The itrezzo Desktop Toolbar is an easy and intuitive tool for instant finding any Outlook Contacts
itrezzo Desktop Toolbar
1. Description
The itrezzo Desktop Toolbar provides instant access to your Outlook Contacts. Instead of specifying a search criteria and wait for the results, this toolbar allows to filter your inputted characters immediately and shows only the contacts in the toolbar that contain those characters. itrezzo Desktop Toolbar is also capable to do granular column filtering, grouping and sorting.
Once the toolbar launches, it caches your address book and outlook does not need to be running.
The itrezzo Desktop toolbar is a free application that will eventually be part of a larger platform to be released next year.
2. How it works
When the toolbar starts, it chooses the default Outlook Profile and immediately collects all items from the main contacts folder and each sub folder. All of these contact items are then loaded into memory for rapid access. A copy of these contacts are also saved into an encrypted XML cache so that contacts can be displayed quickly without having to reload the contact containers. Even when Outlook is not running, access to contacts is instantaneous. When the mailbox is online and connected, the toolbar will periodically refresh it's copy of the address book with Outlook contacts and update modified and added contacts since the last update.
See the
installation page for next steps
2.1 First launch
The Toolbar is built for 32-bit applications platform. On a 64-bit OS system, the toolbar will be launched using the x86 emulator. The reason is that COM objects used by the MAPI Connector work only under 32 bit OS.
2.2 Splash Screen
Splash Screen
When starting the toolbar, a “Splash Screen” appears. This screen shows the progress of toolbar initialization and address book loading. That screen contains the itrezzo logo, application name, copyright company name information, the toolbar version number, loading status and progress bar. There are predefined initialization steps that are written above the progress bar (e.g. logging on to mailbox, loading profile, filling grid).
There are two ways to skip the Splash Screen:
• Click on the logo
• Use the keyboard: space bar or Esc button
2.3 Main form
After loading finishes, the Splash Screen disappears and Toolbar appears. The itrezzo Toolbar Registration Request window appears at the same time. The toolbar contains a filter text box and up to five buttons:
• Emergency documents (inactive when Standalone version)
• Low Priority Messages (inactive when Standalone version)
• Address Book
• ABOUT
• Global Catalog Warehouse (by Default this is absent)
• Hide Button
When a user types anything in the filter box, the Address Book will open immediately, displaying contacts that contain the matching text. The filter string will be highlighted in the respective areas of the grid (if those fields are visible).
If the Address Book is already open, the focus will be set to the Address Book when typing.
A user can search by contact data,last name and first name. For more filtering details see
looking up an Address content.
Every button calls the corresponding form (e.g. GCW button - GCW window) or action. The keyboard may also be used. After launching, the focus will be on Address Book button. To choose another button, press the Tab key. Tabbing flows from left to right, one after another. To select a button, press the space bar.
Desktop Toolbar, by defaults, appears on the right top corner of the screen . When moved, the Desktop Toolbar position is saved into Windows registry. User can drag/move the Toolbar anywhere on desktop and it will appear on the same position, next time Toolbar is launched. The Desktop Toolbar can also be snapped to the screen edges.
Tray icon
The itrezzo Desktop Toolbar displays an icon in the system tray.
Right clicking on the Toolbar icon in the system tray will show a menu with two items:
To hide the toolbar on desktop, click the Hide button or choose "Hide" from the system tray icon drop-down menu. To restore the Toolbar, double click the icon from the system tray, or choose "Restore" from the system tray icon menu. If Toolbar is hidden there will be a "Restore" item in tray icon menu; if the Toolbar is visible - a "Hide" menu item will show. After the Toolbar is hidden, all windows associated with Toolbar will be closed, except the
GCW results window.
To close/exit toolbar, choose the "Exit" menu item from system tray, or click the tray icon and press Alt+F4.
itrezzo.DesktopToolbar.exe.config contains information of a parameter "AllowExit", that verifies if the "Exit" menu item is shown to the user in the system tray icon menu (value= "1"). If value = "0", there is no "Exit" menu item, and the only way to quit is by pressing Alt+F4.
2.4 itrezzo Toolbar Registration Request
itrezzo Toolbar Registration Request form
The Registration Request form permits itrezzo to notify users about application updates, and to receive feedback. In future, itrezzo may solicit feedback regarding this product and other related products since this application is provided at no charge. Presently, you may not opt out of this registration.
