HOWTO: Log On to Exchange with the ProfileInfo Parameter

ID: Q195662

The information in this article applies to:

Collaboration Data Objects (CDO), versions 1.2, 1.21

SUMMARY

With CDO, you can log on to an Exchange Server mailbox using the ProfileInfo parameter. This article describes how to use the ProfileInfo parameter and why you would use it.

MORE INFORMATION

Description

The Logon method of the Session object has the following syntax:


objSession.Logon( [profileName] [, profilePassword] [, showDialog]
       [, newSession] [, parentWindow] [, NoMail] [, ProfileInfo] )

You use the ProfileInfo parameter of the Logon method to create a temporary profile for the session. CDO generates a random name for the profile. For an authenticated profile, use the following format for the string:


   <server name> & vbLf & <mailbox name>

The server and mailbox names can be unresolved. Note that the mailbox name is not the messaging user's display name, but rather the alias or account name used internally by the user's organization.

For example, you should use "johnd" instead of "John Doe". The profile is deleted after the logon is completed or terminated. Only applications interfacing with Microsoft Exchange Server and no other services use the ProfileInfo parameter. The profileName parameter is ignored if ProfileInfo is supplied.

Reasons for Use

Use the ProfileInfo parameter in any of the following cases:

You do not know what profiles exist on a computer or you do not want to rely on them being there. This is very common when you run code from a Windows NT Service or Active Server Page.

You do not want to run the code that is required to determine the default profile for the current user. For information on determining the default profile, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q171422 HOWTO: Logging on to Active Messaging Session w/ Default Profile

You want to allow users the ability to log on to the Exchange server without an authenticated Windows NT account and have anonymous access to Public Folders. For information on how to configure public folders for anonymous Web access, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q168661 PRB: Accessing Public Folders Via a Web Browser Causes Error

Sample Code

Logging onto a mailbox from a Visual Basic application:


      objSession.Logon ProfileInfo:="MyServer" & vbLf  & "MyMailbox""MyMailbox"

Logging onto a mailbox from an Active Server Page:


      objSession.Logon "", "", False, True, 0, True, _
          "MyServer" & vbLf & "MyMailbox"

Logging on anonymously from a Visual Basic application:


      objSession.Logon ProfileInfo:="/o=MyEnterprise/ou=MySite" & _
                     "/cn=Configuration/cn=MyServer" & vbLf & _
                     vbLf & "anon"

Logging on anonymously from an Active Server Page:


      objSession.Logon "", "", False, True, 0, True, _
          "/o=MyEnterprise/ou=MySite/cn=Configuration/cn=MyServer" & _
          vbLf & vbLf & "anon"

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbCDO120 kbCDO121 kbMsg kbGrpMsg
Version : WINDOWS:1.2,1.21
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto