Extending and Replacing the Email UI
Applies To: Windows Server 2012 Essentials
The core Windows Server Essential SDK allows you to add elements to certain Dashboard tabs and screens. Generally, these features are added in using adorner objects, such as PageContentAdorner (For more information, see Extend the Built-In Tabs.) However, the Hosted Email Integration Framework also allows you to add new UI elements to the built-in wizards and dialogs. In addition to adding tabs and buttons, you can also add in new pages. You can also add background tasks that occur before or after a user accesses a dialog or wizard. Finally, you can choose to turn off the new built-in email UI extensions, and replace them with your own implementations.
You can add in new adorner elements to the following wizards:
| UI Element | Add location |
|---|---|
| Add User Wizard | Add elements to the email configuration page; can add a page between the email configuration page and the progress page. Can add pre- and post- execution tasks. |
| Remove User Wizard | Can add pages before the progress page. Can add pre- and post- execution tasks. |
| User Properties Dialog | Can add tabs to the dialog; can add pre- and post- execution tasks. |
| Enable User Dialog | Can add pre- and post- execution tasks only. |
| Disable User Dialog | Can add pre- and post- execution tasks only. |
| Reset Password Dialog | Can add pre- and post- execution tasks only. |
The following table describes the new classes you can use to modify the existing Email UI:
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| TaskContentAdorner | Adds additional tasks to the existing User Management UI flows. |
| FormContentAdorner | Inherits from TaskContentAdorner and allows you to add additional UI controls to the existing user management UIs. |
| FormExtensionAdorner | Inherits from TaskContentAdorner, and allows you to add additional forms to a wizard. |
| IHostedEmailExtension | Associates an adorner with a hosted email add-in. An adorner that is part of a hosted email add-in UI must implement this interface. |
| AddinPageContent | Provides the extended UI to an existing UI page. Used with FormContentAdorner to wrap your custom UI extensions. |
| FormPropertyBag | Passes data from the built-in UI to an adorner. Generally used to pass username and password data between UI elements; can also be used to pass custom data. |
The quickstart code example contains two additions to the UI via adorners: an implementation of the Advanced button on the Email tab of the User Properties dialog, and adding a Distribution Group tab to the User Properties dialog. For more information, see Quickstart: Creating a Hosted Email Adapter.
In This Section
How to: Add a New UI Page to a Wizard
How to: Extend an Existing Dialog or Wizard