The Registration Request window requires four information:
- First name
- Last name
- E-Mail (required field)
- Company
- A check-box (if checked, user can request information on itrezzo Contact Management Solutions)
- The comments button allows a more detailed text comment.
When the user presses the OK button, the data is transmitted to itrezzo and the Registration Request control is hidden. If the application is upgraded, the process may be repeated and the field values will be retained, allowing the user to easily re-register.
The user may postpone the registration using any these methods:
- Press the "Remind me later" button
- Press the Escape key
- Close the window
If the user doesn't register within seven days, the itrezzo Toolbar Registration Request will appear again. The "Register" button is active in the About Window if the "Remind Me Later" option was selected.
To open the Registration form, click on "Register now" button in the
About itrezzo Desktop Toolbar window. When the toolbar is registered, the "Register" button caption changes to "Registered" and becomes inactive.
2.5 itrezzo Toolbar Registration Information
Besides the data above, next Environment information is set:
- itrezzo Toolbar Version Number
- Windows OS Version Number
- MAPI32.dll Version Number
- .NET Framework Version Number
After submitting information on user registration form, the data is placed to the registry.
The path in registry is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Itrezzo\UserInfo. All the entered data will be stored there including the Environment information.
This data will be used not only by Desktop toolbar application but also by other itrezzo programs. Even After toolbar's un-installation, this data will remain in registry. As user information is saved and kept in registry, after a re-installation of toolbar user won't be prompted to enter these information again.
The data is sent to itrezzo database. It is possible to view registered users list stored at database on the Registration Service website:
http://appreg.itrezzo.com/admin/Default.aspxRegistered users list is presented as a table with the following columns:
- Id
- Last Name
- First Name
- Email
- Company
- Toolbar Version
- Comments
- Send Me Info?
- OS Version
- Framework Version
- Mapi32 Version
- Registered On
- IP Address
The Size of Page can be set by typing a number at the textbox and pressing OK button. Default size is 100 items per page. If there are more than 100 users registrations in database, pagination will be presented.
It is possible to reload data from database by pressing corresponding button.
2.6 Address Book
Address Book of itrezzo Desktop Toolbar, provides Outlook contacts grid view using predefined columns. Address book window can be opened by pressing the corresponding button on the
Toolbar main form.
itrezzo Desktop Toolbar Address Book contains area for
column grouping, grid, reload state frame and five buttons:
- View details
- Show columns
- Profiles
- Close
- Reload Address Book
The user can use keyboard to move between buttons and choose the necessary one. To select another button, use Tab key and press on - Space bar/Enter key(except the grid). The tabbing is released in next order: grid (when open AB, focused on grid), View details button, Show columns, Profiles, Close and Reload Address Book.
The user can also use hotkeys:
- ALT+V - View Details button is underscored and enabled
- ALT+S - Show Columns button is underscored and enabled
- ALT+P - Profiles button is underscored and enabled
- ALT+C - Close button is underscored and enabled
- ALT+R - Reload button is underscored and enabled
Address Book window title shows the current visible at the grid contacts count of all the contacts count. If any error occurs, Address Book window will have the corresponding title (e.g. "Refreshing error")
Address book location, height, columns sizes and positions are saved in registry.
Settings of columns and address book are saved when toolbar or address book closes.
Location of address book is also saved in registry before starting synchronization.
2.6.1 Grid
After toolbar first launch, address book grid columns width is auto re-sized to fit its content.
Address book form should be re-sized to fit all the visible columns.
Default visible columns for Address Book are:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Company
- Business Phone
- Mobile phone
2.6.2 Address Book Column Grouping
Above the grid there is grey-colored area column grouping. If there is no column in the area, the user sees the inscription there: "Drag a column header here to group by that column."
Using drag and drop user can move some column header to group area to perform contacts grouping by this column value.
After performing column grouping, contacts are present in the grid as hierarchical tree. The more columns are grouped by, the more nods are presented, in the order of grouped columns. The user can change grouping order by moving columns headers within the area for grouping.
If a user provides contact
filtering while grouping, the rows will be expanded to show the results.
Grouping by "Categories"
All columns grouping work same except for Categories. When there is no grouping, Categories column values listed as text separated by semicolon. After performing grouping by "Categories" column, a user can see this categories separated in different groups.
