logged on as IUSR_Machin eName account. 3 The NT Account specified is used to retrieve web page. How authentication works  For Basic or NTLM:    IIS is always initially logged in as IUSR_MACHINENAME This account has no permissions to your Exchange Server accounts by default If you do not change this authentication in your application, you will get either a Logon failed error or a FailOneProvider error Changing permissions      In order for secure access, your application needs to check the server variables to see if the client is authenticated If not, your application needs to send back 401 Unauthorized This will prompt the browser to force authentication For NTLM, no screen appears For Basic, username/password logon appears From Outlook Web Access Public Function BAuthenticateUser On Error Resume Next BAuthenticateUser = False bstrAT = Request.ServerVariables("AUTH_TYPE") If InStr(1, bstrAuthTypesAccepted, bstrAT, vbTextCompare) < 2 Then Response.Buffer = TRUE Response.Status = ("401 Unauthorized") Response.End Else BAuthenticateUser = True End If End CDO Object Model Session Inbox… Outbox… InfoStores RootFolder Messages Attachments Address lists Object and collection Object only AddressEntries Fields AddressEntryFilter Fields MessageFilter Fields Fields Recipients Fields Fields Folders… CDO Rendering Objects RenderingApplication ContainerRenderer Formats Format Patterns Pattern Views TableView ObjectRenderer Formats Format Patterns Pattern Object and collection Object only There are two classes of view objects - TableView - CalendarView Columns Column Code Walkthrough  Let‟s a look at the code for all of them! Outlook HTML Form Conv.    Provides conversion between Outlook Forms and ASP Shipped with SP1/SP2 Works with Netscape and Internet Explorer Client System Requirements  Outlook 8.03, Outlook 98/2000  Used by the converter to obtain custom fields off the forms Used to access form descriptions   FM20.DLL  Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation/Server  You do not need to run the converter on the Exchange Server Server Requirements     IIS 3.0 with ASP 1.0b or IIS 4.0 Outlook Web Access installed Share out the webdata directory under the Exchange directory. Eg. C:\exchsrv\webdata What‟s Supported?  Forms can be converted from a number of places:     Outlook template files (OFT files) Organizational Forms Registry Folder Forms Registry Personal Forms Registry  Multiple forms can be converted at once How Do I Find The Form?  Copied to the OWA directory structure Default directory where Web services files are stored Multilanguage support Form-specific scripts All Post Forms derive from here When you create a custom message class, the directory hierarchy replicates the structure IPM.Post.Project Folder Names  Netscape does not support folders that have spaces in the name  Eg. IPM.Post.While you were out   This will try to create a folder under the IPM/Post directory tree named While you were out The Form Converter automatically converts spaces to %20 so Netscape can access the forms Architecture Of Conversion  Components      Wizard OFT-HTML Converter Templates Template Processor Installshield setup Conversion Details  Frmroot.asp   Entry point into the form Includes script and HTML frameset that houses the rest of the components Title.asp - Title page PageN.asp - swapped into frame by title.asp where N is the page # commands.asp - hidden commands  Three Frames    Movement Between Tabs    Data is submitted to command.asp and copied into the cached message object on the IIS server Data is retrieved for the new page from the message object The new page is swapped into the frameset and sent to the browser Commands.asp    Hidden form Detects custom and built-in field values when pages are submitted to the web server The on_send, on_reply, on_replyall, on_save, on_forward as well as custom action handlers are implemented here Form.ini    Contains one section called Description Has friendly name of form and whether it is a hidden form OWA dynamically generates list of custom forms based on form.ini [Description] DisplayName=Project Management Application Hidden=0 What‟s Supported?  Certain types of forms are supported    IPM.Note - Mail Message IPM.Post - Post Form IPM.Contact - Contact Form  Task and Appointment forms are not supported  Work around to get UI converted, copy controls to a supported form type  Forms must have their own message class cannot be named default Outlook forms e.g., IPM.Contact To-Do‟s   To-do‟s are generated if the form encounters certain conditions To-do‟s are displayed at the end of the conversion and also saved with the form in its OWA folder What‟s supported?  