How to use the Rule.dll sample to create an inbox rule in Visual Basic (251125)

MORE INFORMATION

The rules that are added in this sample function review all incoming messages. If the message subject includes the word "test", a reply message is sent and the original message is deleted.

The Platform Software Development Kit (SDK) includes a Rules COM component. The documentation in the SDK provides examples of using the Rules component in the context of an Active Server Pages (ASP) application. You can, however, also use this sample in applications using the Collaborative Data Objects (CDO) library.

Note The Rule.dll must be compiled before use. Compiling the Rule.dll library requires skill in Visual C++ and is beyond the scope of this article. See the documentation listed in the "References" section of this article for more information.

This function creates three items in the HiddenMessages collection of the Inbox folder:

• The reply rule
• The template for the reply message
• The delete rule

To run this sample program, follow these steps:

1. In Visual Basic, create a new Standard EXE project.
2. Add a reference to the Microsoft CDO 1.21 Library, and to the Rule.dll library. (You will need to browse to the location where you built Rule.dll.)
3. Copy the following function to the code module of the default form:

   Option Explicit
   Const SUBJECT_TO_SEARCH = "Test"
   Public Function AddReplyAndDeleteRule(ByVal strProfileInfo As String) As Long
   
   Dim objCDOSession As MAPI.Session                ' CDO Session.
   Dim objInbox As MAPI.Folder                      ' Folder to set rule.
   Dim colRules As MSExchange.Rules                 ' Rules collection.
   Dim objReplyMsg As MAPI.Message                  ' Reply template.
   Dim objReplyRule As MSExchange.Rule
   Dim objDeleteRule As MSExchange.Rule
   Dim objPropVal As MSExchange.PropVal             ' Property value.
   Dim objContCond As MSExchange.ContentCondition   ' Condition.
   Dim objReplyAction As MSExchange.Action
   Dim objDeleteAction As MSExchange.Action
   
   Const SUBSTRING = 1
   Const IGNORECASE = &H10000
   Const ACTION_DELETE = 3
   Const ACTION_REPLY = 4
   Const CdoPR_SUBJECT = &H37001E
   
   On Error GoTo Error_Handler
   
   ' Create and log on to session object.
   Set objCDOSession = New MAPI.Session
   objCDOSession.Logon , , False, True, True, True, strProfileInfo
   Set objInbox = objCDOSession.Inbox
   
   'Each folder has a Rules collection.
   Set colRules = New MSExchange.Rules
   colRules.Folder = objInbox
   
   ' Create condition for rules.
   Set objPropVal = New MSExchange.PropVal
   objPropVal.Tag = CdoPR_SUBJECT  'looks in Subject property
   objPropVal.Value = SUBJECT_TO_SEARCH 'looks for this string
   
   ' Create ContentCondition
   Set objContCond = New MSExchange.ContentCondition
   objContCond.Value = objPropVal
   objContCond.PropertyType = CdoPR_SUBJECT
   objContCond.Operator = SUBSTRING + IGNORECASE
   ' Previous line ignores case and other text.
   
   ' Create reply message and store in HiddenMessages collection.
   Set objReplyMsg = objInbox.HiddenMessages.Add
   
   ' Set reply message properties.
   objReplyMsg.Type = "IPM.Note.Rules.ReplyTemplate.Microsoft"
   objReplyMsg.Text = "Please do not send messages to this address"
   objReplyMsg.Update
   
   ' Create Reply Rule first.
   Set objReplyRule = New MSExchange.Rule
   
   ' Set reply action.
   Set objReplyAction = New MSExchange.Action
   objReplyAction.ActionType = ACTION_REPLY
   
   Dim vntArgs(1) As Variant
   vntArgs(0) = objReplyMsg.ID       ' ID of template
   vntArgs(1) = objReplyMsg.FolderID ' folder ID of template
   objReplyAction.Arg = vntArgs      ' Set the args
   
   ' Set other reply rule properties.
   objReplyRule.Name = "Reply Test"
   objReplyRule.Condition = objContCond
   objReplyRule.Actions.Add , objReplyAction
   
   ' Add reply rule to rules collection.
   colRules.Add , objReplyRule
   
   ' Create Delete Rule object.
   Set objDeleteRule = New MSExchange.Rule
   
   ' Create delete action.
   Set objDeleteAction = New MSExchange.Action
   objDeleteAction.ActionType = ACTION_DELETE
   
   ' Set delete rule properties.
   objDeleteRule.Name = "Delete Test"
   objDeleteRule.Condition = objContCond  'reuse condition
   objDeleteRule.Actions.Add , objDeleteAction
   colRules.Add , objDeleteRule
   colRules.Update
   
   ' Wrap up.
   objCDOSession.Logoff
   AddReplyAndDeleteRule = 0  'successful
   
   Set objPropVal = Nothing
   Set objContCond = Nothing
   Set objReplyAction = Nothing
   Set objDeleteAction = Nothing
   Set objReplyRule = Nothing
   Set objDeleteRule = Nothing
   Set objReplyMsg = Nothing
   Set colRules = Nothing
   Set objInbox = Nothing
   Set objCDOSession = Nothing
   
   Exit Function
   
   Error_Handler:
   AddReplyAndDeleteRule = Err.Number
   
   End Function

4. Add a command button to the default form, and paste the following code to the button click event procedure (note that you must change the ServerName and MailBox to the appropriate names):

   Dim lResult As Long
   ' TODO Change the ServerName and MailBox to the appropriate names.
   lResult = AddReplyAndDeleteRule("ServerName" & vbLf & "MailBox")
   MsgBox "Call to function: " & lResult

5. Run the project and then click the command button. If the message box displays a "0" (zero), the process worked and the rules were added; otherwise, an error value is displayed.
6. Using Microsoft Outlook or another mail client, send a message with the subject "Test" to the mailbox. The rules on the mailbox will reply back and delete the message.

Note The rules that are added by the Rule.dll COM component do not appear in the Outlook user interface; the only way to manipulate them is through the code. This is a limitation of the COM interfaces used to create rules, not a limitation of the sample itself. Therefore, it is recommended that all testing be done on a mailbox that you create for this purpose.

To download the Microsoft Exchange Development Kit (EDK) 5.5, visit the following Microsoft Web site:Microsoft no longer supports Microsoft EDK 5.5 with versions of Microsoft Exchange Server later than 5.5. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: