How to embed the “Connect to Outlook” link in a page

Question

I need to put a link to the "Connect to Outlook" script on a SharePoint 2010 page. I have built the stssync:// URL that triggers the Outlook sync: stssync://sts/?ver=1.1&type=discussions&cmd=add-folder&base-url=[MyServer]&list-url=[MyList]&guid=[MyGUID]&site-name=[MySiteName]&list-name=[MyListName]

Now the link works fine when pasted in IE address bar. However, I can't add it to a Sharepoint page - if I try to use the "insert hyperlink" button Sharepoint will complain about the stssynch:// protocol "URL must be in the form of http://" (or something to that effect).

I have tried to add a regular link that change the URL by editing the page's HTML. However, Sharepoint removes the link on saving the page.

How can I add the stssync:// link to a page? Is there any simple way to somehow "wrap" it in http or something?

Answer 1

You can add the following code to a Content Editor webpart or directly onto the page. After adding the CEWP, in the ribbon use Editing Tools > Format Text > Edit HTML source.

<script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.6.1.min.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
  function replaceURL() {
    $('#outlookLink').attr('href','stssync://sts/?ver=1.1&type=discussions&cmd=add-folder&base-url=[MyServer]&list-url=[MyList]&guid=[MyGUID]&site-name=[MySiteName]&list-name=[MyListName]');
  }

  _spBodyOnLoadFunctionNames.push("replaceURL");
</script>
<a id="outlookLink" href="#">Link to Outlook</a>

Here's what it is doing:

1. Includes a reference to the jQuery library, which you can either do as in this example or you can download it to your site and include a reference to that location on your site instead.

2. replaceURL() uses the jQuery .attr() method to change the href attribute of the anchor tag with the url that you want.

3. _spBodyOnLoadFunctionNames.push() will call your function as soon as the page loads.

4. Your link should have an id which you refer to in your function. The href can be anything, since it gets modified by your function as soon as the page loads.

NOTE: You could use straight javascript instead of jQuery, but the syntax is more complicated.

Answer 2

I don't believe you will have a way to change this behavior without modifying core files.

Have you looked into custom field types? This allows you to build in custom validation and allow alternate protocols.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms446361.aspx.

You could get creative and try to do some redirects, possibly some type of type of custom shorting / translation service that will take an HTTP link and change it to STSSYN. It would essentially be external to SharePoint.

Answer 3

In 2010 there are 2 options. The easiest solution is to wrap the link in a Content Editor web part. To do so:

1. Browse to the SharePoint page in the browser
2. Click on Edit on the Page ribbon
3. From the Insert ribbon select More Web Parts
4. Select Content Editor and click Add
5. Edit the new Content Editor web part
6. Under the Content Editor label, click on "Click here to add content"
7. Ensure the cursor is within the Content Editor web part and switch to the Format Text ribbon
8. Under Markup, click the HTML button and Edit HTML source
9. Add the link to the HTML and click OK. The STSSYNC link should be the href property.
10. Click OK again and save the page. The link is now active and users can click on it to attach to the list.

I hope this helps, please let me know if there are any missing steps. Cheers!

Answer 4

This goes along with Carsten's Content Editor answer.

For SP2010 if you want your HTML to remain untouched by SP put it it into a text file that resides somewhere on your site (like in the Site Assets folder). Then in the webpart options of the Content Editor just reference your file (/siteassets/myhtml.txt). SP won't rewrite the code, it will just use whatever is in the file.

Answer 5

Nice post , worked for adding Calendar list in outlook.

but items in the calendar are not reflected by default. need to check how to add events items from the calendar..