Preview Pane / .msg

If you are experiencing problems with "Everything", post here for assistance.
Post Reply
punxsutawney72
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 6:50 pm

Preview Pane / .msg

Post by punxsutawney72 »

When I open the preview pane in Everything v1.4.1.809b and select a file with a .msg extension (Outlook email file), the pane remains blank (neither shows a preview nor displays an error message). With files of other types, the preview is shown (.doc, .xls, .pdf ...).

When I open the preview pane in Windows Explorer and select the same .msg file, the preview is shown. I think the .msg preview handler should work correctly on my system (Windows 7 Professional/Outlook 2010).

The parameter 'show_preview_handlers_in_preview_pane' in the Everything.ini configuration file is set to zero (0) which means Everything should use the default system preview handler.

Am I overlooking something or is this a bug?

Any help is greatly appreciated!
SuperDude
Posts: 221
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:57 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by SuperDude »

PreviewConfig can enable preview handlers with ease. Get it here: http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/previ ... ows-vista/

Direct download link: http://www.winhelponline.com/utils/previewconfig.zip
void
Developer
Posts: 16846
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by void »

Please try the x64 version of Everything.

http://www.voidtools.com/downloads/
punxsutawney72
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 6:50 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by punxsutawney72 »

Thank you both for your quick answers!

@SuperDude:
PreviewConfig can enable preview handlers with ease. Get it here: ...
PreviewConfig shows the following info for the .msg File type:

Code: Select all

Preview type: Others

Preview Handler information:

GUID        : {435fdba0-964c-43a7-8aff-cc94e21b2249}
Description : Outlook MAPI Mail Previewer
Module name : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14\MAPISHELL.DLL
Localserver : 

Note: Preview Handler is registered on the file extension (.msg)
Seems normal to me, or do you see any peculiarities?

@void:
Please try the x64 version of Everything. ...
I cannot try this workaround as I'm still running on a 32 bit OS.

I am running with admin rights and use the portable version of Everything 1.4.1.809b (x86).

Have you got any idea what could be wrong?

I'd like to avoid re-installing Outlook or the whole Office Suite if it's unclear whether the fault lies within my system or it possibly could be a bug in Everything. As the preview pane in Windows Explorer shows the preview for .msg files, I am not certain if re-installing Outlook would help.
void
Developer
Posts: 16846
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by void »

Office uses IInitializeWithItem for outlook msg Previews, which Everything doesn't support prior to 829b.

I've added support for IInitializeWithItem in Everything 829b.

Thanks for the bug report and helping with fixing the issue.
punxsutawney72
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Aug 31, 2014 6:50 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by punxsutawney72 »

Outlook mail file (.msg) preview works like a charm in version 1.4.1.830b (x86).

Thanks a lot, void!
Marti-Every
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:54 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by Marti-Every »

Hello,
the outlook .msg prewiew if ok in the 1.4.1.835b (x86), :D
but don't work in the 1.4.1.835b (x64) :cry:

I have outlook 2007 (32 bit) on Windows 7 with 64 bit.
The everything.x86 is working on my 64-bit Windows.
Is there a constraint with the x86 version?

The preview of .msg Outlook files is a GREAT feature. 8-)
void
Developer
Posts: 16846
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by void »

Please try Everything 836b or later for a fix.

Everything will now work with both x86 (32 bit) and x64 (64 bit) preview handlers.
Marti-Every
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:54 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by Marti-Every »

void wrote:Please try Everything 836b or later for a fix.

Everything will now work with both x86 (32 bit) and x64 (64 bit) preview handlers.
Thanks a lot, you are very, very FAST 8-) :shock:
David.P
Posts: 200
Joined: Fri May 29, 2020 3:22 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by David.P »

Hi forum,

Let me chime in about previewing Outlook MSG files in the preview pane.

I noticed that in Everything, as well as in Windows Explorer (same for example in the Dopus file manager), the file preview of Outlook MSG files is delayed by several seconds when previewing the first MSG file.

Afterwards, the preview of further MSG files is instantaneous. Once you wait a few minutes and no Outlook MSG file is selected or viewed, the initial delay occurs again.

However, if you disconnect your PC from the network, the file preview of Outlook MSG files is instantaneous from the beginning.

My conclusion is that the MSG Preview Handler (unnecessarily) accesses the network, or even the Outlook Exchange Server, if all you want to do is preview locally stored MSG files.

Thus, would there be a way to configure the MSG preview handler so that it works without delay at all times, particularly also when your PC has network access?

This would save tons of time when previewing Outlook MSG files.

Thanks very much everyone for comments or ideas.
tuska
Posts: 1053
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by tuska »

Hi,
Has there ever been a change regarding the preview (View - Preview) with regard to Everything 1.4.1.1007 (x64) and 1.5.0.1251a (x64)?
I think I remember that the preview for .msg files (Outlook 2013) still worked in Everything version 1.4.1.1007 (x64).

(I can no longer check this, because since I switched to 1.5, the 1.4 version no longer works for me).

________________________________________________
Windows 10 Pro (x64) Version 20H2 (OS build 19042.870)
'Everything' 1.5.0.1251a (x64)
horst.epp
Posts: 1452
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by horst.epp »

tuska wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:19 pm Hi,
Has there ever been a change regarding the preview (View - Preview) with regard to Everything 1.4.1.1007 (x64) and 1.5.0.1251a (x64)?
I think I remember that the preview for .msg files (Outlook 2013) still worked in Everything version 1.4.1.1007 (x64).

(I can no longer check this, because since I switched to 1.5, the 1.4 version no longer works for me).

