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Chris BottomleyFlag for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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Outlook 2011 - Developer Tab

I have enabled macros in the general office 2011 applications but am struggling with outlook.  What is the key sequence to enable macros (developer tab) in outlook 2011?

Chris
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Brian Pierce
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Do you mean outlook 2010?

Go to File->Options->Customize Ribbon

Make sure ALL TABS is selected on the right hand panel, then tick the Developer check box
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Nope

I mean 2011 i.e. Mac version

Chris
Hi, Chris.

I don't have a Mac, so I'm going off things I've seen.  Is there a sprocket-like button at the right end of the ribbon?  If so, select it and see if there is an option for ribbon preferences.  If there is, then I'm told it should have an option for enabling the developer tab.
David

Apologies... I thought i'd replied.  No that doesn't do it it's finding the ribbon preferences that is visible in the other applications that is part of the problem.  The preferences does not have a ribbon customisation for the developer tab ...unlike the other apps.

Still looking!

Chris
No worries, Chris.

Is there a gear icon at the top right of the ribbon?
Nope nothing of the sort, the other apps yes, outlook no.

Chris
BTW

SAVANT, I missed the event so my congrats to you

Chris
Thanks, Chris.

I'm trying to find someone who uses a Mac to answer the question.
Be great if you can.  I am tending to their not supported in 2011 but there are a few web references that say it is a simple edit of the ribbon.

My experience so far though is that they're mistaken and assuming the same mechanism as applies to the other applications in 2011.

I would love for that to not be the case though!

Chris
I see the same references (i.e. that it's a simple ribbon edit).  Like you though I can't find any specific instructions on how to do it.  I sent a message to the Outlook MVP group asking if any of them know how.  I know some of them have Macs.  Only one response so far from a non-Mac user who said to look for the gear icon.

What version of Mac office do you have (i.e. full version, education version, etc.)?  Don't know that makes any difference, I'm just hedging.
Version 14.01 (101012)

Outlook for Mac 2011

Chris
Ah the MVP group ... nice to belong - I would imagine!  I'm told that a lot of them use Macs, but it may well be they all use a windows virtual machine and therefore normal PC versions of Office - but it has to be a great forum to ask the question of.

Chris
A good bit of the chatter on the group is off-topic.  Some of it is way over my head (e.g. professional development issues).  But it is nice to have access to all the top experts in the field.  I know a couple of them are die-hard Mac users.  I'm hoping one of them can answer the question.
I have seen a reference to outlook 2011 from an MS MVP which says no VBA in outlook 2011.  I have just thought about rules and looked for the option to run a script ... its there - sort of.

You can run an apple script as part of a rule but no sign of any other script capability so it really is looking increasingly likely that the answer is no

Chris
I didn't get any useful responses from the MVPs.  I see references like those in these articles which say that VB is back in 2011, although none say specifically that Outlook has the capability.  It seems incredible, although clearly not impossible, that Microsoft would have added VB to the other Office apps and not Outlook.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/189123/microsoft_announces_office_for_mac_2011.html
http://www.addictivetips.com/microsoft-office/outlook-2011-for-mac-review-with-screenshots/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2369733,00.asp
http://win.downloadatoz.com/news/279,microsoft-office-2011-for-mac-supports-for-exchange-vba-20100519.html
http://www.macwindows.com/Outlook-2011-review.html
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David Lee
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A bit tacky in that there has not been a definitive statement regarding the existence of VBA in outlook.  All indications point to the lack thereof so it is the right interpretation to make.

Chris
I agree.
Stand by.  I've posed the question to one of the product managers at Microsoft.  I should have an answer on Monday.
The answer's back.  Outlook 2011 does not support VBA.  It does support AppleScript.
Thanks for that update ...at least we have what amounts to a definitive answer ... which confirms my impression of http: 34267974

Chris
You're welcome, Chris.
David

I have just spent a few hours on trying to program a 'macro' on 2011.  FWIW I can state I have created a script that works on outlook and it is indeed applescript ... but for me it's a practical example of your response from the MS Product Manager.

I now need to see what reference documentation is available because it took me a lot of searching to find enough clues to do some real work.

TTFN!

Chris
Good morning, Chris.

I've sent a message to the Outlook MVP group asking if anyone knows of any sites that have reference material and/or practical examples of automating Outlook 2011 using AppleScript.  I'll let you know what the results are once they're in.

Cheers!

David
That wasn't the purpose of my post so ta muchly never even considered that approach!

Chris
Here's the first response.

Have you checked the Dictionary already?
 
AppleScript Editor-> File-> Open Dictionary…-> Microsoft Outlook.app
 
There are also a couple of AppleScript mailing list archives which sometimes list some code (but mainly discuss limitations).
http://host171.hostmonster.com/pipermail/scriptoutlook_officeformachelp.com/
http://lists.apple.com/archives/applescript-users
No in a word didn't know about it :) but will check when I get home ... Makes sense though as I found out how to call the scripts in olk and there is consistency in that.

Chris