OL97: How to Programmatically Resolve a Contact's E-mail Address

• Microsoft Outlook 97

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Outlook 97, if you programmatically set a Contact's e-mail address, the e-mail address is not checked (or "resolved") against an Address Book. Therefore, the Contact's e-mail address is not added to the Outlook Address Book.

CAUSE

This is a limitation of Outlook 97.

RESOLUTION

NOTE: This problem was fixed in Outlook 98. Outlook 98 will resolve the e-mail address when the item is saved.

You can use the CommandBars object model to execute the Check Names menu command and resolve the e-mail address. However, this workaround requires that you display the Contact window.

MORE INFORMATION

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 engineers 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

The following Outlook automation code is an example of how to workaround this issue:

   Sub ResolveContactAddressViaCheckNames()
      Dim ol As Outlook.Application
      Dim olns As NameSpace
      Dim myContact As Object
      Dim Menu as Object
      Dim Command As Object
      Set ol = New Outlook.Application
      Set olns = ol.GetNamespace("MAPI")
      ' Create a new Contact item
      Set myContact = olns.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts).Items.Add
      With myContact
         ' Set the relevant fields for the contact
         .FullName = "John Smith"
         .Email1Address = "jsmith@msn.com"
         .Email1AddressType = "SMTP"
         ' Display the contact (required)
         .Display
      End With
      ' Set the Tools menu on the item's menu bar
      Set Menu = ol.ActiveInspector.CommandBars("Tools")
      ' Sets the command on the menu
      Set Command = Menu.Controls("Check Names")
      ' Actually executes the Check Names command
      Command.Execute
   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