Most Outlook controls are supported:    Label, textbox, combobox , listbox, checkbox, optionbutton, frame, commandbutton, multipage, and image control Some controls are limited in conversion due to HTML limitations Image controls are converted to gifs  Initial values, required fields, datatype validation, separate read and compose forms, hidden controls and pages are all supported Advanced Services    Routing/Workflow Directory integration and management Full-text Indexing and Search  Look at my session from Sunday Routing/Workflow    Exchange 5.5 included the Event Scripting Agent Exchange 5.5 SP1 included the Routing Objects technology Both technologies have object models that you can program against Architecture Overview Outlook 97 8.03 Outlook 98 Event sinks Visual Interdev 1.0 Visual Interdev 98 Intrinsic Objects: Custom Handlers Java Visual Basic/ C++ Script agent (scripto.dll) Script sink (ss.dll) EventDetails.Session EventDetails.MessageID EventDetails.FolderID EVENTS.EXE NT Service CDO Session uses mailbox identity of last script author Exchange Server store Event source Event Architecture Exchange store Application folder Docs Change list Notify Event service ICS    ICS (Incremental Change Synchronization) Events not missed, even if server is offline New, changed, deleted, scheduled event (timer) Event handler (agent) Exchange Routing Objects RouteDetails ProcInstance Map Log Participant VoteTable Row WorkItem Exchange Routing Engine      Requires Exchange 5.5 SP1 Implemented as Custom Handler on top of Event Service Uses OnMessage_Created event to create Process Instance Each Process Instance Message (PIM) executes its defined Map Process Map controls routing execution by invoking actions Creating A Process Instance Folder New Item Map Folder Script Default Folder Map Agent Binding Message (Hidden) Item Map Item Map Item Map Item New Process Instance Existing Process Instances Process Definition Map ActivityIDActivity Flags Parameter 1 Parameter 2 Parameter 3 Parameter 4 Parameter 5 Parameter 6 1000 Send 2 Bob Smith IPM.Note Please review this… TRUE FALSE FALSE 1010 Wait 0 10080 1020 ORSplit 0 IsTimeout 1030 Goto 0 5000 1040 Receive 2 FALSE 1050 Consolidate 2 FALSE 1060 goto 0 10000 5000 CustomExpiry 2 Manager IPM.Alert Item not processed… TRUE 10000 Terminate 0    Default map stored in folder Copied onto new process instance messages OnNew and OnTimer folder events update state Hub And Spoke Topology Logical Route View Start=> A B C Physical Route View User instantiates process by submitting item to hub folder Hub sends item to A who advances route by replying to hub A Start=> Hub containing Process Definition B Hub sends item to B who advances route by replying to hub Hub sends item to C C completes process by replying to hub C Some Demos. . .   Custom Routing Applications Deployment Tools  Let‟s look at the code! COM Components  3 New COM Components    ACL Rule AcctCrt   Wrap the most common requested features Part of the Platform SDK (PDC Version or posted to msdn.microsoft.com) Directory Integration And Management  For Collab apps, the directory is a key component     Find people, resources Dynamically resolve roles Store custom attributes Store organizational information  ADSI is the key object model to use to access directory information in Exchange Some Demos. . .    Directory management Querying the directory Let‟s look at the code! What Resources Are Available?  Exchange Developer‟s Forum  http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/ developers http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/ appfarm http://msdn.microsoft.com  Exchange appfarm   Platform SDK (includes EDK)  Resources  CDO Community resources     www.slipstick.com www.cdolive.com www.outlookexchange.com Exchange Listserver New whitepaper and KB article: Q125329 support.microsoft.com/support/exchang e/content/whitepapers/owa_tshoot.asp  OWA Deployment / Troubleshooting   Resources Tip #1 Avoid the authentication trap “Failed to get inbox message”    Make sure to implement authentication correctly Remember NTLM means same machine When creating CDO apps, IIS is running under the context of IUSER_MACHINENAME, you need to force the browser to authenticate Tip #2 Use early binding in Visual Basic®    Better compile time syntax checking Generates faster code Very simple to do ' Late bound Dim objSession As Object Dim objNewsgroup As