Tue 14 Aug 2007
Sharp Vtiger Outlook Plugin Beta
Posted by ben under Vtiger Plugin, projects
I need some testers for a new plug-in I have spent 3 hard weeks to develop.
It is a total remake of the Visual Basic Outlook plug-in for Vtiger CRM entirely done in C# .NET.
It actually works fine on the PCs I have tested it, but I cannot guaranty it is bug free so use it at your own risk.
It should work fine on windows XP, 2003 and Vista with outlook 2003 or 2007.
Some features have been added from the original version :
- auto-synchronization of contacts/tasks/calendars.
- possibility to not synchronize tasks/calendars with a due date older than a specific one.
- all items marked as “private” are not synchronized in Vtiger.
- support for utf8 on both side (sending or receiving), Outlook does not show bad characters anymore. (to see them correctly on Vtiger web side you will have to set your charset as UTF-8 in the config.inc.php).
- no need to be in a specific folder to synchronize it.
Here are some screens :
Here are the files : Sharp Vtiger Outlook Plugin
There are 2 Microsoft packages to install :
- First, ensure you have the .NET frameworks 2.0, you can download here: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
- if you are using office 2003 you will need the Primary Interrop Assemblies if they have not been installed by default during the office installation. I have included the redistributable file O2003PIA.MSI in the zip, be sure to install it.
When these 2 prerequisites are installed, you can install the plug in by launching the setup file VtOlPgSetup.exe.
Then start Outlook (With administrator rights for Vista users), Et Voila !
If everything went well the plugin should work and will ask you straight to set up your contacts,tasks, and calendars folders. To avoid problem you should create specific ones for this Vtiger plugin.
Then you know what to do.
Please, if you have any problem, bugs, features request, questions, sucess stories : http://forums.creadev.net or vtiger outlook forum.
(For any bug, please submit the log file vtigercrm.log created in the folder application).
If it works for you and if you like it, I would be happy to hear about it!
Thanks.
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October 22nd, 2007 at 1:51 am
Thnaks..
it’s really cool.. i am very happy. and i clicked some ads for you as wel..hehhehe
October 25th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Tested it out, much nicer than the other one made by vtiger. I like that the buttons are available to sync no matter what screen your on. Also like the auto-sync option.
Only problem I had was with syncing tasks that start in Outlook. If a task was made through vtigerCRM, it would sync properly with Outlook and any changes I made to it in Outlook would sync back to vtigerCRM. If I create a brand new task in Outlook, it syncs with vtiger’s plugin, but yours does not show it available to sync.
I also had a problem with items existing prior to installing the plugin not syncing, but have that problem with the vtiger plugin as well.
Let me know when you put up the source code, I’m needing to brand it for my employer so that customers come to us for support.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:16 am
fantastic job … the vtiger native one doesn’t work and this does!
why hasn’t it been picked up and developed further ?
Regards,
Andrew
November 19th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Hi,
Looks great, but 2 questions:
- what is needed to run this as a regular user on vista, for the moment i gave the user modify rights on the root (for the logfile?) and on the program files directory. I also added the changes to the registry and the add-in is loading, i can login but i get lots of messageboxes asking me if i started outlook as administrator
- the sync buttons are all grayeds out even when started as administrator
November 25th, 2007 at 3:46 am
Thanx all for your comments, I don’t have much time these last days to check them, so sorry for the late…
The sources are available, just email me at labenjam@gmail.com and I will send them, I will try when I get the time to set up a space on vtiger as an open source project so that everyone can bring its coding and features in it…
@Attiks
I don’t really know what Vista needs, its still a beta version and has not been test on all windows. When I tried it on Vista, the only thing I had to do its to run it as an administrator, for the gray buttons it may be just a visual bug and they maybe could be still clickable.
November 27th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Good work
Jamie
November 28th, 2007 at 6:36 am
Hi,
Firstly thanks for taking the time to build this sync program and thanks for sharing it.
I’m not sure where to post bug reports so doing it here:
Environment
^^^^^^^^^^^
Windows Vista Business (latest patches)
Office 2007 Outlook (latest patches)
Issue
^^^^^
1. If phone numbers are prepended with a plus (”+”) sign in VT Contact record then it is removed automatically. We differentiate between local number and fully qualified international number by seeing whether this plus sign is present.
