OL97: How to Programmatically Import Outlook Items from Access

ID: Q170320

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Outlook 97

SUMMARY

This article provides an overview and example code for creating Microsoft Outlook 97 Contacts from information stored in a Microsoft Access 97 database. The sample code below would be run from an Access 97 global module and provides a starting point for the development of a complete solution.

NOTE: There is also an overview and separate code example available on the Microsoft web site at the following location. It is the first example in the whitepaper.

   http://www.microsoft.com/officedev/articles/sampauto.htm

   http://www.microsoft.com/ 

MORE INFORMATION

Outlook 97's Import and Export feature does not allow you to import or export information in user-defined fields (or properties). To import information into these fields, you need to create a programming solution that uses Automation to convert the information.

The following example code specifically converts information from Microsoft Access into newly created Outlook Contacts, using Data Access Objects (DAO 3.5). With modifications, you can use this code as a basis for creating other types of Outlook items, such as appointments, notes, tasks, and such.

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft Support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

Programming Considerations

• The code example below uses the Northwind database included with Microsoft Office 97. If you installed Office to a location other than the default, be sure to change the path to the database in the code.
• You need to set references to DAO 3.5 and the Outlook 8.0 Object Library.
• The fields types used in this example are text, in both Access and Outlook. To convert other types of fields, you must modify the code appropriately.
• The contacts are automatically placed in Outlook's default Contact folder, which is at the same level as the Inbox that receives incoming mail.
• The CreateItem method used in this example creates a new Outlook contact using the default form for the default contact folder. If you created a custom Outlook Contact form, you must set the MessageClass field for each item to the name of your custom form.
• If you programmatically set a contact's e-mail address field, the e-mail addresses do not automatically resolve.

   Article-ID: Q169750
   Title     : OL97: How to Programmatically Resolve a Contact's
               E-mail Address

Example Code

   Sub ExportAccessContactsToOutlook()

   'Set up DAO Objects:
   Dim oDataBase As Object
   Dim rst As Object
   Set oDataBase = OpenDatabase _
     ("c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb")
   Set rst = oDataBase.OpenRecordset("Customers")

   'Set up Outlook Objects:
   Dim olns As Object               ' Outlook Namespace
   Dim cf As Object                 ' Contact folder
   Dim c As Object                  ' Contact Item
   Dim Prop As Object               ' User property
   Dim ol As New Outlook.Application
   Set olns = ol.GetNamespace("MAPI")
   Set cf = olns.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)

   With rst
      .MoveFirst
      ' Loop through the Access records
      Do While Not .EOF
         ' Create a new Contact item
         Set c = ol.CreateItem(olContactItem)
         ' Specify which Outlook form to use:
         ' Change "IPM.Contact" to "IPM.Contact.<formname>" if you've
         ' created a custom Contact form in Outlook.
         c.MessageClass = "IPM.Contact"
         ' Create all built-in Outlook fields
         If ![CompanyName] <> "" Then c.CompanyName = ![CompanyName]
         If ![ContactName] <> "" Then c.FullName = ![ContactName]
         ' Create the first user property (UserField1)
         Set Prop = c.UserProperties.Add("UserField1", olText)
         ' Set its value
         If ![CustomerID] <> "" Then Prop = ![CustomerID]
         ' Create the second user property (UserField2)
         Set Prop = c.UserProperties.Add("UserField2", olText)
         ' Set it's value, and so on....
         If ![Region] <> "" Then Prop = ![Region]
         ' Save the contact
         c.Save
         .MoveNext
      Loop
   End With
   End Sub

REFERENCES

For more information about creating solutions with Microsoft Outlook 97, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   Article-ID: Q166368
   Title     : OL97: How to Get Help Programming with Outlook

   Article-ID: Q170783
   Title     : OL97: Q&A: Questions about Customizing or
               Programming Outlook

Keywords          : kbcode 
Version           : 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999