asked on

cfmail an outlook task

Is anyone aware of a way to email someone an outlook task using CF, or for that matter, any language?

Since Outlook does not support the VTODO element of the iCal standard, you would have to use Outlook objects, which means client, not server code. The only way I could think of is to email them a LINK that goes to a page on your server and generates some VB Script code that instantiates the Outlook object and creates a task.

I have some samples of how to do that for emails but not tasks. But it may give you a head start. Interested?

patbuchanan

By the way, instantiating Outlook on the end-users machine will generate security warnings so you will want them to add your site into their trusted sites list.

Here is some sample code. Just do something like this:

Set objOL = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
Set myItem = objOL.CreateItem(3)
myItem.Assign
Set myDelegate = myItem.Recipients.Add("Pat Buchanan, George Bush")
myItem.Subject = "Slap around Mr. Kerry"
myItem.DueDate = #12/31/2004#
myItem.Send

You might have to debug the above code - have not tested it.

Also, here is some code to determine if Outlook is already running before you try to start it up. Otherwise you MIGHT get "can't create object errors"

Function OpenOL(Optional ProfileName) As Outlook.Application
Dim objOL As Outlook.Application
On Error Resume Next
Set objOL = GetObject(, "Outlook.Application")
If objOL Is Nothing Then
Set objOL = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
objOL.Session.Logon ProfileName, , False, True
End If
Set OpenOL = objOL
Set objOL = Nothing
End Function

David Williamson

ASKER

Most of this is unfamiliar to me, and therefore may be beyond me. I don't have any VB experience, just CF, HTML, CSS, and JS.

patbuchanan

I have yet to find a way to do it using server side. Outlook just doesn't support it. I could send you a 100% working snippit that creates EMAILS on the client side using Outlook. Would that help?

-Pat

David Williamson

ASKER

sure

patbuchanan

I'm at work where I don't have the code - it's at home. Can I send it to you later?

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patbuchanan

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David Williamson

ASKER

so how do I implement/test this? I have never used VBScript. Can it be used or called in a web page?

patbuchanan

To test it, just create an basic HTML page, and paste the above code into it.

Now you need something to call the function. You can make it "auto-run" by just calling the function right after you declare it, by adding this line:

EmailSample

directly below the "end sub" line, but still inside the <script> tags.

If you wanted to call it based on a button click, you could instead place this code in the <body> of your page:

<button onclick="EmailSample">Send Email</button>

There are a bunch of VBScript / JavaScript tutorials on the web that will get you up to speed in 1 day (it's pretty simple in some ways). As you delve deeper into "outside of the box" web programming like automation (what we are doing above) learning VBScript/JavaScript is essential.

Thanks!
-Pat

David Williamson

ASKER

I use JS all the time, so if its similar to VBS, then I should be just fine.

patbuchanan

Yep - it's pretty close. Just a few different annoyances, like:

EmailSample

instead of

EmailSample()

like in JS.

You'll like it in some ways and hate it in others. :) I think VBScript has much better support for date formats, for example.

Hope that helped you!

-Pat