.NET code on clientside

[Danial]

well just like I said it.

I wrote a piece of .NET code that I want to be executed on the client side.

Yes in the first place .NET is a server side technology. But if I have a program on the client side it should be possible to access it (perhaps after a security warning). Does anybody know how?

.Net code wont run on client side. You can only use JavaScript or VBScript on client side, though VBScript will only work on IE. So JavaScript is your best option. What exactly are you trying to do? Why do you need to run .Net code in Client side? What exactly is the .Net code doing?

[mendhak]

Maybe he'd like a COM wrapper for his .NET component so that it appears to be an ActiveX component.

I don't even know if this is possible. Anyone?

[BramVandenbon]

Javascript and VB are out of question, because those are simple web-languages.

Hmm too bad. I feel you probably all know just as much as I do. (but if it was a simple issue I wouldn't go to a forum lol)

Here goes the whole story:

I am making a website for a customer. The website allows the user to send a mailing with attachements to a large number of people.

So far it's simple. But the problem is that the user wants that the website opens outlook. Then the user can click send there and the message is stored in outlook outbox.

To do this I assume I should use the .NET Outlook Reference. But ofcourse under normal conditions you can't execute .NET code on the client side. All .NET code is only executed at the server side. So as far as I know I need something like ActiveX or Java (a compiled component that asks permission and runs on the client side).

What is it I need? *think people* ;-) it's really important

Thank you so far for your attempts but I need more

[Danial]

Javascript and VB are out of question, because those are simple web-languages.

Hmm too bad. I feel you probably all know just as much as I do. (but if it was a simple issue I wouldn't go to a forum lol)

Here goes the whole story:

I am making a website for a customer. The website allows the user to send a mailing with attachements to a large number of people.

So far it's simple. But the problem is that the user wants that the website opens outlook. Then the user can click send there and the message is stored in outlook outbox.

To do this I assume I should use the .NET Outlook Reference. But ofcourse under normal conditions you can't execute .NET code on the client side. All .NET code is only executed at the server side. So as far as I know I need something like ActiveX or Java (a compiled component that asks permission and runs on the client side).

What is it I need? *think people* ;-) it's really important

Thank you so far for your attempts but I need more

Well first of all its not a good way to send email through outlook, you can use severside code to email with attachment(CDONTS/ASPMail/.NEt builtin emailing function). Using outlook will mean that only user who have outlook can do this. Anyhow I can go on about the disadvantage of using outlook instead of a serverside component.

In the past you could use WScript Shell object (VBScript/JavaScript) to launch application from web page, but due to some security abuse it has been disabled. Your best option is ActiveX, place that on your html page and use that to open outlook. Note that if you use ActiveX then it will only work with IE and Users will need to allow or it wont run depending on their security level.

I would strongly suggest you consider not using Outlook, is it a Client requirement?

And finally no problem is too simple or too complex, a question which seems very complex to you might be trivial to some one else and vice versa, thats why we post here...

[BramVandenbon]

Yes, at the office we have the exact same discussion going on. And I totally agree with you on all those fields. But the customer wants Outlook really bad.

Indeed it would be really easy to do it from serverside, and I wouldn't be posting here if that was the case .

ActiveX you say, can I access outlook from ActiveX ? (Is there a classlibrary I can access ?) Or should I use ActiveX to start an application that is allready installed ?

[Danial]

Yes, at the office we have the exact same discussion going on. And I totally agree with you on all those fields. But the customer wants Outlook really bad.

Indeed it would be really easy to do it from serverside, and I wouldn't be posting here if that was the case .

ActiveX you say, can I access outlook from ActiveX ? (Is there a classlibrary I can access ?) Or should I use ActiveX to start an application that is allready installed ?

If you write the ActiveX in VB6 then you can reference the "Microsoft Outlook Object Library". This will allow you to access all elements of Outlook.

Depends really what you want to do, if you simply want to fire up Outlook then all you need to do is use Shell or ShellExecute API.

Again due to viruses using this technique to spread themselve, Outlook will warn the user if you are trying to send email through Code(ActiveX). The email will only go through if user allows it.

If you want example then search this fourm, there are many examples.

[BramVandenbon]

sounds cool

Then I should probably reinstall VB6.

I also found the following: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ualBasic70.asp

Visual Basic 6.0 ActiveX documents are not supported in Visual Basic .NET. You can still interoperate with ActiveX documents from your Visual Basic .NET Web applications, but development should be maintained in Visual Basic 6.0.

Visual Basic .NET also allows you to create ActiveX controls that can be downloaded to Web pages, or to use existing ActiveX controls in your Visual Basic .NET applications

Allthough I'm not sure if I get it 100%:
1) ActiveX Documents are not supported in .NET
2) you can still interoperate with them in .NET
3) development should be maintained in 6.0
4) .NET allows you to create ActiveX controls.
5) .NET can use existing ActiveX controls.

lol I guess there is a difference between ActiveX controls and documents. Maybe a control is the compiled ocx-version while a document is the source.

And on the other hand it looks like I can not do this in C#.NET but only in VB.NET is that correct ? (that's pretty crappy if it's true, especially because I only have C# installed at the moment.) (I took a look in the create new project window and couldn't find "ActiveX")

So I guess I need to install VB.NET or reinstall VB6? *sigh*

[Wokawidget]

Yes, at the office we have the exact same discussion going on. And I totally agree with you on all those fields. But the customer wants Outlook really bad.

Well in that case tell them that they cannot have it.
Remember, you are not a code monkey, you have a job for a reason. You can tell the customer what is, and is not, acceptable.
There are some things that developers really should stand up for themselves, put their foot down, and say "No, I'm sorry, but that's not possible."

Why do they want outlook so bad? I bet it's for a really stupid reason, because someones dogs, sisters, owners, grandads, goldfish once told them that if you didn't use outlook then you will catch leg rot from a blue toad when the moon is fat...or something like that.

The customer is not always right, and it's your job to tell them they are wrong, and suggest alternative, and better, methods to achieve the same thing.

WOkja

[BramVandenbon]

Well in that case tell them that they cannot have it.
Remember, you are not a code monkey, you have a job for a reason. You can tell the customer what is, and is not, acceptable.
There are some things that developers really should stand up for themselves, put their foot down, and say "No, I'm sorry, but that's not possible."

Why do they want outlook so bad? I bet it's for a really stupid reason, because someones dogs, sisters, owners, grandads, goldfish once told them that if you didn't use outlook then you will catch leg rot from a blue toad when the moon is fat...or something like that.

The customer is not always right, and it's your job to tell them they are wrong, and suggest alternative, and better, methods to achieve the same thing.

WOkja

I am asking for a way to solve a problem, not for several reasons not to do it at all. (Also it's not the number of posts that counts, the quality is more important by far.)

And I am also not looking for a way to "approuch my customers". If that is the case you will find me posting a message in a marketing-forum.

Please stick to the field of programming. Because posts like this are a waste of your and my time.

(On top of that, with all my respect but imho it shows a lack of spirit. It is like saying: "I am not experienced enough to solve your problem. Sooooo, give it up!". A terrible thing to say! It's not because some single person gives up that I should give up as well. It seems like that certain person does think very high of himself, claiming he is more experienced than all other programmers of the forum together. I am sure you don't want to give an impression like that! ==> Personally I would never post a message like that. Remember it's better to ... than to ... and remove all doubt. )