Question on add-in interception with Outlook functionality

[paresh]

Hi,

I have written an add-in and it works absolutely fine as expected. After we

have installed this add-in, it seems there have been some issue while writing

an email. The Outlook is getting hung and keep using 50% CPU cycle. We have

to kill it from task manager and restart the Outlook each time after this

happen.

My question is now following:

I know that my add-in has nothing to do with write email (autosave event -

which is the only event happens during writing email). My add-in comes gets

triggered only when user clicks toolbar button. Now the question is, Is there

any thing that might add-in left and that leads to some kind of memory leak

or whatever and that in turn leads to this issue? User claimed that the issue

happens while writing an email and after 5-10 minutes he clicked my add-in

button.

Other noticeable thing is since Outlook 50% busy means it is doing

something. My add-in logs everything it does into event viewer but during

this time I don't see any message from my add-in.

Thanks,

Paresh

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

What version or versions of Outlook does this happen on? Is it all versions?

Does it happen with both PST files and Exchange mailboxes?

Does this happen with all customers or only some?

Please provide all the relevant details if you expect someone to be able to

help.

"paresh" <paresh> wrote in message

news:6FF93ED2-9D96-4474-91B8-F8845D041C38@microsoft.com...
> Hi,

> I have written an add-in and it works absolutely fine as expected. After
> we
> have installed this add-in, it seems there have been some issue while
> writing
> an email. The Outlook is getting hung and keep using 50% CPU cycle. We
> have
> to kill it from task manager and restart the Outlook each time after this
> happen.

> My question is now following:
> I know that my add-in has nothing to do with write email (autosave event -
> which is the only event happens during writing email). My add-in comes
> gets
> triggered only when user clicks toolbar button. Now the question is, Is
> there
> any thing that might add-in left and that leads to some kind of memory
> leak
> or whatever and that in turn leads to this issue? User claimed that the
> issue
> happens while writing an email and after 5-10 minutes he clicked my
> add-in
> button.

> Other noticeable thing is since Outlook 50% busy means it is doing
> something. My add-in logs everything it does into event viewer but during
> this time I don't see any message from my add-in.

> Thanks,
> Paresh

 

[paresh]

Sorry Ken. You are correct I wasn't much clear.

Well, we are using Outlook 2007 with Exchange server 2007.

The main issue is it doesn't happen with all. The issue happens with very

few customers(~5%) but it is making my add-ins impression down as it hold off

the production release because of this issue. When issue happens, you cannot

do anything. You have to kill outlook from task manager and whatever you have

written, there are good chances that you will lost portion of it.

I have also enable the Outlook logging through

Outlook->Tools->Options>Other->Advanced Options->Enable logging

(troubleshooting) but log file location: "C:\documents and

Settings\<userid>\Local Settings\Temp\ doesn't contain any useful information.

User has also confirmed that it happens eventhough he doesn;t have PST files.

I am really worried that what Outlook is doing with 50% CPU? Not sure how to

debug this issue.

Could you help me out please.

Thanks,

Paresh
wrote:


> What version or versions of Outlook does this happen on? Is it all versions?

> Does it happen with both PST files and Exchange mailboxes?

> Does this happen with all customers or only some?

> Please provide all the relevant details if you expect someone to be able to
> help.

> >

>

> "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> news:6FF93ED2-9D96-4474-91B8-F8845D041C38@microsoft.com...
> > Hi,
> > I have written an add-in and it works absolutely fine as expected. After
> > we
> > have installed this add-in, it seems there have been some issue while
> > writing
> > an email. The Outlook is getting hung and keep using 50% CPU cycle. We
> > have
> > to kill it from task manager and restart the Outlook each time after this
> > happen.
> > My question is now following:
> > I know that my add-in has nothing to do with write email (autosave event -
> > which is the only event happens during writing email). My add-in comes
> > gets
> > triggered only when user clicks toolbar button. Now the question is, Is
> > there
> > any thing that might add-in left and that leads to some kind of memory
> > leak
> > or whatever and that in turn leads to this issue? User claimed that the
> > issue
> > happens while writing an email and after 5-10 minutes he clicked my
> > add-in
> > button.
> > Other noticeable thing is since Outlook 50% busy means it is doing
> > something. My add-in logs everything it does into event viewer but during
> > this time I don't see any message from my add-in.
> > Thanks,
> > Paresh

> .
>

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

That sounds like a problem that can happen if you are handling ItemAdd() on

the Inbox or one of the delivery events (NewMail() or NewMailEx()). Is that

the case?

