Add-in Express 2009 Roadmap
Many of you have already enquired about our roadmap for the year 2009. Its rough outline is ready, but as you understand, we reserve the right to make some changes. Well, now in more detail…
When will the first Add-in Express 2009 release be published?
We are planning to publish the first release of generation 2009 in January.
What products will the Add-in Express 2009 product line contain?
We will update all products to generation 2009, namely:
1. Add-in Express 2009 for Office and .net
2. Add-in Express 2009 for Office and VSTO
3. Add-in Express 2009 for Office and VCL
4. Add-in Express 2009 for Outlook Express and .net
5. Add-in Express 2009 for Outlook Express and VCL
6. Add-in Express 2009 for Internet Explorer and .net
7. Security Manager 2009 for Outlook
Add-in Express 2009 for Microsoft Office
None of three editions of Add-in Express for Office (.net, VCL and VSTO) will undergo any substantial alterations in the core code and public API. All improvements will be concentrated around:
1. New versions of advanced Outlook view and form regions and advanced Excel task panes
2. Customization for Word and PowerPoint with advanced task panes
3. Visual designer enhancements
4. Deployment and redeployment
5. Complete compatibility with previous generations and other editions
New versions of advanced Outlook regions and Excel task panes
The new versions of the advanced Outlook view and form regions and advanced Excel task panes, which have gained so much popularity, improve their visual design. Now a region or a task pane can be minimized like the To-Do bar in Outlook. Developers can highlight some elements of such minimized regions or task panes. Of course, our Outlook regions and Excel task panes will work for Outlook 2000 – 2007 and Excel 2000 – 2007.
Advanced task panes for Word and PowerPoint
Yes, you can add your own task panes to your Word 2000+ and PowerPoint 2000+ extensions. All features of the advanced Excel task panes are on board.
Visual designers
Our visual designers will also gain certain enhancements. For instance, we will introduce the Ribbon UI and Office toolbars modules with their own visual designers. At last, will be able to do without modal designers for your toolbars and Ribbon tabs.
Deployment and redeployment
As I see, you use generation 2008 of Add-in Express as a stable and secure platform for your Office extensions. However, there is still some room for perfection in the deployment and redeployment fields. And we have something to offer here as well. I will give more details about innovations in deployment and redeployment for your Office extensions later. Stay tuned!
Compatibility
Probably not all of you have turned your attention to the fact that having bought the Add-in Express license, you also got the 100% compatibility assurance. Well then, I guarantee that Add-in Express 2009 will be fully compatible with your projects and extensions. Just install Add-in Express 2009 and recompile your projects. :-)
Oh, yes! Add-in Express 2009 will support Windows 7, Visual Studio 2010, Delphi 2009 Win32 and Delphi Prism.
Add-in Express 2009 for Outlook Express
Both editions of Add-in Express for Outlook Express, .net and VCL, will contain the new version of view and form regions synchronized with Add-in Express for Office. The .net edition will work on Visual Studio 2010 and Delphi Prism, while the VCL edition – on Delphi 2009 Win32.
Add-in Express 2009 for Internet Explorer and .net
With the new version of Add-in Express for Internet Explorer you will place icons on IE toolbars and create your own menus in the main IE menu. Of course, Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, Visual Studio 2010 and Delphi Prism will be supported.
Security Manager 2009 for Microsoft Outlook
No news worth mentioning here, but for the support of Windows 7, Visual Studio 2010, Delphi Prism and Delphi 2009 Win32.
Pricing and upgrade policy
All is as usual. If your professional or premium subscription has not expired yet, or if you purchased the product less than three months before the first 2009 release is published after December 15, 2008, the upgrade will be free for you. Otherwise, you will get the upgrade at 50% of the regular price. However, the upgrade to Security Manager 2009 for Microsoft Outlook is free for all Security Manager customers.
As always, upgrades to higher packages (for example, from version 2007 standard to version 2009 premium) are approved with no limitations. Will anybody find a solution to this task: “How to buy a new premium subscription at less than its regular price”? :-)
Last updated on 02-Mar-2009.