In most cases, your server application expects to operate within a system configured to work in a specific way. For example, it may regularly check the home telephone number stored in a human resources database on a different server, and update a corresponding attribute on the recipient objects in the local directory.
Or it may regularly receive satellite weather photos and send them to a public folder named GeoSync. For these actions to occur, directory elements must be in place. The GeoSync public folder or a recipient attribute that holds a home telephone number must have already been created. Your setup program is responsible for making sure the system is configured correctly before the application is run the first time.
For more information on using extension data attributes on an individual object (such as a recipient) or on groups of individual objects (such as a partial selection of recipient), see Administrator Program Extensions.
The setup program can create new objects (such as public folders) in the information store. These objects can be used by the active server application or by the application's clients. For example, if your application feeds information into recipient folders, it may need to create these folders for subscribing recipients. You use MAPI calls to create or modify objects in the information store. For more information, see the MAPI Programmer's Reference.
In addition to the new application object, other directory objects can be created or modified by the setup program. It can also add custom data to object attributes reserved for this purpose. For example, your application can link an external database of additional data (such as images) to some or all recipient objects during setup. Depending on this action's scope, your application might edit recipient attributes or use an extension data attribute.
The setup program uses directory access functions to make all necessary directory changes. For more informations, see Using Directory Access Functions.