Question

Creating email message programmatically in offline mode

Asked by: KMcElhiney

OK, here goes:

I have a legacy VB6 application that is run on laptop computers by field reps while disconnected from the internet and the corporate network. I added a form to allow these reps to create feedback on usage of the app which I want to then send to a central mailbox on the corporate Exchange server. These reps connect to the corporate network from home each night using VPN, at which time they connect to the corporate Exchange server and send/receive email. My brilliant plan was to create these feedback messages in the Outbox of the Outlook 2003 they have installed on their laptops and then have these messages delivered when they connect to the corporate network each night. Sounds simple, right?

To get by the Outlook security warning I am using Outlook Redemption, a fantastic little piece of software if I ever saw one. The problem I am running into is that when I create the email message in Outlook, I get a message saying:

 "You are not connected to your Exchange Server. Would you like to work offline?"

If you click yes the message is created in the Outbox and delivered when you connect to the corporate network. However, I would really like to avoid getting this message if at all possible.

Can someone help me with this? The relevant code is shown below.

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

Set safeItem = CreateObject("Redemption.SafeMailItem")
    
    ' Create the Outlook session
    Set objOutlook = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
    Set objNS = objOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")
    objNS.Logon
    Set safeUser = CreateObject("Redemption.SafeCurrentUser")
    userName = safeUser.Name
    safeUser.cleanUp
    
    ' Assemble the email body
    bodyText = "Type of Feedback: " & cboFeedbackType.Text & vbCrLf
    bodyText = bodyText & "Priority:         " & cboPriority.Text & vbCrLf & vbCrLf
    bodyText = bodyText & txtFeedback.Text
    
    ' Create the Message
    Set objOutlookMsg = objOutlook.CreateItem(olMailItem)
    
    ' Move from Drafts to Outbox folder so that it doesn't get held up
    ' Note that I copy to a new object to avoid "ghost messages"
    Set objNewOutlookMsg = objOutlookMsg.MOVE(objOutlook.Session.GetDefaultFolder(4))
    objNewOutlookMsg.save
    safeItem.Item = objNewOutlookMsg
    With safeItem
        .Recipients.Add toEmailAddress
        .Subject = "In-Home Tool feedback from " & userName
        .Body = bodyText
        .Send
    End With
    Set objOutlookMsg = Nothing
    Set objNewOutlookMsg = Nothing
    Set objNS = Nothing
    Set objOutlook = Nothing
    Set safeItem = Nothing

                                  
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Asked On
2009-09-22 at 12:59:49ID24752896
Tags

Outlook 2003 Redemption VB6

Topics

Outlook Groupware Software

,

Exchange Email Server

,

Visual Basic Programming

Participating Experts
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Points
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: mdouganPosted on 2009-09-23 at 06:44:02ID: 25402948

Working with the Outlook object model is a pain in the neck because of all of the messages and warnings it generates.  In the past, I've switched to using CDO or CDONTS rather than Outlook, but you may be too far in to want to consider that.

I searched around a bit, but couldn't find any property in the Outlook object model that you could set to suppress this message... Excel has such a property, so I'd hoped Outlook did too.

The only possible option I came across is that you can setup a new mailbox that works offline by default, then programatically login to that mailbox, rather than the user's default mailbox (you get the default mailbox by not passing anything to the logon method).

That should allow you to work without getting the Work Offline message.  However, the only thing I'm not sure about is when the messages will actually be sent....  You can read a bit about setting up the mailbox here:

http://www.sembee.info/outlook/offline.asp

Good Luck!

 

by: craisinPosted on 2009-09-23 at 06:45:57ID: 25402974

I have your code working successfully on my machine (sent a message to myself).

I will get back to you shortly...my problem now is to get the error message to show, before I can solve the workaround.

Stand By....

 

by: darkstar3dPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:01:25ID: 25403112

This should work for you.


objOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI").Folders.GetFirst.GetExplorer.CommandBars.FindControl(, 5613).Execute

                                              
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by: darkstar3dPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:02:17ID: 25403126

That will toggle Outlook between online and offline.

 

by: KMcElhineyPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:03:53ID: 25403148

darkstar3d, what does that command do for me? Which command does it invoke?

