Re: Batch processing csv import to Outlook Calendar

["ibm" <ibm@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The way to do this is to use Office PIA.
Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook namespace is the one you want.

I was able to update my contacts from AS400, but I set it up for a one
time shot.  I'm sure there is a more advanced way to do a daily sync.  I
wonder if outlook COM automation would perform from a Windows Service.
I guess not:
http://bytes.com/topic/visual-basic-net/answers/671099-windows-service-o
utlook

Looks like the only way I can find is using the MS Replication API and
probably this http://openmapi.org/nmapi.  Someone correct me if I'm
wrong please.


Here is a class that should help interface with OL:

public class ol
    {
        private Application olApp;
        private NameSpace olNs;
        private MAPIFolder olF;
        private System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection
entries;
        private MAPIFolder olWorkingF;

        public OlItemType wfItemType
        {
            get
            {
                return olWorkingF.DefaultItemType;
            }
        }

        public int wfCount
        {
            get
            {
                try
                {
                    return olWorkingF.Items.Count;
                }
                catch (System.Exception ex)
                {

                    return 0;
                }
                
            }
        }

        public object wfObject(int index)
        {
            try
            {
                return olWorkingF.Items[index];
            }
            catch (System.Exception ex)
            {
                return null;
            }
            
        }
       

        #region ctor

        public ol(string StoreName)
        {
            olApp = new Application();
            

            olNs = olApp.GetNamespace("MAPI");

            
            entries = new
System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection();

            try
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Looking for store: " + StoreName);
                olF = FindStoreByName(StoreName);
            }
            catch { }

            if (olF == null)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Store '" + StoreName + "' not found!
");
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine(" > " + olF.FullFolderPath + " [" +
olF.DefaultItemType + "] : " + olF.Folders.Count);

                EntriesBuilder(olF,1);

                Console.WriteLine("");

                GC.Collect();
                GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
            }
        }

        public void finish()
        {
            try
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Closing Outlook.");
                olApp.Quit();
                olNs.Logoff();
 
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(olApp);
 
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(olNs);
                olApp = null;
                olNs = null;
                GC.Collect();
                GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers();
            }
            catch (System.Exception ex)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
            }
        }

        #endregion ctor

        #region Folder Methods

        public void setWorkingFolder(string foldername)
        {
            string id = getEntryId(foldername);

            if (id != null)
            {
                olWorkingF = null;
                olWorkingF = olNs.GetFolderFromID(id, olF.StoreID);
                if (olWorkingF != null)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Working Folder : " +
olWorkingF.FullFolderPath);
                }
                else
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Unable to set working folder : "
+ foldername);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Unable to retrieve ID for working
folder : " + foldername);
            }
        }

        private void EntriesBuilder(MAPIFolder someFolder, int indent)
        {
            indent++;

            string s = "";

            for (int i = 1; i <= someFolder.Folders.Count; i++)
            {   
                MAPIFolder olFi = someFolder.Folders[i];
                Console.WriteLine(s.PadRight(indent) + "> " + olFi.Name
+ "  [" + olFi.DefaultItemType + "] ");
                entries.Add(olFi.EntryID, olFi.Name);

                if (olFi.Folders.Count > 0)
                {
                    EntriesBuilder(olFi, indent);
                }

 
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(olFi);
                olFi = null;
            }
        }

        private string getEntryId(string folderName)
        {
            if (entries.Count > 0)
            {
                for (int i = 0; i < entries.Count; i++)
                {
                    if (entries.GetValues(i)[0].ToLower() ==
folderName.ToLower())
                    {
                        return entries.GetKey(i);
                    }
                }
            }

            return null;
        }

        #endregion 

        #region Store Methods

        private MAPIFolder FindStoreByName(string folderName)
        {
            MAPIFolder returnItem = null;

            System.Collections.IEnumerator folderEnum =
olNs.Folders.GetEnumerator();

            while (folderEnum.MoveNext())
            {
                MAPIFolder curFolder = (MAPIFolder)folderEnum.Current;

                if (curFolder.Name.ToLower() == folderName.ToLower())
                {
                    returnItem = curFolder;
                    break;
                }

 
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(curFolder);
            }

            //
http://blogs.msdn.com/mstehle/archive/2007/12/07/oom-net-part-2-outlook-
item-leaks.aspx
            //foreach (MAPIFolder olF in olNs.Folders)
            //{
            //    if (olF.Name.ToLower() == folderName.ToLower())
            //    {
            //        return olF;
            //   }
            //}

            System.Runtime.InteropServices.ICustomAdapter adapter =
(System.Runtime.InteropServices.ICustomAdapter)folderEnum;
 
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(adapter.Get
UnderlyingObject());

            return returnItem;
        }

        #endregion


    }
}





-----Original Message-----
From: systemidotnet-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:systemidotnet-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Wyatt Repavich
Sent: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 11:26 AM
To: systemidotnet@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [SystemiDotNet] Batch processing csv import to Outlook Calendar

Hello All -

 

The latest post about using a .csv to transfer a contact list got me
thinking about a recent request for a process to synchronize a System i
appointment scheduler with an Outlook Calendar (2003/2007).  I want to
import and export through a nightly process.  I plan to use .csv files
for
the synchronization.  Does Outlook have import/export commands that can
be
run in a .bat?  Is there a more elegant way to get this done?  If anyone
has
insight, I would appreciate the help.

 

Thanks.

 

- Wyatt Repavich