[C#][Word] Get the ActionsPane object with a shared Addin

[jchazottes]

Hello,

I am trying to customize the Word Action Pane in a shared Addin.
The only thing I can do for instance is to make the Action Pane appear
and disapear :

oCommandBars =
(CommandBars)applicationObject.GetType().InvokeMember("CommandBars",
BindingFlags.GetProperty, null, applicationObject, null);
oCommandBars["Task Pane"].Visible = true;

In an other hand I programmed a word template with the VSTO2 and access
the Action Pane with the ActionsPane class. It works well and I added a
web navigator to my action pane but it only works for one document...

Is there a way to get the ActionsPane object on a shared addin like in
a Word template ?

Thank you for your reply.

 

[mlwiles]

Was wondering if there was an update on your question. I too am trying
to accomplish the same feat.

 

[Mwiles]

Here is my reply to my own post. If someone find me incorrect please correct
me

Here is what I found out.

The Task Pane is a really cool thing, but somewhat restricted in Office 2003.

It appears that the only "intended" way for a Office programmer to access
the task pane is via the actions pane (a.k.a. Document Actions). And the
"intended" way for the actions pane to be made visible is for the Office
program (Word or Excel) to have loaded a smart document. At that point, the
document can communicate with the actions pane.

I have found what I would call a hack (somewhat), but it does not satisfy my
needs. Its called the Information Bridge Framework. Its Microsoft solution
to connecting documents to a line of business backend. The part of this hack
that caught my eye was the fact that they use smart tags in the sample to
enable the actions pane. Well, interesting test for me was to pre load a
smart document (so I get the actions pane) then enable the Information Bridge
.... would IBF blast the smart document actions pane with its stuff? Answer
is no. Even Microsoft example does not add a "new" actions pane, they create
a modal window that is a different pane (not a docked actions pane).

My summary is that since Microsoft did not shim in a new pane dynamically,
that is cannot be done with Office 2003. Previews of Microsoft Office System
2007 does show that they (MS) have opened this door for the office programmer
to create custom action panes.

Hope that helps,
Mike