Changing applications redefine the functionality
Because the solution required the installation of a software component, we didn't quite accomplish our original objective, which was to be able to publish these cool new mailto links all over the Web.

We did, however, quickly recognize the potential business applications for the technology -- the primary one being the ability to host a Web-based "library" of pre-composed email templates for use by company employees, dealers, agents, etc. The decision was made to develop a self-managed program capability, which we called DynaSend (at http://www.dynasend.com), enabling companies to establish and manage their own template libraries via a Web-interface.

Taking this direction, two obvious extensions presented themselves. First, was the desire to enable a database driven mail-merge capability to individual users. To keep the service easily usable by non-programmer types, we elected to utilize tags typed directly into the body of the email. For instance, completing a template with the tag /SB/ would result in an expanded signature block, like that shown in Figure B.

FIGURE B

Certain abbreviations expanded into longer text. Click picture for a larger image.

Using an SQL database to store the individual user data, PHP scripts were written to substitute the user's data in place of the tag when the mailto link was invoked.

The second extension to the technology that became necessary was the ability to utilize the new mailto functionality for message replies, as well as for the creation of new messages. This required us to rethink the access point to the mailto links -- we now had to be able to access them from within Outlook's message edit window.

The original ActiveX control was reconfigured to be installed as a COM Add-In. To keep the changes to Outlook unobtrusive, we elected to add a menu option on Outlook's Insert menu, as shown in Figure C.

FIGURE C

Outlook can insert a template. Click picture for a larger image.

Selection of the pull-down menu option opens a browser window to the user's template library, enabling the user to insert the appropriate template.

Implementation of this feature created a desirable side-effect. We were able to hard-code the COM Add-In to open this browser window in Internet Explorer, even if the user had set Firefox or some other browser as their default web-browser. This effectively solved the problem of ActiveX's incompatibility with browsers other than IE.

Distribution challenges
In the old days, the only way I could distribute software was by copying it to a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk, putting it in the mail, and explaining to recipients how to insert the disk and type "copy *.*". Then things got really easy, for a while, when the Internet was benign, wide open, and relatively problem-free. And now, not so much.

Today, with the plethora of pop-up/download blockers, security settings, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall technologies in place, I almost long for the days when I could mail a disk to someone and know it would work.