CODEWITHSUNDEEP
node.jsencryptionoutlookoutlook-addinoutlook-web-addins
DanielOst
DanielOst

Reputation: 3

Outlook Node addin: store emails locally / in outlook data file

we are currently developing addins for email clients, one for Outlook, one for Thunderbird, to be able to encrypt and decrypt emails based on attribute-based encryption.

As our goal is to encrypt in-transit, one requirement is to store once decrypted emails locally on the file system, such that it is possible to search in decrypted mails within the mail client.

I already found several other addins that create outlook data files (PST) to store data. However, it seems this functionality is not available if one writes an addin based on Node (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/quickstarts/outlook-quickstart?tabs=yeomangenerator). If one writes an addin via VSTO (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/vsto/walkthrough-creating-your-first-vsto-add-in-for-outlook?view=vs-2019) it seems to be possible.

So my question is if anyone knows if it is possible to realize this via a Node addin, and if so, how to implement it? Or are there other alternatives?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 79

Answers (2)

Dmitry Streblechenko
Dmitry Streblechenko

Reputation: 66245

PSTs are for Windows version of Outlook only, there is no way to deal with them from a JS addin. VSTO and Outlook Object Model allow to do pretty much everything that Outlook itself can do, and if not, you can drop down to the Extended MAPI level (native Outlook API) either directly (C++ or Delphi) or through Redemption (I am its author).

Upvotes: 0

Eugene Astafiev
Eugene Astafiev

Reputation: 49395

Outlook web add-ins (can be Node based ones) work in the context of a mail or appointment item and don't have any direct access to the Outlook store. The web add-in can be activated and deal with the currently selected item in Outlook or use EWS or Graph API for retrieving other data.

Add-ins that allow creating additional stores in Outlook profiles are COM based ones (for example, VSTO) - they have full access to the Outlook object model.

Upvotes: 0

Related Questions