OL2000: How to Programmatically Set TextBox and CheckBox Values

ID: Q207733

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000

SUMMARY

You can customize Outlook forms by using Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) and ActiveX controls. This article illustrates how to add Outlook form controls and VBScript to an Outlook form. The example in this article uses the TextBox and CheckBox controls, and with VBScript programmatically populates those controls when you open the form.


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 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/overview/overview.asp
There are 5 steps to this example.
  • Customizing the form and adding controls
  • Binding a field to each control
  • Adding VBScript to populate the controls
  • Publishing the form
  • Using the form

Customizing the Form and Adding Controls

The following steps demonstrate how to customize a message form by making a new page visible and adding a TextBox and CheckBox control on the new page:
  1. Open a new mail message. On the Tools menu, point to Forms and then click Design This Form.


  2. Click the (P.2) tab to select the second page of the form. On the Form menu, click Display This Page. This will remove the parentheses from around P.2 and make the P.2 page viewable when the form is done.


  3. On the Form Design toolbar, click Control Toolbox and on the Controls tab click the TextBox control. Drag a TextBox onto the form. Repeat the process to place a CheckBox on the form.


Binding a Field to Each Control

While you can manipulate the appearance of a control (color, font, and such) with Advanced Properties, you must use a field to manipulate the value of a control. (Is the CheckBox selected? What text appears inside the TextBox?)

The following steps bind custom fields to each control. In this case TextBoxField is the name of the field bound to the TextBox control. CheckBoxField is the name of the field bound to the CheckBox control.

  1. On the form, right-click the TextBox and on the shortcut menu, click Properties.


  2. Under the Value tab, click New.


  3. In the Name box, type TextBoxField. By default, the Type and Format lists should display Text.


  4. Click OK and OK to close the Properties dialog box for the TextBox control.


  5. On the form, right-click the CheckBox and on the shortcut menu, click Properties.


  6. Under the Value tab, click New.


  7. In the Name box, type CheckBoxField. In the Type list, click Yes/No. In the Format list, click True/False.


  8. Click OK and OK to close the Properties dialog box for the CheckBox control.


Adding VBScript to Populate the Controls

The following steps programmatically change each control when the form opens by changing the value of the fields to which each control is bound. The value of TextBoxField changes to: "New text." The value of CheckBoxField changes to True. Therefore, the CheckBox appears selected.

  1. On the Form Design toolbar, click View Code to display the Script Editor. On the Script menu, click Event Handler and click to select Open in the Events list and then click Add.


  2. Type the following code between "Function Item_Open()" and "End Function":


    3. 
Set MyTextBoxField = Item.UserProperties.Find("TextBoxField")
If MyTextBoxField.Value = "" Then MyTextBoxField.Value = "New text"

Set MyCheckBoxField = Item.UserProperties.Find("CheckBoxField")
If MyCheckBoxField.Value = 0 Then MyCheckBoxField.Value = 1
    NOTE: The names used in quotation marks are the names of the fields which you bound to each control. The value assigned to the TextBoxField field determines what appears inside the TextBox control. The value assigned to the CheckBoxField field determines if the CheckBox control is selected.

  3. On the Script Editor File menu, click Close.


Publishing the Form

Because the programming code in this example is in the Item_Open function, it executes when you open the form. You should publish the form so that you can see the results when you open a new form.

You can publish forms several ways. This example shows how to publish your form in your Inbox folder. Follow these steps to publish the form:
  1. On the form Tools menu, point to Forms and then click Publish Form As.


  2. In the Look In list, click to select Inbox.


  3. In the Display Name box, type MyForm.


  4. Click Publish to publish MyForm in your Inbox folder.


  5. On the form File menu, click Close. When prompted, "Do you want to save changes?" click No.


Using the Form

You published the form in your Inbox folder, so you must open your Inbox to use the form. Follow these steps to use the form:
  1. Open your Inbox.


  2. On the Actions menu, click New MyForm.


  3. In the form, click the P.2 tab.


The TextBox should contain the text "New text" and the CheckBox should contain a check mark.


REFERENCES

For additional information about available resources and answers to commonly asked questions about Microsoft Outlook 2000 solutions, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q146636 OL2000: Questions About Custom Forms and Outlook Solutions

Additional query words: OutSol OutSol2000

Keywords : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode OffVBS OffVBA
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: November 13, 1999
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