Customizing Entourage Menu

[Vijay Rao]

Is it possible to add a new button or menu item to the new message
window in Entourage 2004 ? Alternatively is it possible to hook into
the attach file button / drag and drop event for this window ? The aim
is to provide a way of selecting files/folders which if they meet a
certain criteria are either allowed to be attached in the normal
manner to the new message or are moved to an appliance and a link to
the attachment is inserted into the message before sending it instead
of attaching the actual file.

 

[Barry Wainwright]

Is it possible to add a new button or menu item to the new message
window in Entourage 2004 ?

Not at this time. It is, however, a much requested feature.

Alternatively is it possible to hook into
the attach file button / drag and drop event for this window ?

No, there is no way to intercept UI elements in Entourage.

The aim
is to provide a way of selecting files/folders which if they meet a
certain criteria are either allowed to be attached in the normal
manner to the new message or are moved to an appliance and a link to
the attachment is inserted into the message before sending it instead
of attaching the actual file.

That would certainly be possible by script, but the script would have to be
fired manually, either by selecting from a menu or by pressing a keyboard
shortcut. There would be no way to prevent users from using existing UI
methods to attach whatever they like. However, it should be possible to run
a script once per minute by schedule to check that illegal files had not
been attached and alerting the user by dialog.

 

[Vijay Rao]

Not at this time. It is, however, a much requested feature.


No, there is no way to intercept UI elements in Entourage.


That would certainly be possible by script, but the script would have to be
fired manually, either by selecting from amenuor by pressing a keyboard
shortcut. There would be no way to prevent users from using existing UI
methods to attach whatever they like. However, it should be possible to run
a script once per minute by schedule to check that illegal files had not
been attached and alerting the user by dialog.



--
Barry Wainwright
Microsoft MVP (seehttp://mvp.support.microsoft.comfor details)
The Entourage User's WebLog has moved!
For hints, tips and troubleshooting go to <http://www.barryw.net/weblog/>

Thanks Barry.
So is it possible to :

1) Fire a script from a menu item in the new message window which will
open up a attach files dialog. Process the selected files by either
attaching them to the message or by attaching a placeholder if the
file meets certain criteria.

2) Fire a second script when user clicks on send which will check if
there are any placeholders in it and if yes then move it to a pending
folder instead of sending it.

3) Run a third script periodically to check the pending folder for
mails for which the attachments have been moved to the remote server.
Remove placeholders and insert links in the mail body. Then do the
actual send of the email.

If its not possible to add a menu item for 1) is the keyboard shortcut
the only way to do this.
How can the send action be hooked into for 2)

Regards,
Vijay

 

[Barry Wainwright]

Thanks Barry.
So is it possible to :

1) Fire a script from a menu item in the new message window which will
open up a attach files dialog. Process the selected files by either
attaching them to the message or by attaching a placeholder if the
file meets certain criteria.

No. Scripts can only be fired from the script menu.

2) Fire a second script when user clicks on send which will check if
there are any placeholders in it and if yes then move it to a pending
folder instead of sending it.

No, scripts cannot be 'attached' to existing commands or buttons.

3) Run a third script periodically to check the pending folder for
mails for which the attachments have been moved to the remote server.
Remove placeholders and insert links in the mail body. Then do the
actual send of the email.

Yes, this bit would be possible, with a repeating schedule, but without 1 &
2, there doesn't seem much point.

If its not possible to add a menu item for 1) is the keyboard shortcut
the only way to do this.
How can the send action be hooked into for 2)

Again, you can't. All you can do is create a new script to replace the built
it 'send' command, but there is no way to disable the built in command.