OL2000: Items Collection Doesn't Support Varying Item Types (218287)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
This article was previously published under Q218287

SYMPTOMS

You use the Items collection to refer to a group of items in a folder, but you cannot use various methods in the Outlook object model if a property of an item is not available on the default item type for that folder.

CAUSE

The Items collection in the Outlook object model does not support different types of items in the same folder. The methods most commonly affected include Find, Restrict, Sort, SetColumns, and the UserProperties.Find method. These methods will only work correctly when used with properties that match the default item type for a folder.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

This problem will most likely occur when trying to use the DistListItem object in the Contacts folder. By default, the Contacts folder is the only Outlook folder that contains different types of items.

The DistListItem contains two properties that are not available on a ContactItem, DLName and MemberCount.

Steps to Reproduce the Problem

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http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS


  1. Make sure you have some distribution lists in your default Contacts folder. To create a distribution list, on the File menu, point to New and then click Distribution List.
  2. Set a referenc to the Microsoft Outlook 9.0 Object Library and then run the following automation code:
Sub RestrictDistList()
   Dim ol As Outlook.Application
   Dim oConFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder
   Dim oDistItems As Items
   Dim oResItems As Items

   Set ol = New Outlook.Application
   Set oConFolder = ol.Session.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)
   Set oConItems = oConFolder.Items
   Set oDistItems = oConItems.Restrict("[MessageClass] = 'IPM.DistList'")
   Set oResItems = OItems.Restrict("[DLName] > 'k'")
End Sub
The last line of code will cause an error because the DLName property exists only on a DistListItem, and not a ContactItem.

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:

146636 OL2000: Questions About Custom Forms and Outlook Solutions

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/29/2003
Keywords:kbbug kbnofix kbProgramming KB218287
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