________________________________________________
Windows 10 Pro (x64) Version 20H2 (OS build 19042.870)
'Everything' 1.5.0.1251a (x64)
An actual Windows 10 without Outlook can't preview .msg files in Explorer and therefore not in Everything.
In Total Commander the EMLView and ULister Lister plugins can preview .msg files.
tuska
Posts: 1053
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by tuska »

I just wanted to add that I use the following Outlook version:

Microsoft® Outlook® 2013 (15.0.5327.1000) MSO (15.0.5327.1000) 32-Bit
- Part of Microsoft Office Professional 2013 -

My question only concerns Everything.
horst.epp
Posts: 1452
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by horst.epp »

tuska wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:12 pm I just wanted to add that I use the following Outlook version:

Microsoft® Outlook® 2013 (15.0.5327.1000) MSO (15.0.5327.1000) 32-Bit
- Part of Microsoft Office Professional 2013 -

My question only concerns Everything.
And you have a preview in Explorer ?
The forums are full of problems in this area.
tuska
Posts: 1053
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by tuska »

horst.epp wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:51 pm And you have a preview in Explorer ?
The forums are full of problems in this area.
I have tried to set the preview for *.msg files with the "PreviewConfig tool", as this file type can also be selected in this tool.
Now I only see code and text in the Explorer preview and in Everything.

Googling has not brought anything so far either.
I was hoping that maybe someone knows a solution, but it's not a big problem for me,
because I can get a preview of the emails in Total Commander with "Quick View Panel Ctrl+Q" or the plug-in uLister.

Thank you in any case for your contributions.
tuska
Posts: 1053
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by tuska »

I have now defined the file extension .msg again in the "PreviewConfig tool" with "Preview type: None".
Now I have a preview in Windows Explorer for emails with file extension: msg!

In Everything, this is the only file extension (*.msg) for which I would still like to see a preview.
void
Developer
Posts: 16846
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by void »

Everything loads the extension-associated IPreviewHandler from the following sources until a handler is found (in order):
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ext\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\class\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.ext\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}
class is determined from HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ext

Some debug output might help identify the issue:
  • In Everything, from the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Start Debug Logging.
  • Focus a .msg file (make sure the focus changes)
  • From the Tools menu, under the Debug submenu, click Stop Debug Logging.
  • This will open your debug log in Notepad, please send a copy to support@voidtools.com
Privacy
horst.epp
Posts: 1452
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by horst.epp »

tuska wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:44 pm I have now defined the file extension .msg again in the "PreviewConfig tool" with "Preview type: None".
Now I have a preview in Windows Explorer for emails with file extension: msg!

In Everything, this is the only file extension (*.msg) for which I would still like to see a preview.
If None is assigned how should Everything find one ?
I prefer another tool for check and assigning the preview handlers.
Preview Handler Association Editor
https://docs.microsoft.com/de-de/archiv ... ion-editor

It shows you all available preview handlers and what extensions are assigned to it.
And of course you can remove or add extensions from the full list.
May be you should give it a try.
tuska
Posts: 1053
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by tuska »

@void
I sent you an email.
Thank you!

@Horst.Epp
> If None is assigned how should Everything find one ?
In Windows Explorer I get the preview.

Here is a picture of what I see in the "Preview Handler Association Editor".
I have no idea what I could set here to get a preview for Outlook files (.msg).
2021-03-30_Preview Handler Association Editor.png
2021-03-30_Preview Handler Association Editor.png (34.96 KiB) Viewed 27291 times
horst.epp
Posts: 1452
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by horst.epp »

tuska wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:32 am @void
I sent you an email.
Thank you!

@Horst.Epp
> If None is assigned how should Everything find one ?
In Windows Explorer I get the preview.

Here is a picture of what I see in the "Preview Handler Association Editor".
I have no idea what I could set here to get a preview for Outlook files (.msg).
2021-03-30_Preview Handler Association Editor.png
Windows may have some intrinsic handler for this format.
I have tested the Mapi handler with .msg but this doesn't work.
So there seems to be no solution in Everything.
If you have .msg preview in Explorer than you could try it by using option 8 in TC viewer.
I guess it will not work because you have assigned None to .msg
void
Developer
Posts: 16846
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by void »

Thank you for the debug log tuska,

The debug logs show Everything is getting the IPreviewHandler from HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.msg\ShellEx\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}

However, Everything cannot create an instance of the IPreviewHandler handler as it fails with 0x80004005 (E_FAIL) which is a generic error code.

It might have something to do with your internet explorer settings as the .msg preview handler might try to access the internet.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/27558028/failed-to-get-the-handle-of-the-windows-internet-explorer-main-window
tuska
Posts: 1053
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Preview Pane / .msg

Post by tuska »

horst.epp wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:42 am If you have .msg preview in Explorer than you could try it by using option 8 in TC viewer.
I guess it will not work because you have assigned None to .msg
In Windows Explorer I see a preview (View - Preview Window).

In Total Commander
- Lister with option 8 Explorer preview immediately jumps to a preview with option 2 Binary
- Lister with option 6 Unicode has a reasonably usable preview
- Lister (ulister) has an almost perfect preview

As I said before, I don't know WHERE/with what TOOL/WHAT one would have to define
to get a preview for .msg files in all cases.

2void
Thank you for the analysis!

As a user, I can only say the following on this subject:
- Internet Explorer works here with Windows 10 Pro (x64) Version 20H2 (OS build 19042.906).
- I do not have an intranet
- Default browser is Microsoft EDGE based on Chromium

Since my knowledge regarding the definition of a preview of .msg files in Everything is not sufficient,
I'll leave it at that. Should there be a change at some point, I will announce it here.

_________________________
'Everything' 1.5.0.1251a (x64)
Post Reply