Qualcomm 4.3 user manual Mapi Overview, Eudora Pro

Eudora User Manual MAPI Overview

MAPI Overview

Let’s start with a picture:

16-bit MAPI client application

MAPI.DLL

32-bit MAPI client application

MAPI32.DLL

Eudora Pro

A MAPI client application is any 16-bit or 32-bit Windows application that knows how to access the standard MAPI messaging functions in a library known as a DLL (Dynamic Link Library). The functions in the MAPI DLL allow a MAPI client application to transpar- ently and generically access a MAPI service provider. A MAPI service provider is the application that handles the receipt, transmission, and storage of messages. Examples of MAPI client applications (“front-ends”) include Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Exam- ples of MAPI service providers (“back-ends”) include Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Fax.

All 16-bit client applications use the 16-bit MAPI.DLL and all 32-bit client applications use the 32-bit MAPI32.DLL. The MAPI and MAPI32 DLLs are “twins” which contain the same list of MAPI functions— they are parallel implementations of the 16-bit and 32-bit MAPI functions. These DLLs are provided by Microsoft as standard components of Windows 95/98 and Windows NT. The MAPI DLLs are normally installed in the Windows 95/98 SYSTEM directory (SYSTEM32 for Windows NT).

When a MAPI client application wishes to send a document, it simply loads the appro- priate MAPI library (DLL) and calls the defined MAPI functions. The MAPI DLL takes care of routing the messaging and authentication requests to the appropriate MAPI service provider application, displaying the address book user interface, and returning address book and messaging data to the MAPI client application. The MAPI DLL also provides an optional user interface for user authentication. For example, the user may need to supply

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