Implement VB.Net Sample Custom Command

robcom

I am attempting to do a simple proof of concept at the moment, but am having trouble implementing the VB.Net sample custom command supplied with the SDK: VBNETIManEvt. At the final step, the command simply does not appear on the Document menu.

I have implemented the matching VB6 sample custom command: MyVBIManEvt

I have completed the following steps for VB6. This works.

Open MyVBIManEvt in VB6 and build the DLL: ImanEvtTemplate.dll
Copy the DLL to the test client and register the DLL using REGSVR32.exe:
RegSvr32.exe "C:\ImanTest\ImanEvtTemplate.dll"
Edit the Doument menu registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Interwoven\WorkSite\8.0\FileSite\Commands\Document]
"Commands"="...,-,ImanEvtTemplate.MyEditProfileCmd,-,..."
Start Outlook and Test
WORKS: The command appears between the dividers, and executes OK.


So I try similar for the VB.Net sample: (This fails)

Open MyVBNETIManEvt in MS Visual Studio 2005 and upgrade (converts OK):
Check the 'COM visible' property is ticked.
Build the DLL (release): VBNETIMANEvt.dll
Copy this DLL and all others created to the test client (C:\windows\system32)
Register the .Net DLL using REGASM.exe
regasm "C:\WINDOWS\system32\VBNETIManEvt.dll"
(> Types registered successfully)
Edit the Doument menu registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Interwoven\WorkSite\8.0\FileSite\Commands\Document]
"Commands"="...,-,VBNETIManEvt.MyEditProfileCmd,-,..."
Start Outlook and Test
FAILS: The bracketing dividers appear in the document menu with no command appearing in between.


I looked a bit at GacUtil, but this requires strong names, and attempting to implement a strong name produces the error: "Referenced assembly 'Interop.IMANEXTLib' does not have a strong name". - Dropped.

The files were moved into the C:\windows\system32 after reading a bit more on this, but doing REGASM again and re-testing made no change.


Ideas on what step is missing?

guido1

I don't know what state the sample VB.NET code is in, however most likely your attempt to register the COM DLL has failed.

This could be because you haven't done one of the following:

• set the assembly to be visible to COM. Look at the project properties, and then in VB.NET I believe it's the Compile tab. In there you should see a checkbox to switch on COM interop
  
• your class may not be visible to COM: make sure its scope is public; as a safety measure you can even decorate the class itself with the attribute
  

Once you've done this there's no need to use the REGASM tool: when you compile the project Visual Studio will automatically launch it for you each time you compile the project.

What you should see in the registry, under HKCR, is the prog ID of your class, i.e. . - in your example VBNETIManEvt.MyEditProfileCmd

If you can see that in HKCR then you know that registration has failed

Hope that helps!