Thanks Dmitry, that then supports what I saw when I tried to the use
mask on the Button and get an exception.
Do you know how I can get a transparent image onto the CommandBarButton
using PasteFace then. I used magenta and green as the background, but it
does not work. I am using C#.
Thanks,
Rog


Dmitry Streblechenko wrote:
If you are using the Word editor (default in Outlook 2003), you cannot set
the image using Picture and Mask properties from a COM addin since IPicture
interface cannot be marshalled across the process boundaries (Word
inspectors run in the windword.exe process space), so you must use the
PasteFace method.

Dmitry Streblechenko (MVP)
http://www.dimastr.com/
OutlookSpy - Outlook, CDO
and MAPI Developer Tool

"Rog" wrote in message
...
Thanks Ken, so the mask is supported even on the inspector for Outlook
2003? I know it works for the Explorer buttons.
Thanks

Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook] wrote:
Mask is supported for Outlook 2002 and later. It's only for Outlook 2000
that you need to use a workaround. Are you needing to support Outlook
2000?

The trick with Outlook 2000 is to use one color as a mask color, say
magenta. That color can only be used where you want masking. Then you do
some fancy stuff with the Win32 API and separate the mask and image and
pop them onto the clipboard and use PasteFace to add the button image.

See http://www.daveswebsite.com/articles.../default.shtml for a C++
example and KB288771 for a VB example. Offhand I'm not familiar with any
C# examples but there may be some out there if you Google for
"PasteFace".