2. The fact you have to run Outlook as Administrator is not the best scenario, but I guess this is beta code.
Regards
Russell
December 24th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Hi Ben,
I tried to install your plugin but it doesn’t seem to register correctly because nothing happens when I launch Outlook 2003.
Is there a way to verify if the registration has been completed successfully or to register the plugin manually?
I tried to RegAsm it but had an error telling me that it is not a valid .NET assembly…
Thanks,
Paillet
December 24th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
P.S.: I’m running Windows XP Pro SP2
January 21st, 2008 at 10:23 am
Thanks for the plug-in. Was wondering if you think your plug-in will work with tiger 5.0.4-rc. I noticed you have it disabled by telling me I am running the wrong install of vTiger.
Also I am considering writing a project that would provided synchronization between exchange and vTiger. Any advice?
January 21st, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Hi Chris,
I didn’t test the plugin for the last version of vtiger, it should work mostly, you can change the expected version number of the server in the configuration file of the plugin and try it.
You can check the code source on the vtiger opensource projets website, maybe it can help you for your project !
March 10th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Excelent job!!! it works better than vtiger Plugin… I had a lot of problems with the other, and this plugin resolve all issues… thanks for your effort.
Regards from Mexico
March 10th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Hi Francisco
Happy to know it worked for you!
Thanks for you comment !
Regards from Dundee.
March 25th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I’m having the “wrong version of vtiger” error and I don’t know where the config file is to edit it to match up with what version we’re running.
April 2nd, 2008 at 3:20 am
Hello Ben
Well, like Alex I recently update my version of vTiger and the happiness have been finished… I see the same: “wrong version of vTiger” and I can’t see the config file that you are talking about.
If you please be more explicit about the change I will appretiate it very much.
Thanks from Mexico
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:33 am
Ok, I will try to have a look at that asap
Thanks
Benjamin.
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Can you find a file named “vtconf.xml” and try to change the vtiger version from 5.03 to 5.04 ?
It might not work at all if the protocol between vtiger servers and clients has been changed.
April 3rd, 2008 at 12:05 am
Hello Ben
I try changing vtconf.xml and was not successful… If you want, maybe I can help you with that problem… just tell me like in Mexico we say “say frog and I jump”
Regards
April 15th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Same problem “wrong version of vTiger”, pls give me instructions how to fix it… Thank you,
Dene
April 16th, 2008 at 2:44 am
There is no fix for now.
I am really sorry for this but I am already working on 4 different prioritary projects so I will not be able to work on it to bring an update before end of May.
The sources are available, if someone could work on it, it would be great for everyone.
Thanks for having tried it !
Ben.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:21 am
I think it is not big problem, just connection problem. After I changed in vtconf.xml 5.0.3 to 5.0.4 when connecting it sayes: Sending Autentification then Sending email Permission then unable to connect
Where can I get sources?
Thanks
April 16th, 2008 at 9:25 am
On forge.vtiger.com !
April 18th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Is it syncing telephone activities with Outlook?
April 25th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
I tested it on 503, it is perfect…
on 504 I have this error
————————————————————————————-
vtigerCRM Outlook Addin Log - - 26.4.2008 0:18:49
C# Version - 0.1
————————————————————————————-
26.4.2008 0:18:49 ==> Initializing log file successfull
26.4.2008 0:18:49 ==> Vtiger Outlook plugin…
26.4.2008 0:18:49 ==> load config…
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> loaded.
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> registering buttons :
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> commandbars SharpVtigerCRM already exists…
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> found and deleted ->SharpVtigerCRMMenu
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> found and deleted ->SharpAddEmailsButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> found and deleted ->SharpSyncContactsButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> found and deleted ->SharpSyncTasksButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> found and deleted ->SharpSyncCalendarButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpLogin
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpAddToVtigerCRM
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpSyncCntsMenu
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpSyncTaskMenu
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpSyncClndrMenu
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonCaption ->SharpPref
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonCaption ->SharpLogout
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonCaption ->SharpvtigerHelp
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonCaption ->SharpvtigerForums
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonCaption ->SharpvtigerAbout
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpAddEmailsButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpSyncContactsButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpSyncTasksButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> creating msoButtonIconAndCaption ->SharpSyncCalendarButton
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> registering Events…
26.4.2008 0:18:50 ==> Events registered.
