Adding a Button to the Outlook Toolbar to Create New Help Desk Tickets
A new Help Desk Ticket can be opened from a button on a toolbar in Outlook. This makes it very easy for users to open a ticket -- no need to navigate to the Help Desk Ticket folder to open a new Ticket!
The button can be added with a COM Addin or a Macro:
COM Addin
We provide an Outlook COM Addin that installs a "New Help Desk Ticket" button. This COM Add-in is a DLL that is installed on the local client. It is added to the "COM Addins" page in Outlook. It comes with a Setup.exe that can easily be run on each client or installed via a login script or automated software distribution.
New in CCS HelpDesk 4.0!: The Addin now includes a registry file so that you can set it to match your folder path and language. By default, it is configured for a Help Desk folder right under All Public Folders. However, with simple changes to the registry file, you configure the button to go to wherever your Help Desk folder is. Also you can change the language and caption of the button to suit your needs.
For CCS HelpDesk 4.0 & 4.1 (all editions)
For Outlook Help Desk 3.x
PLEASE NOTE: The files below (for the 3.x version of Outlook Help Desk) work for a folder path of:
Public Folders\All Public Folders\Help Desk
If your folder path is different or your Outlook is in another language, please contact us.
For 3.0 or 3.1 Standard edition
COM Addin for Outlook 2003 and 2007
For 3.0 or 3.1 Service Provider edition
COM Addin for Outlook 2003 and 2007
Troubleshooting or Uninstalling
Troubleshooting/Uninstalling the COM Addin
Macro
The above can also be accomplished using a Macro rather than the COM Addin. This needs to be added to each client individually. It is a good alternative if the COM Addin does not function properly. We have found that on some few Outlook clients, the COM Addin does not work as expected due to memory management issues that are internal to Outlook. In those cases, or when you don't want to use COM Addins for some reason, the macro is a reliable alternative. It just requires more individual setup time.
For CCS HelpDesk 4.0 (all editions)
Adding a toolbar button using a Macro
For 3.0 or 3.1 Standard edition
Adding a toolbar button using a Macro
For 3.0 or 3.1 Service Provider edition
Adding a toolbar button using a Macro
Troubleshooting/Uninstalling the COM Addin
Registry Key
The COM Addin uses a registry key so that Outlook knows to load it on startup. This can be under HKCU or HKLM. It seems to work better under HKLM, which also makes it available to any users on that PC. Note that you must only have it in one place, either HKCU or HKLM, not both, as otherwise it will confuse Outlook.
In CCS HelpDesk 4.0:
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\CCSHDBTN.Addin]
"FriendlyName"="New Help Desk Ticket
button"
"FileName"="CCSHDBTN.dll"
"Description"="Creates new Help Desk
Ticket in CCS HelpDesk"
"LoadBehavior"=dword:00000003
(In June 2008, we introduced another registry key to the COM Addin in 4.0 that allows you to set the language, folder location and other values for your particular installation. The usage of this key is explained in the ReadMe.Txt that comes with the Addin download.)
[HKLM\Software\CrowCanyon\HelpDesk40]
"PublicFolderPath"="\\Public Folders\\All Public Folders\\Help Desk"
"ButtonCaption"="New Help Desk Ticket"
"ButtonDescription"="Creates Help Desk
Ticket"
"ErrorMsg1"="Could not find the Public Folders!"
"ErrorMsg2"="Could not find the 'Help Desk' folder!"
"ErrorTitle"="Error!"
In Outlook Help Desk 3.x
[HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\OHDToolbar.Addin]
"FriendlyName"="New Help Desk Ticket
button"
"FileName"="OHDToolbar.dll"
"Description"="Creates new Help Desk
Ticket in Outlook Help Desk"
"LoadBehavior"=dword:00000003
CCSHDBTN.DLL (used in CCS HelpDesk 4.0)
The COM Addin uses CCSHDBTN.DLL and the setup places it in the "c:\program files\CCSHDBTN" directory on the local PC.
OHDToolbar.DLL (used in Outlook Help Desk 3.x)
The COM Addin uses OHDToolbar.DLL and the setup places it in the "c:\program files\OHDToolbar" directory on the local PC.
COM Addin page in Outlook
This is available in Outlook at:
Tools/Options/Other/Advanced Options/COM
Addins.
Uninstalling
Remove the COM Addin by:
a. Removing it from
the COM Addins page in Outlook
b. Deleting the
registry key
c. Unregistering the
DLL file with regsvr32 /u switch (from the Command Line)
d. Deleting the DLL
file
