To work with the currently selected item (not opened) in the message list, you will need to reference the ActiveExplorer and will use the ActiveExplorer method to get the item in the Explorer window. (This is used for all Outlook items that are selected but not opened: appointments, contacts, tasks, etc.)
Set objItem = objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
When you are working with an Outlook item that is open and has focus, it uses the ActiveInspector method. The code you need to work with Inspectors is.
Set objItem = objApp.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem
To help remember which is which, think of the main Outlook window as Windows Explorer. When you work with items in this window, you'll use Explorer.
When you want to use the macro with either open or selected items, you can use this function to determine if the item is open or selected. You'll call the function in your code in this manner:
Set objItem = GetCurrentItem()
You'll need to put one copy of this function in a module and can use the function in many macros.
Function GetCurrentItem() As Object
Dim objApp As Outlook.Application
Set objApp = Application
On Error Resume Next
Select Case TypeName(objApp.ActiveWindow)
Case "Explorer"
Set GetCurrentItem = objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
Case "Inspector"
Set GetCurrentItem = objApp.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem
End Select
Set objApp = Nothing
End Function
These articles are applicable to all versions of Outlook:
More Information
Application.ActiveInspector Method
Application.ActiveExplorer Method
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34 Comments on "Outlook VBA: Work with Open Item or Selected Item"
Set GetCurrentItem = objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
will fail if the selection is a header. So for example if the selection is on a header "Today" of a collapsed groupo containing all of Today's messages then Selection.Count returns zero.
How do we obtain all the messages in that collapsed group?
Correct, you need to select a single item in a group (or a single item, which is a group too). At this time, i don't think you can select them using a single command. You'd need to check the date (or another value) and loop through all.
I am very inexperienced in programming. Do we need to do garbage collection for GetCurrentItem in the calling function? If so, how?
No. it picks up the open item and clears when you close the item. At most, you can use Set objItem = Nothing at the end of the macro.
Hi Diane,
I am implementing something but keep fails.
I have an outlook email which located in my desktop.
Inside that outlook email contains attachment.
I want to get the attachment.
I'm using the way you posted which is "objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)".
But the email is not the email located in my desktop but instead it is an email in my outlook.
So how am I going to get the email in my desktop instead get the email in my outlook?
Please help.
Best Regards,
Jun Wei
Because its not stored inside outlook, you need to open it then you can use objApp.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem
Hi Diane,
Is there anyway I can open the email address properties window pop and capture it?
Steps :-
Enter the email ID or name in the "Find a contact" window.
Email Address window popup, capture it and paste in the word document.
Thanks in Advance
Regards,
in that window, no, not to my knowledge, but you can do a look up in the contacts folder to grab the address or other details.
Set oNS = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI")
Set folContacts = oNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderContacts)
Set colItems = folContacts.Items
Set oContact = colItems.Find("[fullname] = '" & strFullname & "'")
If Not oContact Is Nothing Then
strAddress = oContact.email1address
End If
Hi,
I am trying to find some sample VBA code to use in Outlook 2016.
I would like the code to be able to send an email when an email arrives from particular senders.
Previous code worked in previous version of Outlook but the Inbox configuration seems different in Outlook 2016.
Thanks Jim
The same code should work in Outlook 2016 with minimal editing. Were you using a run a script rule or ItemAdd macro previously?
Sorry I missed this earlier. At the top, change the name line to this:
Sub Inkind()
Dim objItem As Outlook.mailItem
Replace
Set myNameSpace = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI")
Set myFolder = myNameSpace.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox)
with
Set objItem = GetCurrentItem()
you need to get the recipients collection.
For Each Recipient In objItem.Recipients
strRecip = Recipient.Address & ";" & strRecip
Next Recipient
Hi Again thanks for this article. i am trying to get my Macro to run when a new item is selected is there an event which could run a process each time a new item is selected(previewed). Thanks
That would be selection change events. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff869813.aspx