[Spambayes] Outlook 2002 misplaced registry lookup?

David Gardner DavidG at fool.com
Tue Sep 9 22:30:11 EDT 2003


Mark (et al.),

Thank you for the prompt response, and here's one back.

Unfortunately, unlike you, I lack the following Registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook

Alas, no such bird. My Outlook is only listed under "10.0," so if SpamBayes
is trying to create it, it's not working. However, I rather suspect it's not
even managing to create it, as it still looks to me as if the program isn't
functioning properly from the very moment I click to install it, when it
gives the error message mentioned before. Further, for the record, there is
no SpamBayes plugin listed in the following path, either:

Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Addins

Indeed, I actually have no Outlook add-ins, so there isn't even an "Addins"
subdirectory on my machine.

It looks to me, the total NON-techie (unfortunately), that if the install
program looked to check for Outlook within "10.0" for the benefit of us poor
Outlook 2002 users who have our registries structured that way, well,
wouldn't the program then install and work?

>>> Does "Help->About->Disabled Items" list it?

Again, nothing doing. Nothing listed there.

Thanks for the benefit of your attention,

David

P.P.S. We're a bit better-known in the States, but if you've ever heard of
The Motley Fool (www.Fool.com), I'm one of the two co-founding brothers and
I wanted you to know that our Foolish techies are fans of this project and
your work -- hence, how I found this mailing list. Thanks.


-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Hammond [mailto:mhammond at skippinet.com.au] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 8:57 PM
To: 'David Gardner'; spambayes at python.org
Subject: RE: [Spambayes] Outlook 2002 misplaced registry lookup?


> When I attempt to install the app, I get a surprising dialog
> box that states
> "Outlook appears to not be installed." It then asks me if I
> want to install
> anyway, which I do, but it's clear that my Outlook is just
> never seeing (or
> using) the SpamBayes plug-in. It's as if the SpamBayes plug-in program
> doesn't believe I have Outlook on my machine, but I assure
> you I'm using my
> own legit version of Outlook 2002, from the OEM, with my own
> product license
> number, via the PC I bought from Dell.
>
> Being the type who likes to try to figure out stuff for
> myself, I read the
> FAQs unsuccessfully and then decided to search Google, where
> I happened upon
> this page:
>
> http://mail.python.org/pipermail/spambayes-checkins/2003-July/
001473.html
<http://mail.python.org/pipermail/spambayes-checkins/2003-July/001473.html>

> It appears to my untrained eye that the code is looking for a registry key
> where mine is NOT.

The installer program simply checks if the key
'Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook' exists under HKEY_CURRENT_USER.  I
assume you didn't have this key (but probably will now, as we should have
created it)

The "addin registration" code involves 2 steps - one is installing a COM
object (which I assume has worked) and the other is listing the addin in the
"Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins" part of the registry.  You should
find this key now exists, as SpamBayes created it - can you check it does?

Does "Help->About->Disabled Items" list it?

> Further, check out this this (completely unrelated but still relevant)
page:

Excellent detective work :)  But unfortunately, that doens't appear relevant
to this issue.

> The Outlook registry key is in fact under my 10.0 directory, when I do a
> RegEdit - which is NOT, I believe, where SpamBayes is looking for it.
Hence,
> it doesn't see my Outlook so that it can plug itself in....

My registry has "Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook", but also
"Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook" with the addins (including a "Microsoft
VBA Addin" that mysteriously appeared :)).  Significantly, I also have a
"Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Outlook 10 Accounts" key, which implies
Outlook 10 does store *some* stuff there.

> But the upshot of it is that SpamBayes doesn't appear to be installing
> correctly on my desktop PC - doesn't show up anywhere as a Toolbar
> possibility, and I truly can't figure out what I should do next to get it
> working on my big machine as sweetly as it's working on my laptop.

I'm sure you won't be alone here though, so I'd love to sort it out too.

Mark.



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