26.4.2008 0:19:54 ==> error during loging:
Root element is missing.
26.4.2008 0:20:48 ==> Unable to Connect
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
26.4.2008 0:20:53 ==> Unable to Connect
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
May 5th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Thanks a lot….
It solves my pb to sync my pda with outlook (personal and buisness data) and outlook with vtiger (buisness only).
I read it doesn’t work with 5.0.4… well…. il will wait
But thanks for all this great job
May 6th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
My colleague solved login problem to 5.0.4. (I gave him open source), but it is working just one way, from outlook to vtiger. He told me that problem will be in “new way” of communication in 5.0.4. He don’t have a time to search the problem. Any info regarding sharp plugin upgrade to 5.0.4? Thanks
May 28th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Great job !!!
But I’m waiting for a new release because I use vTiger 504…
Congratulation for the job you’ve done !
May 29th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Hi all and thanks for your comments,
I will work on it after my holidays
in approx ~ 2 weeks
June 17th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Great!!! Any mew information?
June 22nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
Hi all,
I have a first version that seems to work well, I will test it few more days and release it if no problem occur. It was not a big issue, just the way vtiger is expecting requests on the server, adding a session ID for more security…
I am quite amazed that since almost one year now, none of the developers who have downloaded the sources (hundreds) have provided the changes back for the community…
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Hi Ben!
That work fine for me, thanks a lot!!
June 24th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Where can I download it?
June 24th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
We are still testing it with Francisco, few changes to make and I will release it with a download link on this blog in a few days…
Thanks for your patience !
June 28th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I know we’re all looking forward to the release of your plug-in that works with 5.04.
Do you accept donations?
June 28th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
sure! I don’t ask for it but feel free to help a poor student who is fed up of eating pasta everyday
I put a “donate” button with paypal on the top right of the blog.
July 7th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Some outlook clients do not have Sync_contacts button active… they can just auto sync contacts but not manualy…. any idea how to fix it?
Thanks
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:39 pm
the plugin dus not work properly?
is it possible hat it not works becorse of office 2007???
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
It works fine on the different PC I have tested with office 2000/2003 and 2007.
Could you tell me what’s your error, your windows version and your installation procedure.
Thx
August 15th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Email syncing is not working good. Synchronised email is very massy, without interspace and together text with hyperlinks, like one word. It is not syncing email sending date so there is mass in vtiger email history (it is not chronologicaly) Example of synchronised email:Zdravím všechny, V příloze zasílám trošku upravený produktový list Helios Orange mAgent. Původní měl 3 strany a zformátoval jsem ho do 2 stran, abychom mohli mít jeden oboustranný list který se může vkládat do katalogů. Pokud k tomu nemate žádné výhrady tak bych to bral jako konečnou verzi která se může vkládat do vašich Helios Orange katalogů. Přejí hezký den, Denis Gobin Enterprise sales director - Mobile solutions Sunnysoft s.r.o. Kovanecká 2390/1a, Praha 9, 190 00, Czech Republic Tel reception: +420 261215216 Mobile: +420 725 727 547 Fax: +420 271774506 E-mail: HYPERLINK “mailto:Denis.Gobin@sunnysoft.cz”Denis.Gobin@sunnysoft.cz Web: HYPERLINK “http://www.sunnysoft.cz/”www.sunnysoft.cz eShop: HYPERLINK “http://obchod.sunnysoft.cz/”obchod.sunnysoft.cz HYPERLINK “http://www.sunnysoft.cz/”Sunnysoft - The mobile solution company
August 16th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Your blog is interesting!
Keep up the good work!
September 10th, 2008 at 1:40 am
Ben
Hi
I have installed you program ok and it looks to work great. I am wanting to use vtiger as a central store for company contact details.
To start with I want to sync in everyones outlooks contact files. However I have an issue with both your and the vtigers plugin that the conflict manager dialog does not start when there is already a contact of a given name in the vtiger database. Does you code allow for manual acceptance and editing of a certain contact to avoid double ups and if so how is it triggered to launch.
I have tried having two contacts with the same name in my and others outlook and sync back and the are both added to the vtiger database.
Regards
Justin