Outlook 2002 and Python

[Mark Hammond]

Paul Sage wrote:
> What:  I saw an idea for a way to create a good SPAM filter for email. 
> 
> How: I would like to try to implement the algorithm in Python.
> 
> Why:  I am trying to get familiar with Python, as I will be using it at 
> work quite a bit, and would like to keep my skills honed.
> 
> Where:  Windows XP and Outlook 2002
> 
> Okay, so smart people would say, “just go use Visual Studio or Visual 
> Basic,” I suppose.  I don’t know those two languages either, and they 
> might be the right tools for the job.  However, that would defeat the 
> point of trying something in Python.  Doing something else probably 
> wouldn’t be as useful to me personally.
> 
> Does anyone know how and where in the world I would even start to try to 
> write some kind of addin for Outlook 2002 in Python?   I don’t even know 
> how to start the project currently, and I am turning here first.

This would be an interesting project ;)

You would need to use the new Universal Gateway code (see 
win32com\test\test_pycomtest.py) and create a server that implements 
IDTExtensibility2.  From there, you should be able to use any of the VB 
samples to move forward - all the params passed are standard COM 
objects, so you should be able to do whatever you want.  You would also 
need to get your head around COM events and how to connect to them from 
Python, as addins are very much event based.

I'm doing some work on a plugin now - but not using Python :(  And I 
would *love* to see this work, especially in the face of the Bayes work 
being done in Python.  Mail me if you need a hand.

Mark.