If so, there's not much you can do. MS is aware of problems that affect

between 5% and 10% of Outlook 2007 installations due to that but has no fix

that I know of at this time.

I don't know if this is any comfort to you, but I see the same thing with my

Reminder Manager addin, with problems for a small subset of users. In my

case telling the users not to display the reminders window when writing in

an email or at least disabling the window's autorefresh function almost

always is a good workaround.

Does your addin have any UI that it displays?

"paresh" <paresh> wrote in message

news:29DE5381-8635-4258-8FBF-4096CADE3D62@microsoft.com...
> Sorry Ken. You are correct I wasn't much clear.

> Well, we are using Outlook 2007 with Exchange server 2007.

> The main issue is it doesn't happen with all. The issue happens with very
> few customers(~5%) but it is making my add-ins impression down as it hold
> off
> the production release because of this issue. When issue happens, you
> cannot
> do anything. You have to kill outlook from task manager and whatever you
> have
> written, there are good chances that you will lost portion of it.

> I have also enable the Outlook logging through
> Outlook->Tools->Options>Other->Advanced Options->Enable logging
> (troubleshooting) but log file location: "C:\documents and
> Settings\<userid>\Local Settings\Temp\ doesn't contain any useful
> information.

> User has also confirmed that it happens eventhough he doesn;t have PST
> files.

> I am really worried that what Outlook is doing with 50% CPU? Not sure how
> to
> debug this issue.

> Could you help me out please.

> Thanks,
> Paresh

 

[paresh]

Thanks Ken for information.

My add-in doesn;t handle events that happens frequently. The only Outlook

event that handle by add-in is ItemContextMenuDisplay and rest of

functionality gets trigger only when user clicks the toolbar button.

Yes, my add-in has lot of UI. I have 5 buttons correspond to 5 forms. When

user click button the form gets displayed and user selects the username from

listbox of form and get click the form button to get the user's detailed

information.

My worry is, Outlook doesn't gets crashed immediately when any of add-in

button clicked or ItemContextMenuDisplay event happen. It is crashing 8-10

minutes after user used my add-in functionality.

I have verified that the time of crashing Outlook, my add-in doesn't do

anything or it didn't get invoke.

It is being hard to debug the issue now.

Thanks,

Paresh
wrote:


> That sounds like a problem that can happen if you are handling ItemAdd() on
> the Inbox or one of the delivery events (NewMail() or NewMailEx()). Is that
> the case?

> If so, there's not much you can do. MS is aware of problems that affect
> between 5% and 10% of Outlook 2007 installations due to that but has no fix
> that I know of at this time.

> I don't know if this is any comfort to you, but I see the same thing with my
> Reminder Manager addin, with problems for a small subset of users. In my
> case telling the users not to display the reminders window when writing in
> an email or at least disabling the window's autorefresh function almost
> always is a good workaround.

> Does your addin have any UI that it displays?

> >

>

> "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> news:29DE5381-8635-4258-8FBF-4096CADE3D62@microsoft.com...
> > Sorry Ken. You are correct I wasn't much clear.
> > Well, we are using Outlook 2007 with Exchange server 2007.
> > The main issue is it doesn't happen with all. The issue happens with very
> > few customers(~5%) but it is making my add-ins impression down as it hold
> > off
> > the production release because of this issue. When issue happens, you
> > cannot
> > do anything. You have to kill outlook from task manager and whatever you
> > have
> > written, there are good chances that you will lost portion of it.
> > I have also enable the Outlook logging through
> > Outlook->Tools->Options>Other->Advanced Options->Enable logging
> > (troubleshooting) but log file location: "C:\documents and
> > Settings\<userid>\Local Settings\Temp\ doesn't contain any useful
> > information.
> > User has also confirmed that it happens eventhough he doesn;t have PST
> > files.
> > I am really worried that what Outlook is doing with 50% CPU? Not sure how
> > to
> > debug this issue.
> > Could you help me out please.
> > Thanks,
> > Paresh

> .
>

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

You might have to open a support case with MS on this problem. They have

access to the Outlook and Office symbols that might be needed to figure out

where and why Outlook is crashing. It's almost impossible for anyone else to

do that because we don't have access to the symbols to interpret crash

dumps.

Things I'd look for would be:

1. Any other addins running, disable them and see if the problem goes away.

2. Make sure no object model accesses are occurring on any background

threads.

3. Make sure there are no memory or stack leaks and that all of your objects

are being released.

"paresh" <paresh> wrote in message

news:C6C1207B-7785-4248-A201-51A628404B1F@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Ken for information.

> My add-in doesn;t handle events that happens frequently. The only Outlook
> event that handle by add-in is ItemContextMenuDisplay and rest of
> functionality gets trigger only when user clicks the toolbar button.