 

by: KMcElhineyPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:06:11ID: 25403169

I wonder, if I create the message without invoking the Send command, will it save the message in the Outbox and then send it when the user connects to the Exchange server through VPN?

Thanks very much for your replies to my original long-winded question...

 

by: darkstar3dPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:11:16ID: 25403230

It invokes the Work Offline or Work Online button on the File menu.

 

by: craisinPosted on 2009-09-23 at 07:24:30ID: 25403392

Have a look at the great addin called "ClickYesPro" at the following website:

www.ContextMagic.com

There is a free working version available for you to test.
It may solve your problem.

It also has a DLL to incorporate in your code.

I( am not sure if it is what you are after, but of the warning message comes from Outlook, then I think that is your solution. All security messages from Outlook are intercepted and I think the DLL can handle other messages occurring during email transmission.

Sample declaration code showing below for inclusion of the DLL methods and properties into your code if required.

To your project add reference:

   " ClickYes Pro.Com Addin Library"  and register the DLL via RegSvr32.exe

I have asked their great support team to advice me of documentation for the DLL'

I am still working on this fix.....Stand By

Dim oClickYes As CYPAddin.DTExtensibility2
Set oClickYes = New CYPAddin.DTExtensibility2

                                              
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by: craisinPosted on 2009-09-23 at 08:20:52ID: 25404179

A workaround....

Change the relevant section of your code as shown below:

  objNewOutlookmsg.save  ' ***initial save of message (not sure if needed)
  safeitem.Item = objNewOutlookmsg
    
  With safeitem
     .Recipients.Add Form1.txtToEmailAddress.Text
     .Subject = "In-Home Tool feedback from " & username
     .Body = bodytext
     '.Send     *** Do not send yet! (code commented out)
   End With
   objNewOutlookmsg.save  '** instead save the message in the "OutBox"
   Set objOutlookmsg = Nothing
   Set objNewOutlookmsg = Nothing
   Set objNS = Nothing
   Set objOutlook = Nothing
   Set safeitem = Nothing

                                              
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by: KMcElhineyPosted on 2009-09-23 at 08:52:09ID: 25404622

craisin,

Funny, I had just tried that tact when I read your message. Using this code, the message is created in the Outbox just fine, but it isn't sent automatically when I connect to the Exchange server. Instead, I have to bring up the message manually and click the Send button. My guess is that a status bit of some sort gets flipped when you invoke Send and that tells Outlook that it is ready to send out.

It appears that it is the nature of the beast that when using Outlook 2003 in Exchange Server mode while disconnected from the server, there is no way to avoid that message about working Offline if I want to send an email message programmatically.

Thanks very much for your help craisin, I'll take your reply as the solution...

Best regards,
Kevin

 

by: KMcElhineyPosted on 2009-09-23 at 08:53:46ID: 31632165

Not a solution, but convinced me that I cannot do what I originally wanted to do, and have to live with a workaround. I still appreciate the effort though!

 

by: craisinPosted on 2009-09-23 at 08:57:54ID: 25404691

You should not need to bring up the message.

Just clicking "Send" within Outlook will send any messages in the Outbox.

So when the next connects to the server to receive their email and they click Send/Receive, their pending feedbacks will automatically despatch.

Good result for your problem workaround  :-)

Buy the way, did you have a look at "ClickYes" anyway? It is a great  addon in addition to Redemption (which I also purchased).

 

by: mdouganPosted on 2009-09-23 at 10:14:47ID: 25405518

... and, give CDO and/or CDONTS a look, they still send through your MAPI server, which is Exchange, they just don't involve Outlook.  Glad you have a bit of a solution at least.

 

by: KMcElhineyPosted on 2009-09-23 at 10:19:42ID: 25405563

mdougan,

If I tried to send the message using CDO, wouldn't I run into the problem with not being connected to the corporate network? It seems like I would get an error message when I tried to send the message...

 

by: mdouganPosted on 2009-09-23 at 10:24:59ID: 25405611

Yes, you have a point.  Saving in the Outlook outbox is probably the best solution for your offline scenario, and I can't remember if CDO will let you save to the outbox or not... might be worth a quick google, as I seem to remember some threads discussing the way CDO can interact with Outlook.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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