How to get url of hyperlink in outlook 2019 when open the hyperlink. Using setwindowshookEx with WH_CALLWNDPROCRET OR WH_CALLWNDPROC

Question

How to get url of hyperlink in outlook 2019 when open the hyperlink. Using setwindowshookEx with WH_CALLWNDPROCRET OR WH_CALLWNDPROC

mohamad fraihat 1

The below is part of the code in callback of WH_CALLWNDPROCRET OR WH_CALLWNDPROC as per my under standing about RichEdit control but I never catch the WM_NOTIFY, but EM_GETTEXTEX it is work fine and return the mail subject (caption of RichEdit). thes RichEdit class name is RichEdit20WPT.

if (cwprStruct->message == WM_NOTIFY)
    {
        writetofile("WM_NOTIFY RetProc:", f1);
        switch (((LPNMHDR)cwprStruct->lParam)->code)
        {
        case EN_LINK:
            writetofile("EN_LINK:", f1);
            break;
        case NM_CLICK:
            writetofile("NM_CLICK:", f1);
            break;
        case NM_RETURN:
            writetofile("NM_RETURN:", f1);
            break;
        case NM_RCLICK:
            writetofile("NM_RCLICK:", f1);
            break;
        case NM_SETFOCUS:
            writetofile("NM_SETFOCUS:", f1);
            break;
        }
        writetofile(to_string(((LPNMHDR)cwprStruct-lParam)->code), f1);
    }
    if (cwprStruct->message == EM_GETTEXTEX)
    {
        isURL = true;
        writetofile("EM_GETTEXTEX:", f1);
        number = GetClassName(cwprStruct->hwnd, clsName_v, 256);
        writetofile(clsName_v, number, f1);// return RichEdit20WPT

        writetofile("Subject:", f1);
        if (cwprStruct->lParam)
        {
            size_t   i;
            char* subject = (char*)malloc(BUFFER_SIZE);
            wcstombs_s(&i, subject, (size_t)BUFFER_SIZE, (LPWSTR)cwprStruct->lParam, (size_t)BUFFER_SIZE);
            writetofile(subject, i - 1, f1);
        }
    }

Viorel 122.6K Reputation points

2021-05-22T07:54:44.337+00:00

Did you take into account that EM_GETTEXTEX is sent to control, while WM_NOTIFY is sent to its parent?
mohamad fraihat 1 Reputation point

2021-05-22T11:23:21.81+00:00

Actually, I am not getting the WM_NOTIFY when I click on the hyperlink. In addition, I am receiving EM_GETTEXTEX which returns the caption in (cwprStruct->lParam).
Do u have any suggestion which massage name should I capture to get the URL from the hyperlink.
Viorel 122.6K Reputation points

2021-05-22T13:07:47.79+00:00

Use “Microsoft Spy++” (included in Visual Studio) and “Inspect” (from Windows Kits) to analyse the windows and the messages that are sent to controls and parents.

Maybe also consider some other approaches, like Add-ins for Outlook.
RLWA32 49,536 Reputation points

2021-05-22T15:55:56.243+00:00

Outlook does not always use the standard windows controls. You can see this from the class name RichEdit20WPT. You are assuming that these controls behave identically to the documented standard controls and in my experience this is not always the case.

I suggest you test your code by hooking an application window (such as the one used by Wordpad) that hosts a standard rich edit control. In my own quick and dirty test using Wordpad the parent window of the rich edit control did receive WM_NOTIFY messages for EN_LINK when the mouse moved over a hyperlink.

If your code is successful with Wordpad that would confirm that the control used by Outlook does use non-standard behaviors.
mohamad fraihat 1 Reputation point

2021-05-23T06:15:29.693+00:00

Thanks for your support, already I used spy++, but unfortunately I didn't find the URL through any massage.
In addition, I used the Add-ins for Outlook and there is nothing in it.
Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-24T03:28:24+00:00

Outlook does not use standard controls, and I also use spy++ to check the messages inside the controls. There is no url in the message, maybe this is achieved by outlook itself, maybe you need to explain why you want to capture the url?
mohamad fraihat 1 Reputation point

2021-05-24T06:29:36.897+00:00

I need to log the URL, Username and Workstation name when hyperlink opened from outlook.
Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-24T06:32:17.363+00:00

Yes, this sounds like hacking. Therefore, Outlook does not support the URL capture function.

Your answer

Viorel 122.6K Reputation points

2021-05-22T07:54:44.337+00:00

Did you take into account that EM_GETTEXTEX is sent to control, while WM_NOTIFY is sent to its parent?
mohamad fraihat 1 Reputation point

2021-05-22T11:23:21.81+00:00

Actually, I am not getting the WM_NOTIFY when I click on the hyperlink. In addition, I am receiving EM_GETTEXTEX which returns the caption in (cwprStruct->lParam).
Do u have any suggestion which massage name should I capture to get the URL from the hyperlink.
Viorel 122.6K Reputation points

2021-05-22T13:07:47.79+00:00

Use “Microsoft Spy++” (included in Visual Studio) and “Inspect” (from Windows Kits) to analyse the windows and the messages that are sent to controls and parents.

Maybe also consider some other approaches, like Add-ins for Outlook.
RLWA32 49,536 Reputation points

2021-05-22T15:55:56.243+00:00

Outlook does not always use the standard windows controls. You can see this from the class name RichEdit20WPT. You are assuming that these controls behave identically to the documented standard controls and in my experience this is not always the case.

I suggest you test your code by hooking an application window (such as the one used by Wordpad) that hosts a standard rich edit control. In my own quick and dirty test using Wordpad the parent window of the rich edit control did receive WM_NOTIFY messages for EN_LINK when the mouse moved over a hyperlink.

If your code is successful with Wordpad that would confirm that the control used by Outlook does use non-standard behaviors.
mohamad fraihat 1 Reputation point

2021-05-23T06:15:29.693+00:00

Thanks for your support, already I used spy++, but unfortunately I didn't find the URL through any massage.
In addition, I used the Add-ins for Outlook and there is nothing in it.
Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-24T03:28:24+00:00

Outlook does not use standard controls, and I also use spy++ to check the messages inside the controls. There is no url in the message, maybe this is achieved by outlook itself, maybe you need to explain why you want to capture the url?
mohamad fraihat 1 Reputation point

2021-05-24T06:29:36.897+00:00

I need to log the URL, Username and Workstation name when hyperlink opened from outlook.
Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-24T06:32:17.363+00:00

Yes, this sounds like hacking. Therefore, Outlook does not support the URL capture function.

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How to get url of hyperlink in outlook 2019 when open the hyperlink. Using setwindowshookEx with WH_CALLWNDPROCRET OR WH_CALLWNDPROC

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