Searching for a Folder
Searching for a Folder
Two frequently used folders, the Inbox and the Outbox, are available through Session object properties. To access these folders, simply set a Folder object to the corresponding property.
To access other folders, search for the folder using one of the following techniques:
- Call the Session object’s GetFolder method with a string parameter that specifies the FolderID, a unique identifier for the folder.
- Use the Get methods to navigate through the Folders collection. Search for a specific folder by comparing each folder’s properties with the desired properties.
Using the Session Object’s GetFolder Method
When you know the unique identifier for the folder you are looking for, you can call the Session object’s GetFolder method.
The unique identifier for the folder, established at the time the folder is created, is stored in its ID property. The ID property is a string representation of the MAPI entry identifier and its value is determined by the service provider.
The following code fragment contains code that saves the identifier for the folder, then uses it in a subsequent GetFolder call:
' Function: Session_GetFolder
' Purpose: Demonstrate how to set a folder object
' See documentation topic: Session object GetFolder method
Function Session_GetFolder()
On Error GoTo error_olemsg
If objSession Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "No active session, must log on"
Exit Function
End If
If strFolderID = "" Then
MsgBox ("Must first set folder ID variable; see Folder->ID")
Exit Function
End If
Set objFolder = objSession.GetFolder(strFolderID)
'equivalent to:
' Set objFolder = objSession.GetFolder(folderID:=strFolderID)
If objFolder Is Nothing Then
Set objMessages = Nothing
MsgBox "Unable to retrieve folder with specified ID"
Exit Function
End If
MsgBox "Folder set to " & objFolder.Name
Set objMessages = objFolder.Messages
Exit Function
error_olemsg:
MsgBox "Error " & Str(Err) & ": " & Error$(Err)
Set objFolder = Nothing
Set objMessages = Nothing
MsgBox "Folder is no longer available"
Exit Function
End Function
Using the Get Methods
When you are looking for a folder within a Folders collection, you can navigate through the collection, examining properties of each Folder object to determine whether it is the folder you want.
The CDO Library supports the GetFirst_olemsg_GetFirst_method_Folders_collection, GetNext_olemsg_GetNext_method_Folders_collection, GetLast_olemsg_GetLast_method_Folders_collection, and GetPrevious_olemsg_GetPrevious_method_Folders_collection methods for the Folders collection object.
The following code fragment demonstrates how to use the Get methods to search for the specified folder:
' Function: TestDrv_Util_GetFolderByName
' Purpose: Call the utility function Util_GetFolderByName
' See documentation topic: Item property (Folder object)
Function TestDrv_Util_GetFolderByName()
Dim fFound As Boolean
fFound = Util_GetFolderByName("Junk mail")
If fFound Then
MsgBox "Folder named 'Junk mail' found"
Else
MsgBox "Folder named 'Junk mail' not found"
End If
Exit Function
error_olemsg:
MsgBox "Error " & Str(Err) & ": " & Error$(Err)
Resume Next
End Function
' Function: Util_GetFolderByName
' Purpose: Use Get* methods to search for a folder
' See documentation topic: Searching For a Folder
Function Util_GetFolderByName(strSearchName As String) As Boolean
Dim objOneFolder As Object ' local; temp version of folder object
On Error GoTo error_olemsg
Util_GetFolderByName = False ' default; assume failure
If objFolder Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "Must first select a folder such as Session->Inbox"
Exit Function
End If
Set objFoldersColl = objFolder.Folders ' Folders collection
If objFoldersColl Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "no subfolders; not found"
Exit Function
End If
' get the first folder in the collection
Set objOneFolder = objFoldersColl.GetFirst
' loop through all the folders in the collection
Do While Not objOneFolder Is Nothing
If objOneFolder.Name = strSearchName Then
Exit Do ' found it, leave the loop
Else ' keep searching
Set objOneFolder = objFoldersColl.GetNext
End If
Loop
' exit from the Do While loop comes here
' if objOneFolder is valid, the folder is found
If Not objOneFolder Is Nothing Then ' went off end of loop
Util_GetFolderByName = True ' success
End If
Exit Function
error_olemsg:
MsgBox "Error " & Str(Err) & ": " & Error$(Err)
Resume Next
End Function
You can also navigate upward through the folder hierarchy by using each Folder object’s Parent property.
See Also