Save Auto-Archive Properties of a Folder in Solution Storage

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This topic shows a solution that saves its private data in a few MAPI auto-archive properties. The solution stores these properties in a StorageItem object of the folder to which the auto-archive properties apply. StorageItem objects are stored as hidden data in the associated portion of a folder, and because solutions can optionally encrypt their data, they offer the privacy required of solution data. Because the MAPI auto-archive properties are not exposed as explicit built-in properties in the Outlook object model, the solution uses the PropertyAccessor on the StorageItem object to set these properties.

The following illustrates the procedure:

  1. The ChangeAgingProperties function accepts the following as input parameters:

  • oFolder is the Folder object to which the aging properties apply and where their values are stored.

  • AgeFolder indicates whether to archive or delete items in the folder as specified.

  • DeleteItems indicates whether to delete, instead of archive, items that are older than the aging period.

  • FileName` indicates a specific file for archiving aged items. If this is an empty string, the default archive file, archive.pst, will be used.

  • Granularity indicates the unit of time for aging, whether archiving is to be calculated in units of months, weeks, or days.

  • Period indicates the amount of time in the given granularity. Together, the Granularity and Period values indicate an aging period. Items in the given folder older than this aging period are to be archived or deleted as specified. For example, a Granularity of 2 and Period of 14 specifies an aging period of 14 days, when items in the given folder older than 14 days should be either archived or deleted as specified.

  • Default indicates which settings should be set to the default. The possible values are 0, 1, and 3:

    • 0 indicates nothing assumes a default value.

    • 1 indicates that only the file location assumes a default value. This is the same as checking Archive this folder using these settings and Move old items to default archive folder in the AutoArchive tab of the Properties dialog box for the folder.

    • 3 indicates all settings assume a default value. This is the same as checking Archive items in this folder using default settings in the AutoArchive tab of the Properties dialog box for the folder.

  1. The validity of the parameters is checked.

  2. If the parameters are valid, Folder.GetStorage is used to create or get an existing StorageItem object with the message class, IPC.MS.Outlook.AgingProperties.

  3. PropertyAccessor is then used to set the auto-archive properties on the StorageItem, StorageItem.Save is used to save changes to the StorageItem.

  4. The TestAgingProps procedure sets the auto-archive settings for the aging properties of the current folder so that items older than six months are moved to the default archive file.

Remarks

  1. Place the code in the built-in ThisOutlookSession module.

  2. Run the TestAgingProps procedure to set aging properties on the current folder in the active explorer.

Note Whether it is implemented as a VBA macro or a COM add-in, the solution is a trusted caller and can therefore access the PropertyAccessor. To improve this example, wrap the following VBA code in a .NET class for better error trapping and enumeration for Granularity.

Function ChangeAgingProperties(oFolder As Outlook.Folder, _ 
 AgeFolder As Boolean, DeleteItems As Boolean, _ 
 FileName As String, Granularity As Integer, _ 
 Period As Integer, Default As Integer) As Boolean 
 
 '6 MAPI properties for aging items in a folder 
 Const PR_AGING_AGE_FOLDER = _ 
 "https://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x6857000B" 
 Const PR_AGING_DELETE_ITEMS = _ 
 "https://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x6855000B" 
 Const PR_AGING_FILE_NAME_AFTER9 = _ 
 "https://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x6859001E" 
 Const PR_AGING_GRANULARITY = _ 
 "https://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x36EE0003" 
 Const PR_AGING_PERIOD = _ 
 "https://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x36EC0003" 
 Const PR_AGING_DEFAULT = _ 
 "https://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x685E0003" 
 
 Dim oStorage As StorageItem 
 Dim oPA As PropertyAccessor 
 
 ' Valid Period: 
 ' 1-999 
 ' 
 ' Valid Granularity: 
 ' 0=Months, 1=Weeks, 2=Days 
 ' 
 ' Valid Default: 
 ' 0=All settings don't use a default setting 
 ' 1=Only the file location is defaulted 
 ' "Archive this folder using these settings" and 
 ' "Move old items to default archive folder" are checked 
 ' 3=All settings are defaulted 
 ' "Archive items in this folder using default settings" is checked 
 
 If (oFolder Is Nothing) Or _ 
 (Granularity < 0 Or Granularity > 2) Or _ 
 (Period < 1 Or Period > 999) Or _ 
 (Default < 0 Or Default = 2 Or Default > 3) _ 
 Then 
 ChangeAgingProperties = False 
 End If 
 
 On Error GoTo Aging_ErrTrap 
 
 'Create or get solution storage in given folder by message class 
 Set oStorage = oFolder.GetStorage( _ 
 "IPC.MS.Outlook.AgingProperties", olIdentifyByMessageClass) 
 Set oPA = oStorage.PropertyAccessor 
 
 If Not (AgeFolder) Then 
 oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_AGE_FOLDER, False 
 Else 
 'Set the 6 aging properties in the solution storage 
 oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_AGE_FOLDER, True 
 oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_GRANULARITY, Granularity 
 oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_DELETE_ITEMS, DeleteItems 
 oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_PERIOD, Period 
 If FileName <> "" Then 
 oPA.SetProperty PR_AGING_FILE_NAME_AFTER9, FileName 
 End If 
 oPA.SetProperty (PR_AGING_DEFAULT), Default 
 End If 
 'Save changes as hidden messages to the associated portion of the folder 
 oStorage.Save 
 ChangeAgingProperties = True 
 Exit Function 
 
Aging_ErrTrap: 
 Debug.Print Err.Number, Err.Description 
 ChangeAgingProperties = False 
End Function 
 
Sub TestAgingProps() 
 Dim oFolder As Outlook.Folder 
 Set oFolder = Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder 
 If ChangeAgingProperties(oFolder, True, False, "", 0, 6, 1) Then 
 Debug.Print "ChangeAgingProperties OK" 
 Else 
 Debug.Print "ChangeAgingProperties Failed" 
 End If 
End Sub

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