> Yes, my add-in has lot of UI. I have 5 buttons correspond to 5 forms. When
> user click button the form gets displayed and user selects the username
> from
> listbox of form and get click the form button to get the user's detailed
> information.

> My worry is, Outlook doesn't gets crashed immediately when any of add-in
> button clicked or ItemContextMenuDisplay event happen. It is crashing 8-10
> minutes after user used my add-in functionality.

> I have verified that the time of crashing Outlook, my add-in doesn't do
> anything or it didn't get invoke.

> It is being hard to debug the issue now.

> Thanks,
> Paresh

 

[paresh]

Thanks Ken. I think you were correct. The other add-in was causing the issue.

Some users have been facing Outlook crashing issue with below entry in

eventviewer:

Faulting application outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,

faulting module outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185, debug?

0, fault address 0x001f0261.

After my add-in installation, they also started facing Outlook freezing

issue(50% CPU). I have researched a lot on this and came to know that my

add-in and other add-in, both are using ItemContextMenuDisplay event. Do you

think this can lead 50% CPU in any way?

When I disabled other add-in for 2 most affected users, above both the

issues gone away but still I need to research on is there anyway that

ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into loop and can cause 50%

CPU usage.

When the Outlook 50% usage issue happened, I also verified that Outlook

wasn't contacting any exchange server using WireShark networks packet

monitoring tool and so issue nailed down to local PC.

The only Outstanding question is:

Is there anyway that ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into

loop and can cause 50% CPU usage?

Thanks,

Paresh
wrote:


> You might have to open a support case with MS on this problem. They have
> access to the Outlook and Office symbols that might be needed to figure out
> where and why Outlook is crashing. It's almost impossible for anyone else to
> do that because we don't have access to the symbols to interpret crash
> dumps.

> Things I'd look for would be:

> 1. Any other addins running, disable them and see if the problem goes away.
> 2. Make sure no object model accesses are occurring on any background
> threads.
> 3. Make sure there are no memory or stack leaks and that all of your objects
> are being released.

> >

>

> "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> news:C6C1207B-7785-4248-A201-51A628404B1F@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks Ken for information.
> > My add-in doesn;t handle events that happens frequently. The only Outlook
> > event that handle by add-in is ItemContextMenuDisplay and rest of
> > functionality gets trigger only when user clicks the toolbar button.
> > Yes, my add-in has lot of UI. I have 5 buttons correspond to 5 forms. When
> > user click button the form gets displayed and user selects the username
> > from
> > listbox of form and get click the form button to get the user's detailed
> > information.
> > My worry is, Outlook doesn't gets crashed immediately when any of add-in
> > button clicked or ItemContextMenuDisplay event happen. It is crashing 8-10
> > minutes after user used my add-in functionality.
> > I have verified that the time of crashing Outlook, my add-in doesn't do
> > anything or it didn't get invoke.
> > It is being hard to debug the issue now.
> > Thanks,
> > Paresh

> .
>

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Offhand I don't see why 2 addins subscribing to ItemContextMenuDisplay would

cause a hang, but I'll see if the problem is known on the Outlook team.

Can you say what other addin is causing the problem?

"paresh" <paresh> wrote in message

news:A906C776-585D-48CD-B7F0-02414B40893F@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Ken. I think you were correct. The other add-in was causing the
> issue.
> Some users have been facing Outlook crashing issue with below entry in
> eventviewer:

> Faulting application outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> faulting module outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> debug?
> 0, fault address 0x001f0261.

> After my add-in installation, they also started facing Outlook freezing
> issue(50% CPU). I have researched a lot on this and came to know that my
> add-in and other add-in, both are using ItemContextMenuDisplay event. Do
> you
> think this can lead 50% CPU in any way?

> When I disabled other add-in for 2 most affected users, above both the
> issues gone away but still I need to research on is there anyway that
> ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into loop and can cause 50%
> CPU usage.

> When the Outlook 50% usage issue happened, I also verified that Outlook
> wasn't contacting any exchange server using WireShark networks packet
> monitoring tool and so issue nailed down to local PC.

> The only Outstanding question is:

> Is there anyway that ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into
> loop and can cause 50% CPU usage?

> Thanks,
> Paresh

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Please provide information on the crash buckets in the event logs if there

are any. To get them you have to OK the sending of a crash to MS.

Also, please provide descriptions of what both addins are using the context

event for.

