How to: Save Auto-Archive Properties of a Folder in Solution Storage

This topic shows a solution that saves its private data in a few MAPI auto-archive properties. The solution stores these properties in a StorageItem object of the folder to which the auto-archive properties apply. StorageItem objects are stored as hidden data in the associated portion of a folder, and because solutions can optionally encrypt their data, they offer the privacy required of solution data. Because the MAPI auto-archive properties are not exposed as explicit built-in properties in the Outlook object model, the solution uses the PropertyAccessor on the StorageItem object to set these properties.

The following illustrates the procedure:

1. The ChangeAgingProperties function accepts the following as input parameters:
   • oFolder is the Folder object to which the aging properties apply and where their values are stored.
   • AgeFolder indicates whether to archive or delete items in the folder as specified.
   • DeleteItems indicates whether to delete, instead of archive, items that are older than the aging period.
   • FileName indicates a specific file for archiving aged items. If this is an empty string, the default archive file, archive.pst, will be used.
   • Granularity indicates the unit of time for aging, whether archiving is to be calculated in units of months, weeks, or days.
   • Period indicates the amount of time in the given granularity. Together, the Granularity and Period values indicate an aging period. Items in the given folder older than this aging period are to be archived or deleted as specified. For example, a Granularity of 2 and Period of 14 specifies an aging period of 14 days, when items in the given folder older than 14 days should be either archived or deleted as specified.
   • Default indicates which settings should be set to the default. The possible values are 0, 1, and 3:
     • 0 indicates nothing assumes a default value.
     • 1 indicates that only the file location assumes a default value. This is the same as checking Archive this folder using these settings and Move old items to default archive folder in the AutoArchive tab of the Properties dialog box for the folder.
     • 3 indicates all settings assume a default value. This is the same as checking Archive items in this folder using default settings in the AutoArchive tab of the Properties dialog box for the folder.
2. The validity of the parameters is checked.
3. If the parameters are valid, Folder.GetStorage is used to create or get an existing StorageItem object with the message class, IPC.MS.Outlook.AgingProperties.
4. PropertyAccessor is then used to set the auto-archive properties on the StorageItem, StorageItem.Save is used to save changes to the StorageItem.
5. The TestAgingProps procedure sets the auto-archive settings for the aging properties of the current folder so that items older than six months are moved to the default archive file.

Remarks

1. Place the code in the built-in ThisOutlookSession module.
2. Run the TestAgingProps procedure to set aging properties on the current folder in the active explorer.

Note
Whether it is implemented as a VBA macro or a COM add-in, the solution is a trusted caller and can therefore access the PropertyAccessor. To improve this example, wrap the following VBA code in a .NET class for better error trapping and enumeration for Granularity.

  Function ChangeAgingProperties(oFolder As Outlook.Folder, _
    AgeFolder As Boolean, DeleteItems As Boolean, _
    FileName As String, Granularity As Integer, _
    Period As Integer, Default As Integer) As Boolean
    
    '6 MAPI properties for aging items in a folder
    Const PR_AGING_AGE_FOLDER = _
        "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x6857000B"
    Const PR_AGING_DELETE_ITEMS = _
        "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x6855000B"
    Const PR_AGING_FILE_NAME_AFTER9 = _
        "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x6859001E"
    Const PR_AGING_GRANULARITY = _
        "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x36EE0003"
    Const PR_AGING_PERIOD = _
        "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x36EC0003"
    Const PR_AGING_DEFAULT = _
        "http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x685E0003"
    
    Dim oStorage As StorageItem
    Dim oPA As PropertyAccessor
    
    ' Valid Period:
    ' 1-999
    '
    ' Valid Granularity:
    ' 0=Months, 1=Weeks, 2=Days
    '
    ' Valid Default:
    ' 0=All settings do not use a default setting
    ' 1=Only the file location is defaulted
    ' "Archive this folder using these settings" and
    ' "Move old items to default archive folder" are checked
    ' 3=All settings are defaulted
    ' "Archive items in this folder using default settings" is checked
    
    If (oFolder Is Nothing) Or _
        (Granularity < 0 Or Granularity > 2) Or _
        (Period < 1 Or Period > 999) Or _
        (Default < 0 Or Default = 2 Or Default > 3) _
    Then
        ChangeAgingProperties = False
    End If
        
    On Error GoTo Aging_ErrTrap
    
    'Create or get solution storage in given folder by message class
    Set oStorage = oFolder.GetStorage( _
        "IPC.MS.Outlook.AgingProperties", olIdentifyByMessageClass)
    Set oPA = oStorage.PropertyAccessor
    
    If Not (AgeFolder) Then
        oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_AGE_FOLDER, False
    Else
        'Set the 6 aging properties in the solution storage
        oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_AGE_FOLDER, True
        oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_GRANULARITY, Granularity
        oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_DELETE_ITEMS, DeleteItems
        oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_PERIOD, Period
        If FileName <> "" Then
            oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_FILE_NAME_AFTER9, FileName
        End If
        oPA.SetProperty (PR_AGING_DEFAULT), Default
    End If
    'Save changes as hidden messages to the associated portion of the folder
    oStorage.Save
    ChangeAgingProperties = True
    Exit Function
    
Aging_ErrTrap:
    Debug.Print Err.Number, Err.Description
    ChangeAgingProperties = False
End Function
Sub TestAgingProps()
Dim oFolder As Outlook.Folder
Set oFolder = Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder
If ChangeAgingProperties(oFolder, True, False, "", 0, 6, 1) Then
Debug.Print "ChangeAgingProperties OK"
Else
Debug.Print "ChangeAgingProperties Failed"
End If
End Sub

See Also

• Properties Overview
• Storing Data for Solutions