How to read various Outlook PST files in different subdirectories

[fredgmain]

Hi,

I have few different Outlook PST files (different users) in sitting in different subdirectories. Is it possible to open those PST files individually and process the information using Outlook.application? (Without using the COPY FILE command.)

Thanks
Fredgmain

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Isn't this almost the same question as posted by freddiekg (is that you under a different posting name?) in: thread184-1575098

Regardless, the answer is the same.

As long as Outlook is open for any user, it 'captures' the pre-defined PST file(s). If you try to do something to it, you will get a Shares Violation error message.

If Outlook is not open, then you might be able to change its internal configuration via the Registry, but I have not done so - so if you determine where that configuration 'lives' you can change it.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[fredgmain]

Dear JRB-Bldr,

My "freddiekg" account is lo longer working for unknown reason, so I setup a new one.

Back to the Outlook questions again, let me explain what I try to accomplish and please help. BTW, I really appreciate all the helps you gave.

(1) I have 10 uears that login to a remote Windows Server via Remote Desktop Connection and have individual profile (login as different userid).
(2) Each of them have seperate Outlook PST files that sit in the different subdirectories, e.g. "C:\{username}\outlook.pst"
(3) What I try to do is to have a VFP program run Outlook objects, like,

loOut = CREATEOBJECT("outlook.application")
lNameSpace = loOut.GetNameSpace("MAPI")
........
......

and see if I can point to those PST files in different subdirectories and extract the information and store in a DBF. My question is, is there an Outlook object command that can do this? Or I am limit to the suggestions you gave me last time?

Thanks in advance
Fred

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Well, Mike already told you there is no way to get an open ed PST file open again, therfore even if you could automate your own Outlook to point to the different PST files, you'd likely simply not be able to even just read the files, neither from VFP nor from outlook, as they are opened exclusively.

If you're trying to aggregate mails the solution would be a mail server, eg Exchange Server. That could also be a server for centrelising tasks, contacts and other outlook items.

Bye, Olaf.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

fredgmain - I understand the problem.
One of my clients has the same situation with Outlook.

Unfortunately, as I have said before, the problem is with Outlook and its interaction with the Windows Server OS's.

Originally I had all of my user's PST files in their own user-specific, common Z: drive where no matter where they logged in from, their Outlook ALWAYS got to a single, common PST file (as long as their Outlook was configured to use Z:\Outlook.pst). And it worked for years.

BUT that started to fail when Windows Server 2003 came in-house. Apparently something introduced forced the PST files to only work correctly if they were on the local workstation.

Now the solution we are faced with is to go to MS Exchange and let it manage the Outlook PST file issues.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[Andre Globensky]

take a look at this blog,

http://blogs.msdn.com/interoperabil...tlook-personal-folders-pst-documentation.aspx

sounds promising

 

[SteveBoard]

I've hacked out a couple of routines in VFP that build a dbf from Outlook messages. Let me know if you would like the code. It's not completely polished but would get you started.