The CommandBar object passed in that event is only good for that event

lifetime. You aren't persisting it or trying to use it elsewhere, or keeping

references to it?
<kenslovak@mvps.org> wrote in message

news:uIGfGfAgKHA.3552@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Offhand I don't see why 2 addins subscribing to ItemContextMenuDisplay
> would cause a hang, but I'll see if the problem is known on the Outlook
> team.

> Can you say what other addin is causing the problem?

> >

>

> "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> news:A906C776-585D-48CD-B7F0-02414B40893F@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks Ken. I think you were correct. The other add-in was causing the
> > issue.
> > Some users have been facing Outlook crashing issue with below entry in
> > eventviewer:
>

>> Faulting application outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> > faulting module outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> > debug?
> > 0, fault address 0x001f0261.
>

>> After my add-in installation, they also started facing Outlook freezing
> > issue(50% CPU). I have researched a lot on this and came to know that my
> > add-in and other add-in, both are using ItemContextMenuDisplay event. Do
> > you
> > think this can lead 50% CPU in any way?
>

>> When I disabled other add-in for 2 most affected users, above both the
> > issues gone away but still I need to research on is there anyway that
> > ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into loop and can cause
> > 50%
> > CPU usage.
>

>> When the Outlook 50% usage issue happened, I also verified that Outlook
> > wasn't contacting any exchange server using WireShark networks packet
> > monitoring tool and so issue nailed down to local PC.
>

>> The only Outstanding question is:
>

>> Is there anyway that ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into
> > loop and can cause 50% CPU usage?
>

>> Thanks,
> > Paresh
>

 

[paresh]

Thanks again Ken. I am not sure of another add-ins functionality but few

people has confirmed that the freezing issue go away when they disable it. My

add-in doesn't do anything with Commandbar object it just adds couple of

buttons and click event.

Ken, can you tell me if there are some memory or stack leak then why CPU

takes 50%?I think either of leaks should not cause this. There must be some

operational activity(arithmetic or whatsoever) progressing that makes CPU 50%

all the time. Do you think I am correct?

Thanks,

PAresh
wrote:


> Please provide information on the crash buckets in the event logs if there
> are any. To get them you have to OK the sending of a crash to MS.

> Also, please provide descriptions of what both addins are using the context
> event for.

> The CommandBar object passed in that event is only good for that event
> lifetime. You aren't persisting it or trying to use it elsewhere, or keeping
> references to it?

> >

>

> " - " <kenslovak@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:uIGfGfAgKHA.3552@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> > Offhand I don't see why 2 addins subscribing to ItemContextMenuDisplay
> > would cause a hang, but I'll see if the problem is known on the Outlook
> > team.
> > Can you say what other addin is causing the problem?
> > > >

> >

> > "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> > news:A906C776-585D-48CD-B7F0-02414B40893F@microsoft.com...
> >> Thanks Ken. I think you were correct. The other add-in was causing the
> >> issue.
> >> Some users have been facing Outlook crashing issue with below entry in
> >> eventviewer:
> >
> >> Faulting application outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> >> faulting module outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> >> debug?
> >> 0, fault address 0x001f0261.
> >
> >> After my add-in installation, they also started facing Outlook freezing
> >> issue(50% CPU). I have researched a lot on this and came to know that my
> >> add-in and other add-in, both are using ItemContextMenuDisplay event. Do
> >> you
> >> think this can lead 50% CPU in any way?
> >
> >> When I disabled other add-in for 2 most affected users, above both the
> >> issues gone away but still I need to research on is there anyway that
> >> ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into loop and can cause
> >> 50%
> >> CPU usage.
> >
> >> When the Outlook 50% usage issue happened, I also verified that Outlook
> >> wasn't contacting any exchange server using WireShark networks packet
> >> monitoring tool and so issue nailed down to local PC.
> >
> >> The only Outstanding question is:
> >
> >> Is there anyway that ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into
> >> loop and can cause 50% CPU usage?
> >
> >> Thanks,
> >> Paresh
> >

> .
>

 

[paresh]

Ken, other weird thing started happening with me. I have one particular

email(internal communication between my team so nothing new). Whenever I open

that email, my Outlook start taking 50% CPU constantly and I have to kill it

from task manager. While researching I sent that email to other 4-5 people to

check and the same thing happens for all. We started calling that email evil.



Could you tell me what could be wrong with that email? Did you come across

such thing?

Thanks.
wrote:


> Please provide information on the crash buckets in the event logs if there
> are any. To get them you have to OK the sending of a crash to MS.

> Also, please provide descriptions of what both addins are using the context
> event for.

> The CommandBar object passed in that event is only good for that event
> lifetime. You aren't persisting it or trying to use it elsewhere, or keeping
> references to it?