If a user has a contact with several different categories, after grouping, the contact will be placed in both groups.
2.6.3 View contact details
A user can view contact data filled in Outlook Address Book.
To view contact details a user can put arrow over the contact and tooltips will appear, but all data isn't presented in the tooltips. To view full contact data user should open the contact details form. There are several ways to do this:
- Double click on the contact
No contact picture
- Right click on the contact and choose from the drop-down menu item "View details"
- Choose the contact and press on "View details" button on Address Book" form
- Choose the contact and press Enter key
Contact details form opens in a new window and presents all contact's data from Outlook. E-mail is presented as link, so the user can
mail contact. All external URLs are presented as link. Contact picture is also showed if there is any in Outlook address book.
If there is no picture, picture frame will be empty and there will be inscription "No picture" under the picture frame.
2.6.4 Profiles
Profiles dialog
Toolbar can get contacts from every Outlook profile. By default, toolbar loads default Outlook profile which is set in mail configuration.
Using button Profiles dialog, user can set other profiles to load.
Profiles dialog will appear, the horizontal center of the new dialog should be located at the exact horizontal center of the Grid - it will be centered on the Grid Dialog. Vertical placement of pop-up dialog will be the follows: the vertical center of the popup appears to be 50% over the Grid, and the bottom 50% is over the Desktop.
After a selection of outlook profile, synchronization begins immediately.
If there is no profiles selected, Address Book will have corresponding title.
2.6.5 Columns customizing
User can select the list of the columns he/she wants to see in grid. Button “Show Columns” calls the dialog in which the user will be presented with the list of all available columns.
Show Columns dialog will appear, the horizontal center of the new dialog should be located at the exact horizontal center of the Grid - it will be centered on the Grid Dialog
Vertical placement of pop-up dialog will be the follows: the vertical center of the popup appears to be 50% over the Grid, and the bottom 50% is over the Desktop
There are "Select all" and "Deselect all" buttons in the dialog which give a possibility to user to select or deselect all columns presented in the list.
2.6.6 Copy to clipboard
User has a possibility to copy main contact data to clipboard.
When right clicking on an entry in the address book Grid, there is an option to "Copy to Clipboard".
With this option it is possible to:
- Copy All to Clipboard
- Copy E-Mail to Clipboard
- Copy Phone to Clipboard
- Copy Fax to Clipboard
- Copy Address to Clipboard
Below each of the above items hierarchy includes as additional menu:
- Copy E-Mail to Clipboard
- Copy Phone to Clipboard
- Business Phone
- Home Phone
- Mobile Phone
- Other Phone
- Pager Phone
- Copy Fax to Clipboard
- Business Fax
- Home Fax
- Other Fax
- Copy Address to Clipboard
- Business Address
- Home Address
If the items have no value, the menu items that don't exist will be removed.
2.6.7 Synchronization of address book
Address Book refreshing works asynchronous.
On
Splash Screen there is a progress bar that shows current contacts count and loaded count. On the Address book form there are progress bar without any labels. This progress bar shows progress of the contacts loading.
There are two types of synchronization: "Full" and "Incremental". After full, AB shows changed and new contacts and remove deleted contacts. After incremental, AB shows new, changed and deleted contacts.
Full update can be initiated by pressing the Reload button on the
Address Book. Incremental update is initiated periodically since the last update time. Incremental update time period can be set in minutes in
itrezzo.DesktopToolbar.exe.config, parameter "syncdelay", default delay is 60 minutes.
Grid updating
During synchronization the Grid can be updated. There are 3 different methods how grid updates during the synchronization process. Parameter “asyncUpdatingGridType” in the
itrezzo.DesktopToolbar.exe.config verifies the current grid update method. By default value is "2". Possible values:
- 1 = Not Update (grid won’t be updated while synchronization not finished)
- 2 = Update for added and deleted items (grid won’t be cleared, only new data will be added/appeared and deleted items will be removed)
- 3 = Clear grid and reload all the data (full re-filling grid).
2.6.8 State frame
Update State frame contains Reload Address Book information: last update date, time stamp and reload button.
To view timestamps of the last full and incremental updates, a user should put arrow over the state frame inscriptions.
 Reload state frame |
Reload button
There is Reload button on the State frame (Address Book). It calls full update.
