Why do I need to install outlook?

[didster]

Hi All,

We are trying out the BB connector here, and apart from the fact that BES has to run on Windows, it looks promising.

We have one Windows machine on our network, which runs a CRM system. So I went about installing BES on that. What a total pain that was, since there was already a MSSQL database on that machine...

Anyway, I installed ExchangeMapiCdo.EXE, then installed BES for Exchange. I then went to install BB connector, and it failed. Looking at the log shows:

CA LOG: Entering CheckOLInstalled.
IsBESInstall. IsBESInstall read as 1
CA LOG: Entering GetOutlookVersion.
CA LOG: Failed to get value of registry OUTLOOK_APPLICATION_VERSION_KEY, error = 2l.

I then read the documentation and it says that Outlook 2003 is a requirement. I just wondered why? The machine I have installed it on is a Windows 2003 server machine [our only Windows "server" machine] and didn't come with Office 2003 - as most servers don't.

On a side note, I would also suggest the installer could be a little more specific about what went wrong [assuming that the lack of outlook is the problem of course]. All I get is:

"The installer was interrupted before ZCS Connector for BES could be installed. You need to restart the installer to try again. Click close to exit"

Which I personally think is someone misleading.

Thanks

[alee]

Originally Posted by didster

Hi All,

We are trying out the BB connector here, and apart from the fact that BES has to run on Windows, it looks promising.

We have one Windows machine on our network, which runs a CRM system. So I went about installing BES on that. What a total pain that was, since there was already a MSSQL database on that machine...

Anyway, I installed ExchangeMapiCdo.EXE, then installed BES for Exchange. I then went to install BB connector, and it failed. Looking at the log shows:

CA LOG: Entering CheckOLInstalled.
IsBESInstall. IsBESInstall read as 1
CA LOG: Entering GetOutlookVersion.
CA LOG: Failed to get value of registry OUTLOOK_APPLICATION_VERSION_KEY, error = 2l.

I then read the documentation and it says that Outlook 2003 is a requirement. I just wondered why? The machine I have installed it on is a Windows 2003 server machine [our only Windows "server" machine] and didn't come with Office 2003 - as most servers don't.

On a side note, I would also suggest the installer could be a little more specific about what went wrong [assuming that the lack of outlook is the problem of course]. All I get is:

"The installer was interrupted before ZCS Connector for BES could be installed. You need to restart the installer to try again. Click close to exit"

Which I personally think is someone misleading.

Thanks

can you post more of the install log so we can try to figure out what is going wrong? did you go ahead and install outlook 2k3? some libraries that come with the installation of this app are required for ZCB functionality.

[didster]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

The full log is attached.

Nope, I havent installed Outlook. We don't actually have a license for it. Part of my reason for posting as I'm not quite sure if my boss would go for having to spend money on Outook + BES licences to get this working.

Also, the docs say Outlook 2003. Have you tried getting hold of that these days in the UK? Nowhere sells it - it's 2007 or nothing.

[alee]

Originally Posted by didster

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

The full log is attached.

Nope, I havent installed Outlook. We don't actually have a license for it. Part of my reason for posting as I'm not quite sure if my boss would go for having to spend money on Outook + BES licences to get this working.

Also, the docs say Outlook 2003. Have you tried getting hold of that these days in the UK? Nowhere sells it - it's 2007 or nothing.

You would have to follow the prerequisites outlined by the ZCB docs for the product to work. Currently only Outlook 2003 is recommended but you are free to try other configurations.

[didster]

This is kinda what I thought.

It's just a little frustrating because this £100 copy of outlook is going to just sit there, and only be installed for some of the "support" libraries that get installed with it if you see what I mean. It wont actually be used by anyone.

I do understand BB support is still in BETA, but it would be REALLY great if it could work without outlook. Especially as I would imagine most people are going to install this on server operating systems, which generally don't come with copies of office for "free"

[sam]

we have plans to remove the outlook requirement, won't happen anytime soon though.

[didster]

Ok, thanks.