> >

>

> " - " <kenslovak@mvps.org> wrote in message
> news:uIGfGfAgKHA.3552@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> > Offhand I don't see why 2 addins subscribing to ItemContextMenuDisplay
> > would cause a hang, but I'll see if the problem is known on the Outlook
> > team.
> > Can you say what other addin is causing the problem?
> > > >

> >

> > "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> > news:A906C776-585D-48CD-B7F0-02414B40893F@microsoft.com...
> >> Thanks Ken. I think you were correct. The other add-in was causing the
> >> issue.
> >> Some users have been facing Outlook crashing issue with below entry in
> >> eventviewer:
> >
> >> Faulting application outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> >> faulting module outlook.exe, version 12.0.6423.1000, stamp 49b08185,
> >> debug?
> >> 0, fault address 0x001f0261.
> >
> >> After my add-in installation, they also started facing Outlook freezing
> >> issue(50% CPU). I have researched a lot on this and came to know that my
> >> add-in and other add-in, both are using ItemContextMenuDisplay event. Do
> >> you
> >> think this can lead 50% CPU in any way?
> >
> >> When I disabled other add-in for 2 most affected users, above both the
> >> issues gone away but still I need to research on is there anyway that
> >> ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into loop and can cause
> >> 50%
> >> CPU usage.
> >
> >> When the Outlook 50% usage issue happened, I also verified that Outlook
> >> wasn't contacting any exchange server using WireShark networks packet
> >> monitoring tool and so issue nailed down to local PC.
> >
> >> The only Outstanding question is:
> >
> >> Is there anyway that ItemContextMenuDisplay event leads both add-in into
> >> loop and can cause 50% CPU usage?
> >
> >> Thanks,
> >> Paresh
> >

> .
>

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

There's probably something corrupted in that email but I have no idea what.

If you are really interested you can compare it to other emails and examine

it using a MAPI viewer to see the properties on the item and see if you can

figure out what's wrong with it.

"paresh" <paresh> wrote in message

news:25A76FDF-3872-47D3-A7F3-26C81B95F1E4@microsoft.com...
> Ken, other weird thing started happening with me. I have one particular
> email(internal communication between my team so nothing new). Whenever I
> open
> that email, my Outlook start taking 50% CPU constantly and I have to kill
> it
> from task manager. While researching I sent that email to other 4-5 people
> to
> check and the same thing happens for all. We started calling that email
> evil.
>

> Could you tell me what could be wrong with that email? Did you come across
> such thing?

> Thanks.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

I don't know what is causing the CPU load or the crashes. That's why I asked

you those questions.

I contacted the owner of Outlook programmability on the Outlook team at MS

and he asked me to get those answers so he can look into this being a know

problem or something else he can research.

If you aren't interested in getting answers that's fine, I'll let him know

that. If you are then please answer the questions I asked.

"paresh" <paresh> wrote in message

news016FE42-FF87-4AD2-8230-DF26C8C84042@microsoft.com...
> Thanks again Ken. I am not sure of another add-ins functionality but few
> people has confirmed that the freezing issue go away when they disable it.
> My
> add-in doesn't do anything with Commandbar object it just adds couple of
> buttons and click event.

> Ken, can you tell me if there are some memory or stack leak then why CPU
> takes 50%?I think either of leaks should not cause this. There must be
> some
> operational activity(arithmetic or whatsoever) progressing that makes CPU
> 50%
> all the time. Do you think I am correct?

> Thanks,
> PAresh

 

[paresh]

I got it. It has to something to do with Wwlib.dll that handles HTML

rendering for Outlook and Word is having difficulty in parsing certain

messages(has lot of special symbols) and ends up looping indefinitely. We

have logged case with M$ and they are going to provide hotfix for this.

Thanks.
wrote:


> There's probably something corrupted in that email but I have no idea what.

> If you are really interested you can compare it to other emails and examine
> it using a MAPI viewer to see the properties on the item and see if you can
> figure out what's wrong with it.

> >

>

> "paresh" <paresh> wrote in message
> news:25A76FDF-3872-47D3-A7F3-26C81B95F1E4@microsoft.com...
> > Ken, other weird thing started happening with me. I have one particular
> > email(internal communication between my team so nothing new). Whenever I
> > open
> > that email, my Outlook start taking 50% CPU constantly and I have to kill
> > it
> > from task manager. While researching I sent that email to other 4-5 people
> > to
> > check and the same thing happens for all. We started calling that email
> > evil.
> >
> > Could you tell me what could be wrong with that email? Did you come across
> > such thing?
> > Thanks.

> .
>