2.7 About itrezzo Desktop Toolbar window
About itrezzo Desktop Toolbar window can be called by pressing the corresponding button on the
Toolbar main form.
Toolbar About box presents main information on how to use application, also project name, Desktop Toolbar version (Full or Standalone), full version number and release date, company name,
Expiration date, Check for Updates link, Send Debug Logs to itrezzo link and Register button.
User can close Toolbar About box by pressing Close (X) button on the form or Esc key.
Toolbar About window also closes if user clicks on area outside the form.
2.8 Emergency documents
Emergency
Documents
Emergency documents are used for accessing necessary document immediately. List of emergency documents can be viewed using the button on the
Toolbar main form.
The Emergency Documents button calls the drop down list with available emergency documents. By clicking on a document, that document will be opened with its' corresponding software determined by its' extension.
List of emergency documents can be managed by dispatcher: toolbar have parameter “documentslocation”. This parameter points to the location where documents are located.
Dispatcher can force document update. After document update is carried out, documents from “documentslocation” will be copied to local Desktop program folder.
This functionality is available only if itrezzo Desktop Toolbar version is not
Standalone.
2.9 Low priority messages
Low Priority
Messages
The Low priority messages (LPM) can be viewed using LPM form by calling it with the corresponding button from
Toolbar main form. LPM will be placed to the list.
Unread low priority messages will be displayed in bold style until the user will read them. When there is no unread LPM, icon of Low priority messages responds to "no new messages".
If user clicks on some LPM, it will call panel in the bottom for viewing full text of message and using its html style.
User can also delete LPM: click on the LPM and push on the Delete button, then the message will be deleted and LPM window will be closed.
This functionality is available only if itrezzo Desktop Toolbar version is not
Standalone.
2.10 Global Contact Warehouse (GCW)
When a user pushes the Data warehouse button on the
Toolbar, user will be presented with a GCW Entry screen. GCW Entry allows user to search over the records database. After the user pushes the button, toolbar connects to the GCWDataService, which address is set in
itrezzo.DesktopToolbar.exe.config. If toolbar can't connect to the GCWDataService, then:
- User sees the "Connection failure" message: "Error connecting to GCW service"
- After pressing the OK button on the message, the user will be presented with GCW Entry screen
- "Search now" button is inactive
- In Statistics will be "Cannot retrieve data"
- Search will be unavailable, until successful connection to GCW Service
The Entry screen will be titled, itrezzoAgent Global Contact Warehouse and display the following at the area called "Statistics":
- The Total number of contact records
- The Total number of Mailbox Contributors (number of unique owners)
- The Total number of unique domains
- Date of last update (a date and time stamp is added to the owner record, updated each time you process an XML record for that owner.)
There is an area in the top of the Entry screen called Search conditions, that allows search by Email Domains, Company, Name Fields or Phone Numbers.
After the user enters search string and hits the Search button, or the Enter key, the new window will be opened with the search results.
This search criteria is remotely executed on the server with a query or stored procedure. In the query, the WHERE statement is used to return all the rows that %searchstring% matches in the company OR domain name OR name fields.
Also available filtering by the phone fields:
- Business Phone
- Business Phone 2
- Business Fax
- Home Phone
- Mobile Phone
If there are more than 5000 records, then:
- The Search fails
- The user is presented with the corresponding message "Your search criteria will return more than 5000 records. Please, make search сriteria more exact"
- By pressing the OK button on message the user is returned to GCW Entry screen
- The user is not able to view Search results until more exact search string is entered
2.10.1 Search results dialog
If there are 5000 or less records in the search result, the new window with all the records is opened.
The Grid is shown and as it is loading it displays the results, which returns less than few hundred rows. The Grid populates swiftly.
Now the user can filter, sort and group using the Grid.
If a user closes the grid results dialog, he/she will be returned to the GCW Entry screen. The user can enter a new search and the Grid starts fresh again for the next search in the new window.
If the user doesn't close the grid results dialog, he can return to the GCW Entry screen and create another search. For each and every search, result dialog will be opened in a new window.
In the top dialog titled: "View GCW Contacts: xx Owners, yyyy matching contacts".
Search result dialog has the common features as
Address Book:
- Grouping: User can group by any columns,
- Filtering: User can filter, but with filtering on grouping won't expand
- Columns Customizing: Show columns button in the right top corner of dialog is available for setting visible columns; by default all columns are visible.
See also