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I want to create my custom toolbar at the top for explorer and inspector window. I want to make it ALWAYS visible. So which is the best approach, to use a custom task pane or a form region? Which best? What are the advantages and disavantages for each one?

The toolbar should be able to contain buttons, text fields, checkboxes, drop-down lists, etc.

Eugene Astafiev
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Willy
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There is no layout at the top for Outlook form regions.

Custom task panes is an Office-wide feature available in all Office applications (most of them to be precise). When you create a custom task pane for Outlook, the custom task pane is associated with a specific Explorer or Inspector window. Explorers are windows that display the contents of a folder, and Inspectors are windows that display an item such as an email message or a task.

Form regions are custom pieces of user interface that can be used to customize a standard form. They are not designed to customize the Explorer window, they are designed for item's forms. And created and designed only for Outlook.

You may also consider using Advanced Outlook view and form regions. They allows placing a form region at the top.

Eugene Astafiev
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  • In case of form regions, what do you mean by customize a standard form? for example the Outlook standard forms such as compose window by extending them or replacing completely? So form regions are separated forms not attached to explorer windows nor inspector windows? I am not able to understand the difference. So which one I would need to choose? – Willy Oct 29 '22 at 19:42
  • Standard forms were defined in the MSDN docs. That means inspector windows in Outlook. – Eugene Astafiev Oct 29 '22 at 19:46
  • Outlook form regions doesn't provide or support the required layout for your pane with controls. – Eugene Astafiev Oct 29 '22 at 19:47
  • Why form regions don't support my required layout? Do Form regions need to be based on an existing standard form? I thought using a form region you could place everything you want there (custom text fields, buttons, etc.). You cannot create an empty form region and start placing whatever control you want? – Willy Oct 29 '22 at 20:12
  • Try to create a form region in Visual Studio and you will find supported layouts for your form. – Eugene Astafiev Oct 29 '22 at 20:23
  • Can form regions be placed at the top as custom task panes? From your comments it looks like it is not possible. – Willy Oct 30 '22 at 09:35
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    Have you tried creating a form region? The wizard shows supported layouts and the top one is not available. – Eugene Astafiev Oct 30 '22 at 10:24