Object Dim objPostItem As Object ‟ Early bound Dim objSession As MAPI.Session Dim objNewsgroup As Folder Dim objPostItem As Message Tip #3  Avoid the “GetNext” trap Temporary collection objects always point to first item ' error: collection returns the same message both times MsgBox("first message: " & inboxObj.Messages.GetFirst.Subject) MsgBox("next message: " & inboxObj.Messages.GetNext.Subject)  Create intermediary objects objMessages = inboxObj.Messages MsgBox("first message: " & objMessages.GetFirst.Subject) MsgBox("next message: " & objMessages.GetNext.Subject) Tip #4    Use “with” statements Object creation is expensive Internal object created for each period that appears in the statement Reuse objects whenever possible ' warning: do not code this way; this is inefficient MsgBox "Text: " & objSession.Inbox.Messages.GetFirst.Text MsgBox "Subj: " & objSession.Inbox.Messages.GetFirst.Subject With objSession.Inbox.Messages.GetFirst MsgBox "Text: " & .Text MsgBox "Subj: " & .Subject End With Tip #5 Accessing the root public folder Set objInfoStores = objSession.InfoStores For i = 1 To objInfoStores.Count If objInfoStores.Item(i)= "Public Folders" Then Set objInfoStore=objInfoStores.Item(i) Exit For End If Next bstrPublicRootID = objInfoStore.Fields.Item( _ &H66310102 ).Value 'PR_IPM_PUBLIC_FOLDERS_ENTRYID Set objTopFolder = objSession.GetFolder _ (bstrPublicRootID,objInfoStore.ID) Tip #6 Deferred sending and delivery  Deferred sending   Message waits in user‟s outbox Property: &H3FEF0040 Message waits in MTA queue Property: &H000F0040  Deferred delivery   WITH objMessage.Fields .Add &H3FEF0040, CDate(”6/1/98 3:00:00 AM") .Add &HF0040, CDATE(“6/1/98 12:00:00 PM”) END WITH Tip #7 Checking Access Rights   PR_ACCESS (&H0FF40003) Applies to folders and messages Dim folderAccess as Long Dim canReadItems, canCreateItems, canDeleteFolder, _ canModifyFolder, canCreateFolders as Boolean ... folderAccess = objFolder.Fields (&H0FF40003) canReadItems = folderAccess AND &H00000002 canCreateItems = folderAccess AND &H00000010 canDeleteFolder = folderAccess AND &H00000004 canModifyFolder = folderAccess AND &H00000001 canCreateSubFolders = folderAccess AND &H00000008 Tip #8 Making outlook views accessible to the Web   Only applies to table views In Outlook, edit folder properties  Set „Automatically Generate Microsoft Exchange Views‟  Refresh ContainerRenderer object‟s view collection Tip #9 Filtering appointments by date  CdoPR_START_DATE (&H00600040) CdoPR_END_DATE (&H00610040) Set objCalendarFolder = objSession.GetDefaultFolder _ (CdoDefaultFolderCalendar) Set objAppointments = objCalendarFolder.Messages Set objAppointmentFilter = objAppointments.Filter WITH objMessageFilter.Fields .Add CdoPR_START_DATE,CDate("12/18/98 5:00:00 PM") .Add CdoPR_END_DATE,CDate("12/18/98 9:00:00 AM") END WITH Tip #10 Retrieving a user‟s proxy addresses Set objRecip = objMessage.Recipients(1) Debug.Print "Display Name: " & objRecip.Name Debug.Print "Default Address: " & objRecip.Address Set objAddrEntry = objRecip.AddressEntry Set objField = AddressEntry.Fields(&H800F101E) 'PR_EMS_AB_PROXY_ADDRESSES For Each v In objField.Value Debug.Print "Foreign System Address: " & v Next v Tip #11  Setting the „from‟ field on posted items Useful for anonymous postings WITH objMessage.Fields .Add CdoPR_SENT_REPRESENTING_NAME, “John Doe”) „&H0042001F .Add CdoPR_SENT_REPRESENTING_ADDRTYPE, “SMTP”) „&H0064001F .Add CdoPR_SENT_REPRESENTING_EMAIL_ADDRESS, _ “JDoe@company.com”) „&H0065001F END WITH Tip #12 Accessing direct reports in the directory   Reports stored in multi-valued string  PR_EMS_AB_REPORTS_T (&H800E101E) See org. chart example on App farm Dim objManager, objPerson as MAPI.AddressEntry Dim objDirectReports as OrgChart.Reports Set objDirectReports = CreateObject("OrgChart.Reports") Set objDirectReports.DataSource = myManager For idx = 1 to objDirectReports.Count set objPerson = objSession.GetAddressEntry _ (objDirectReports.Item(idx)) Debug.Print objPerson.Name Next Tip #14 Setting reply-to    Example only supports one recipient Reply-to names (&H0050001E) Reply-to EntryIDs (&H004F0102) Function SetReplyTo (objMessage as MAPI.Message, _ objReplyToMe As MAPI.AddressEntry) Dim entryblob, lengthStr, flatEntry As String lengthStr = CStr(Hex(Len(objReplyToMe.ID)/2)) flatEntry = lengthStr & "000000" & objReplyToMe.ID structLength = Hex(Len(flatEntry) / 2) entryblob = "01000000" & structLength & "000000" & flatEntry objMessage.Fields.Add &H0050001E, objReplyToMe.Name objMessage.Fields.Add &H004F0102, entryblob Questions?